Elephant

“The Kattunayakans, for example, a traditional hunter-gatherer tribe, would never plant a cash crop like bananas, since ‘elephants would eat it, of course’. They think it’s perfectly natural for elephants to come through their land and eat whatever they find. But for many of the newer immigrants into the region this is completely unacceptable, and they think elephants are a huge problem. Such nuances are frequently lost on biologists, conservationists and the media.” – Tarsh Thekaekara (Director, Shola Trust) in “Can elephants and humans live together?” (The Guardian, 6 March 2017)
https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2017/mar/06/can-elephants-and-humans-live-together
https://indiantribalheritage.org/?p=22634

“Tribal communities are a standing example” – National workshop highlights the role of tribal women in the preservation of eco historic cultural heritage in India

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Mari Marcel Thekaekara, writer and Co-founder of ACCORD-Nilgiris says the tribal communities are a standing example of how women play a major role in preservation of eco historic cultural heritage in India “Once, I was walking with this young tribal girl through the forest and we stumbled upon a tuber. She plucked it, cut the … Read more

The Paniyas, Kattunayakans, Mullukurumbas and Bettakurumbas of the Gudalur valley – Tamil Nadu

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The Gudalur valley in the Nilgiris is home to four distinct indigenous communities – Paniyas, Kattunayakans, Mullukurumbas and Bettakurumbas. | Read more >> Source: Cultural Diversity | At the Edge of ExistenceAddress : https://cultureandconservation.wordpress.com/test/Date Visited: 15 February 2022 […] In the old days each hill had one Karnavar (traditional elder). If there was no fire for … Read more

Learning from the Kattunayakan community: How to live with elephants? – Tamil Nadu

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Elephant conservation: Can elephants and humans live together?   Berserk beasts, trashed crops, vengeful villagers: tales of ‘conflict’ come thick and fast as humans and elephants are forced into closer contact. But does it have to be war? Across Asia and Africa, there are hints of how we might live in peace | To view more photos … Read more

Women are more affected from poverty: Tackling the “feminisation of poverty” – Jharkhand

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For a US student, working among tribal populations, Naxalites and wild elephants in India was unthinkable, but Ryan Ballard wants it all and is back in the country working with Magic Bus, a non governmental organisation. The 25-year-old studied anthropology and global poverty at the University of California at Berkeley, US. […] “Coming face to … Read more

Illustrated and bilingual resources suitable for urban and rural schools alike: A range of beautiful books published by Tulika & Tara

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The first chaang, the first elephant, once had big eyes,Which the animals thought looked beautiful and wise.Then, along came a bird, a wagtail, and… Told in verse, this folktale from the Tai Phake people of India’s northeast is gentle and funny. Source: Why The Elephant Has Tiny EyesAddress: https://www.tulikabooks.com/general-picture-books/why-the-elephant-has-tiny-eyes-english.htmlDate Visited: 15 March 2021 “As kids, we … Read more