Role of sacred groves in adivasi society: Adivasi Munnetra Sangam Gudalur – Tamil Nadu

Role of Sacred Groves and their current status in adivasi society

Conservation of natural resources has been an integral part of diverse cultures in different ways. Indigenous communities all over the world lived in harmony with the nature and conserved its valuable biodiversity. There were many traditional conservation practices of adivasis in many parts of the world, which contributed to the conservation and protection of biodiversity. A good example of such traditional practices is the conservation and protection of small forest patches called “sacred groves”. Sacred groves are patches of forest, water bodies, grasslands considered to be inhabited by gods and hence, strictly prohibited from resource extraction. […]

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Higher studies that can result in a livelihood opportunity is within the reach of many students and their families now – a far cry from even a decade ago. […] tribal counselors also function as a good bridge between the government’s health system and the adivasi community, by informing everyone about the various government schemes and other possible assistance. They help monitor chronic patients and pregnant women regularly.

Importantly, they prove, once again, that given an opportunity, adivasis are capable of providing important services to our own community and are the best bet to mobilise the community and to take responsibility for their future.

Source: Adivasi.net – Newsletters, No.31 Apr – Jun  2011
Address : <http://www.adivasi.net/Newsletters/news.php>
Date Visited: Wed Jul 13 2011 16:49:29 GMT+0200 (CEST)

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Sacred grove photo © survivalinternational.org >>
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“We have a special responsibility to document, monitor and conserve our most precious asset” – Kamaljit S. Bawa in “Our biodiversity, our life, our future” >>

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Atree.org | Ashoka Trust for Research in Ecology & the Environment (posts)

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What is the Forest Rights Act about? 
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