Kattunayakan (Kattunaika, Kattunaicken)

Gudalur’s Vidyodaya School and outreach programme: A success story with Adivasi history, culture and songs integrated into its curriculum – Tamil Nadu

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Deep within the Gudalur valley, bounded by the Mudumalai, Wyanad and Bandipur tiger reserves, the Viswa Bharati Vidyodaya Trust has developed a school which is attracting the neglected children of Adivasi tribes into primary education “What use is your education to us? It will only take away our children. Your schools talk about changing the … Read more

Vidyodaya’s summer camp for learning, brainstorming, fun, observations, discussions and reflections – Tamil Nadu

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Camps had always played an important role to build relationships among the children. 92 children attended the camps this year – with lot of learning, brainstorming, fun, observations, discussions and reflections. Feedback from the children We wish the camps run for 2 weeks. We got some ideas to tackle the problem of alcoholism I have got one more family and … Read more

Traditional honey harvesting by the Kattunayakan in the Nilgiri mountains – Tamil Nadu

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Text and photo credits: Accord team, Tarsh and Tariq Thekaekara, Gudalur,  July 24, 2013  | Read the full blog here >> Listening to K. Chandran’s story, we ended up with muddled emotions. The story is about his grandfather and his love for honey. It is about the ancient beliefs of honey harvesting still followed by him … Read more

On equality and sharing: “a truly amazing sight” – Tamil Nadu

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By Mari Marcel Thekaekara, The New Internationalist, September 14, 2012 Culture is a tricky thing. How do we define it? Who decides when customs and traditions, even ancient, cherished ones, can be dispensed with? These and many other similar questions have been debated by the Adivasi groups we (ACCORD, an NGO in the Nilgiri hills of … Read more

Bee festival and media workshop hosted by Accord – Gudalur (Tamil Nadu)

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The Jennu Habba – Honey Festival and exhibition drew about 400 visitors. The Vidyodaya schoolchildren enjoyed intensive sessions with the elders of Kattunayakan tribe: It is the honey season and bee hives in the forest are bursting with sweetness. Over generations our people, the Kattunayakans have mastered the skills required to take honey from the … Read more