India’s tribals often possess traditional knowledge that gets lost because of the younger generation’s lack of interest. An organisaton is trying to prevent the same from happening in Odisha. […]
Ever since she participated in the 15-day nutrition camp that was held in her Nuagaon village in the Bissam Cuttack block of Odisha’s Rayagada district, Chandrabati Kadraka, 22, has been a happy woman. […]
Whereas good farming practices are one aspect of healthy eating, preparing meals is another. A few elderly tribal women have concerns about the indifference of the younger generation with regard to the traditional preparations. “Our food is our identity. Once our food is lost, we will be lost,” remarks Rupa Kumuruka, 52, of Badeipadar village, rather ominously. However, since Living Farms has been organising recipe festivals, there’s been a revival of interest. At these festivals, community elders rustle up some delicious dishes from millets and other forest foods. They tweak these versions to attract the youngsters, who prefer spicy street fare easily available in haats. Young daughters-in-law are trying their hand at making ladoos, halwa, and pakoda from finger millet, niger and foxtail millet. “In the recipe festival, the emphasis is on making wholesome dishes that children will relish,” says Biswal. […]
Emphasizing on the need to have fresh, locally grown or gathered produce, Mangi Kumuruka, 65, enumerates the wide array of millets they have to choose from. “There’s mandia or ragi (finger millet), juara (great millet), bajra (spiked millet), kangu (Italian millet), kodua (kodo millet), khira (barnyard millet), and suan (little millet). […]
Pratima Kumuruka, another Kondh tribal woman, adds, “There are no chemical fertilisers in our foods, so we do not see many pregnancy-related complications among tribal women. Rather, if we take millets and pulses regularly, our children are healthier.”
“Restoring land and livelihoods, empowering women, providing basic civic amenities such as fuel, water and sanitation are preconditions to advancements of rights of tribal children. Unless the government undertakes urgent steps to address these issues, its proclamations on child rights would remain examples of empty rhetoric and its actions would effectively continue to exclude those already sidelined.” – Archana Mehendale in “Isolated Communities and Ignored Claims: Tribal Children’s Right to Education in India” >>
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“Together, we must endeavour to strengthen tribal communities which are the role model in preservation of water, forest and land, and learn from their connection with nature and the surrounding environment for the sake of the entire human race.” – journalist and tribal rights activist Dayamani Barla in The Wire >>
