Elephants – a way of life for the Korubas of South India – Karnataka

ASHOKA, ELEPHANT BOY, Age 17Excerpts from Mother India’s Children by Edward Rice Sometimes India reminds me of the ocean. It looks like one great undifferentiated mass of people, like so many identical waves. To the tourists who jump from Calcutta to the Taj Mahal in Agra and then to Bombay, it is. All Indians look … Read more

Learn from “insiders” to fight misconceptions: Ideas and practices worth sharing

There’s much to learn from the positive contributions made by tribal communities on a daily basis. To start with, let’s learn from insiders and others who have dedicated their lives to ensuring that a precious heritage will continue to make a difference to people from all backgrounds – all over India and even beyond: “[I]t … Read more

Tribal culture a living example of the Gandhian concept of trusteeship – Human Ecology by Lachman Khubchandani

Source: Lachman Khubchandani in Indigenous Peoples: Responding to Human Ecology (pp. 14-15) | Free eBook download | Backup >> Indigenous Peoples: Responding to Human EcologyAuthor : Lachman KhubchandaniPublisher : Bhasha Centre and CIIL, 2009Pages : 130 Indigenous Peoples reflects on the current development crises in a framework of human ecology and discusses how Adivasis have responded. … Read more

Tips | Biodiversity, ethnobotany, health and nutrition

Public health and food security depend on citizens’ willingness to “use and share resources in a sustainable and equitable manner”. The nation’s “primary conservers” – often tribal farmers – are now seen as guardians of biological diversity (Genome Saviour Award); and entitled to protection under the law known as Biodiversity Act. – M S Swaminathan, the scientist … Read more

Sacred groves protected by India’s tribal communities: Fostering a sense of togetherness and harmony

Living in harmony with Nature has been an integral part of Indian culture. This has been abundantly reflected in a variety of traditional practices, religious beliefs, rituals, folklore, arts and crafts, and in the daily lives of the Indian people from time immemorial. The present day global concerns for sustainable development and conservation of natural … Read more