Culture and People
Why Culture is Important?
Culture is a strong part of people's lives. It influences their views, their values, their honour, their hopes, their loyalty and their beliefs. Culture is important to keep people together, sharing, decision makings and community agriculture to keep their land occupy. Culture is important to the people who gain knowledge within the community and transfer the knowledge to younger generations. Culture is important for identity.
What were the origins of the project & how did the programme unfold
Keystone Foundation started to work on conservation, livelihood and enterprises. While focusing on different projects, Keystone found that there are different issues coming which are not related to the projects. though, Keystone foundation working with Kurumba honey hunters to improve their livelihood, the sudden and continuous death in the Kurumba community made Keystone's to think about what were the reason behind it. It lead to think about the size of the population, their nutritional status, traditional governance system and land rights etc. Keystone Foundation started with Kurumba census. Continuous meeting with people helped to develop the program to address the identity and cultural issues.
The Culture and People programme developed after the 10years of Keystone Foundation work in different programmes. In 2003, during the 10 year celebrations at Keystone, a discussion started with the community members present on what Keystone should include in its work. The people have demanded that they need two more forums which can work for reviving of culture and tradition leadership and the other forum is to support to avail government schemes. Initially Kurumba census gave the path to develop the program and slowly included Irula communities to develop it further. The programme started involving different tribal communities such as Kurumbas, Irulas, Kasavas, VettaikaduIrulas, Uralis, Sholigas, Kattunaickens,Sholanaickens, Aranadan, paniyas, Muduvas, Kotas and Todas from Kotagiri, Coonoor, Sigur, Pillur, Hasanur, Nilambur and Punanjanur areas to discuss about how keystone foundation could support the tribal communities to revive their culture and tradition. Tribal Advisory Commitee(TAC) also played a large role define the activities of Culture and People. The tribal communities from Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve, are small in numbers, their voice are not heard, living isolated, lost identity and culture, poor health and nutritional levels, poor education status, poor basic amenities made Keystone to work towards cultural and identity issues.
The staffs and volunteers from the different tribal communities to carry forward the activities. This helped community to share their knowledge in their own languages to keep their knowledge alive. It gave community members the chance to set priorities and take up issues that they thought were important.
Population Census
Keystone's work in Kotagiri and Coonoor areas with the Kurumba and Irula communities made keystone to think about to do the details understanding about the Kurumba communitity. As mentioned, Continuous death brought Keystone to do a Kurumba population census in Kotagiri, Coonoor, Ooty, Kundah in the Nilgiris, Ramaranai from Erode district, Attapady region from Kerala. This census information brought lots of community issues which needs to be addressed. The census had different components such as family details, clan, basic amenities. Health and education facilities, income, land holding, water supply, dispute and minor and major illnesses. This census helped us to find a basic details of the community. We found that the population of Kurumba community is very small, No traditional agriculture practise, no nature worship like Gumba Deva and ancestrals, less elders in the community, low economic, poor education, moving from traditional habitat to the roadside had brought many changes within the communities. Government and outside influences also affected communities lifestyle.
After we analysed census data, we organized state level consultancy meeting with government and other stakeholders. We explained the status of Alukurumba community and how government could support. We also explained that there are different subgroups(Alukurumbas, Bettakurumbas, Mullukurumbas and Jenukurumbas) with in the Kurumba community who are entirely different from each other.
In 2007, we had an another survey for the Kurumba community to track death and birth informations by maintaining the village records. Census also covered Non timber forest collection, indigenous skills such as basket making, musician, chief honey hunter, honey hunting helper, story tellers etc. This census helped to findout how many people are involved in honey collections, whether youngsters are involved or not, are the honey hunters sharing their knowledges to the youngsters tec.
In 2010, we took another census, which was done for all the communities in Nilgiris Biosphere Reserve. The census covered Kurumba, Irula, VettaikaduIruals, Kasavas, Jenukurumbas, Sholigas. Todas, Kotas. For Punanjanur and Nilambur we have not done any detail study but we have source it externally. This census had family details, land holding, agricultural status, disabled, mentally challenged, crafts skills, single women, education status, traditional medicinal practitioner and what kind of certificates, which are used for availing government schemes.
These census helped Keystone to understand the situation and how we can support to fulfil their needs. Communities especially Kota are keeping track on their population and how the changes are happening in their communities.
Community Meetings
Traditionally there were village or community governance systems which has different roles within and other communities. The leaders takes responsibility of all the happenings which starts from birth to death such as ceremonies, rituals, agriculture, festivals, forest collections and other happenings. The traditional leaders are based on Seeme(Ancestral domain) which includes small small hamlets within the territory and also based on the clan systems. Each seeme has one Mothali(healer from Kurumba community) who works as a leader and healer. Within the Kurumba community there are Nagara and Bellege clans who had divided their roles of Mothali's. Nagara clan mothali take care of the rituals for baduga community, Bellega clan roles is to take care of Irula communities. The traditional leaders are called Mothali, Mannugara, Jaathi, Poojari, Bandari forKurumbas, (Maanukaran, Poojari, Bandaari, Urali, Gowdar, Jathi, kuruthalai for Irulas. Each leaders have diffrent roles within the seemai and villages. These system were disappeared due various reasons.
Thinking of strengthening these traditional system Keystone Foundation initiated to have community meetings to identify traditional leaders and bring back their roles in the communities. Started with continuous meetings to talk about their identities and cultural issues Kurumba and Irula community. People from Kotagiri and Coonoor came together and discuss about many issues such as elders are not sharing their knowledges, do not know what is happening in the neighbouring villages, how to bring back the traditional music and festivals like Gumba deva and Paranihaata. millet farming, many people have forgotten their traditional festival and rituals, lost identity, traditional governance systems which is not functioning well, unknown death, dispute within the village, alcohol consumption and abuses.
Meetings also helped to identify the different clans, what are the roles and responsibilities of traditional leaders, foundout different festival and months to celebrate. There were more people involved in the meetings and understand the changes in the communities. Though it was the interesting discussion but sometimes the topics are based on individual identities of the communities.
People have requested Keystone Foundation to support to documenting their traditional knowledges, organising festivals, teaching children about how to play the traditional musics, documenting stories, riddles and proverbs and provide musical instruments and help them to keep track on death and birth details.
Festivals
Festivals is the way which shows that peoples unity and the happiness in the communities. The festivals and ceremonies are major part of tribal people's lives. There are different festivals and rituals such as birth, puberty, marriage, land clearing, seed showing, weed cleaning and harvesting. There are festivals which is for deity, andancestrals. Poeple who share their products to other villages and lots of other kind of sharing also happened during festivals. Festival also one of the way to bring people together and showcase their acting, dance and singing skills. Since then, everything has changed due to changes within the community, wage option, modernity, outside products came in, subsidy and free, government and other influences. people have also lost their musical instruments which are needed for festival and other rituals.
Keystone Foundation organised festivals where tribal communities from different areas came and participated. every year the festival has different themes such as Arakol, Jenuhubba, Deva sholai(sacred grove), wild food, Indigenous food Festival, Folklore, Dodduhubba and Seemai hubba. The tribal communities from different areas shared their strength and weaknesses about the themes to the other tribals groups. Sharing helped people think about how others are continuing their practises, their attire, their performances, the identity, their languages and how they are proud. Government and NGO's are invited and talk about identity of the tribals and why it is importance to the tribal communities. Mostly the festival happened at the Keystone campus and each festival there was a rally organised. When Keystone organised festivals, many elders have participated in the beginning. Then slowly youngsters also joined the celebration with elders. Musical instruments were provided for the villages to continue their Arakolpracises and also teach youngsters to learn traditional musics.
Gumba deva and the Govai mane hubba which are main festival for Kurumbas after harvesting millets. Due to many problems which are already brought in the above text people have forgotten how to do the rituals. In some villages people have stopped doing it. After the continuous interventions from Keystone people have started celebration these festivals in their own. People have invited from other villages to part of that festivals.
Organizing such festivals made people to think about celebration their own festivals in their communities. Especially ParaniHatta was celebrated by the people to take away bad things from the village. This festival needs a week to celebrate and need more materials from the forest. Somehow people have stopped doing it. Through Keystone interventions people have taken initiative to celebrate this festival in their own.
Like wise there are many festivals celebrated by the people after our interventions.
Bamboo House construction
The Bamboo thatched mud house was the traditional house for tribal communities. Finding local materials such as Bamboo, Mud, Stone and roof materials within their locality. Bamboo thatched house was suitable for cold and hot climates. People can store the grains inside the bamboo house which are protected by the insects and pests. These kind of houses were slowly disappeared due to government housing schemes. Through Keystone foundation there was a bamboo house built in the traditional way in Baviyur village for people to use for their meeting, rituals etc. This house can be used as a model which people can propose to the government.
At the bamboo house there were few cultural education programmes organised by Keystone Foundation. The children who are going to school and the youngsters are moving to cities and no continuous practises by the villagers brought many changes in the communities. To change this situation Keystone organised cultural programmes for youngsters and the school students to learn about their culture and rituals. The programme started with learning musics and how to play an Arakol and Kvalu(Flute). The youngsters also got the knowledge about medicinal plants, wildfoods and other traditional knowledges about different clans, festivals and rituals practises.
There was an other intervention by Keystone to support healers to share their knowledges in medicinal practices to youngster. There are very less healers who have knowledge and practising. Availability of alternative medicines and other socio economic factors taken over the people traditional knowledge and beliefs systems. With this, ritual systems, the honoring of ancestral spirits within sacred groves, is greatly diminished, as these require millet cultivation as an essential offering to the gods and ancestors. The near collapse of the ritual system, in turn, is producing anxiety about a loss of auspiciousness and cosmic protection. This is manifested, we were told, in a new kind of fear or bayum that was plaguing the AluKurumbas, in particular. Moreover, as AluKurumba communities are believed to wield the powers of healing and sorcery more than other communities in the Nilgiris. This coupled with growing socioeconomic disparities has contributed to worries over sorcery among neighbors (seyvinai).
MahalingamAyyah. Mahalingam, in choosing three apprentices, would expedite the transmission of his knowledge of medicinal plants, rituals, prayers, and other esoteric aspects of AluKurumba healing. Traditional healing was in former times, a lifelong vocation that involved years of apprenticeship and much silent teaching by observation. While this certainly poses a risk to the sanctity and efficacy of the medicine, which, after all, relies upon the absolute trust and faith of the healer, their client, and the supporting community, Mahalingam would hand pick his disciples, it was agreed, based upon their personal qualities and receptiveness to the healing arts, thus preserving a traditional line of succession and means of transmission, the innovations notwithstanding.
Documentation of Traditional Knowledge
Within the indigenous communities sharing of knowledge was always happening through hear say, observation and hands on training from elders to the younger generation. As indigenous communities have rich knowledge which are not documented and current social situations taking away the traditional practises. The documentation work done by Keystone foundation on the traditional practices and knowledge were mostly in English. It was felt that the documentation must be done traditional knowledge in their language which would help the younger generation to read. Most of the indigenous communities have no scripts for their language. Keystone adopted the style of documenting their knowledge in Tamil scrip in indigenous dialects.
Keystone had trained the younger generation in the documentation process. This would also give an ownership amongst the communities to say that the document belongs to them. In the process Keystone has supported Kurumba, Irula and Sholigacommunites to document their traditional knowledges on Sacred groves, Medicine and Wild Food. Members from each community, identified the people who has knowledges about forest. There were five books which were printed and published such as Kurumba Sacred Grove, KurumbaMathu, KaduSoppuDagu, Anna Guleme and sholigajanavanaagara. The Mathu book contains medicinal plants of the kurumbasand the use of medicinal plants. The KaduSoppuDagu, Anna Gulume and sholigajanavanaagara books has more wild food based information. The youngters of the communities do not aware of collection of wildfood, nutrient and medicinal value of the wildfoods. These books will help children and youngsters to keep udate their knowledge on wildfoods. Youngsters can use this books a field guide which has pictures to easily identified. documentation of oral tradition and using their own language for writing brings communities to know about their own pride and wealth. Documentation is only for youngsters who educated and can read and explore more writings to popularize their traditional languages.
Indigenous Calendar
Indigenous people have many festival which has no dates but people are followed the moon and no moon cycle to celebrate festivals. The festivals which were celebrated throughout the year for wellbeing and also the agriculture practices. The festivals which were orally decided by the traditional leaders and followed by the people in the communities. Somehow people have adopted to mainstream festivals which are celebrated by the outsiders who are live closely with the indigenous communities. Keystone initiated and supported people have their own calendar which communities can mark in their own festivals which is very unique. Calendar printing started in 2007 with the ajilebottu painting and followed by different themes such as Sacred groves, Traditional attires, Musical instruments, Jewellery, Crafts, Landscapes, Millets, Water, landscapes, Honey have been selected printed and distributed amongst the people. The calendar has the information which were related to the theme. The calendar is one way of dissemination of information amongst communities. The calendar has the festival information on different indigenous communities in different languages from the Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve.
Communication
Nilgiri Seemai Sudhi
Indigenous communities felt that a newspaper would be a good medium to share what is happening in thecommunities and spread theknowledges oral traditional. Due to wage pressure and other social changes communities could not find time to visit neighboring villages as often as they were before. The communities also felt that the young generation who have studied can use this medium to get knowledge from elders. The idea was to create a forum for communities to communicate with each other and revive connections that existed between the groups before.As commercial newspapers do not cover indigenous news so, the Nilgiris Seemai Sudhi is only newspaper which covers all the informations about indigenous communities to share their knowledges and village happenings to other indigenous groups.
The newspaper was started in 2007, after discussions with the indigenous communities in the Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve. The newspaper published every month and distributed the same to the communities. The 8 pages of newspaper covering births, deaths, rituals and ceremonies in the communities. Further news included lots of information about traditional knowledge, government news, sharing prices for farm and forest products, rights information, health tips and food recipes. The newspaper have 20 female reporters and 10 male reporters from Kurumba, Irula, Kasava, Vettikadu Irula, Urali , Kota and Toda communities. The articles are written in Tamil, Malayalam or Kannada and the headlines are written in community dialects. Printed 1000 copies and distribute those to 235 villages. The elders and youngsters who cannot read and write, the reporters who read it out for them. There are 1000 direct readers and 3000 indirects are reading the newspapers. Monthly subscription also collected form the people every month. Nilgiri Seemai Sudhi is successfully entering into its 12th year in 2018.
Through this intervention one of our women reporters called Mrs.Devi from Pudukadu village, Coonoorregion, has joined as a news reporter in All India Radio, Ooty.
We have covered issues of communities notgetting good quality rice and other items likedhal, oil, sugar and kerosene etc through thePublic Distribution System. The PDS shopkeeper read the news and provided goodquality rice and other items to villagers afterthe issue was covered in Seemai Sudhi.
Likewise, we covered the issue of the waterpump in Banagudi village being underrepair. Then villagers shared the news inSeemai Sudhi. The newspaper was distributed to the panchayat offices. The panchayats taken intiative to provide water to the banagudi village.
The newsletter had published current millet pricesduring the harvest season. During purchase, when theoutside middlemen buyers offered a lower price of themillet, the farmers asked for a fair price and receivedmarket prices for their produce.
A teacher was not coming to work every day in thevillage. Our female reporter covered and published thisin the newsletter. The teacher complained and claimedto have been on duty every day but the villagers protested and told the teacher that this was not true andthat they have given the news to the reporter. After theincident, the teacher is coming every day to work in thevillage.
The newspaper helps communities to track their birth and death status of the communities. Especially Kota community are tracking their birth and death status as they live only in 7 Kokkals (villages).
Community Radio – Radio Kotagiri 90.4MHz
After many years of publishing indigenous peoples news in print, indigenous communities want to record their voices in the Radio. The Radio Kotagiri was inaugurated in the Keystone campus on16th of February by the Ministry ofInformation and Broadcasting. TheInformation Secretary, Government of India,Ms.Supriya Sahu inaugurated the RadioStation. This is the first community radio station in the Nilgiris. The radio broadcastingindigenous songs. stories, traditional foodrecipes, agriculture news, traditional rituals, information about Forest Rights Act andRight to Information Act. The reporters who are working for Nilgiri seemai Sudhi, contributing their contents to the Radio as their continuous relationship with the community helped to produce more contents. This is a goodopportunity for the indigenous people fromNilgiri Biosphere Reserve, to keep theirtraditional knowledge alive as they canrecord their knowledge and share this withthe younger generation.The radio works as a tool for documenting indigenous oral tradition. The target group was also expanded to include majority communities and spread awareness of indigenous groups over culture and language barriers. Most of the broadcast is done in Tamil and Badaga infused with indigenous dialects. Now the radio is broadcasting 12hours per day and it reaches a 15 kilometre radius around Kotagiri town. Radio Kotagiri received some small projects from Ministry of Panchayatraj, Democracy project from FREEDEM, Tuberculosis project from Akshaya and the Women health and Nutrition project from Department of Science and Technology.
Emergency Health support
The indigenous population is very small, living in remote areas and their economic status is very poor. Due to long distances and poor treatment people have not been willing to go hospitals and seek treatment even with life threatening conditions. With the Health Support programme we encourage people to seek treatment by covering medical, food and vehicle expenses as well as funeral expenses. Some of the health issues supported by the programme are; gangrene, sickle cell anaemia, kidney and heart problems, surgery, complicated delivery and mental health issues. As the size of the medical fund was not enough to support people with all types of illnesses, the criteria were changed to support those who are in immediate need. Women and children were given preference and the fund was renamed as the ‘Emergency Medical Support’.
Keystone has begun working on mental health issues within local communities in the region to better understand the psychological stress factors that are increasingly impacting upon their lives. This is to provide counselling assistance in order to help people obtain biomedical treatment, when necessary.counselling has begun in two villages with discussions of having them every month between community members and community-based counsellors.
Keystone started monthly skype sessions with “Earth Arts” students from Ithaca, New York (USA)about life in the Nilgiris. Each session has a different theme explained by Janaki, a community leader and traditional healer. The first session was an introduction on Vellaricombai village, medicinal plants and their usages. The sessions went well and are appreciated by Earth Arts students. This practice also strengthens and supports our aims of preserving and transmitting traditional medicine to a new generation of local practitioners.
Higher Education support
As higher education becomes more important we have started an Education support programme for especially vulnerable indigenous students. In remote impoverished areas travel costs and school fees even for government collages are to high to bear. The programme provides partial collage funding for students of widows and single mothers who otherwise would not be able to send their children for higher education.
Keystone have organizedcounseling for higher education for students completing 10th and 12th standards. There were 78 studentsparticipated in this in this two-day event. Teachers fromlocal schools, Ramakrishna Mission Vidyalaya Perianaicken Palayam sent a group of teachers whowere joined by teachers from Riverside Public School,Kotagiri to provide details on the courses availablein the region. Options of joining ITI, Teachers'Training, Polytechnic courses, Arts and Sciencedegrees, Professional courses etc. were explained tothe students. Discussions on providing carpentry andmasonry training to people who drop out after thepublic examinations were also held.
Ramakrishna Mission pledged their support to help five students join higher studies and as many have benefited from this effort.
Sacred groves
The Nilgiris with its rich bio resource of plant species is home to several sacredgroves, groves which have been scarcely documented. As is known Adivasis attach alot of importance to worship of nature and this animism has contributed topreserving pristine forests all over the nation. Kurumba have this unique system ofprotecting and conserving gene pools naturally by linking these pristine groves totheir tradition and culture. Ajile Bottu group has taken up the task of sensitizingthe indigenous communities to protect these sacred groves and to preventintrusions from other people. Keystone has taken the initiative to study the flora toidentify important species and the diversity of the plant species. The study isaimed at providing vital information to the indigenous communities which they can use for conserving the groves. Steps are on to identify all the sacred groves of theNilgiris belonging to various communities. The Kurumba communities have in alltwenty two Devva Solai in various areas which they have identified for the study. Out of these, five have been visited and preliminary findings have taken interestingturns directing the study to revive traditions and cultures associated with thesacred groves to bring back the age old systems. One important finding of the sacred tree used for spiritual cleaning named “Thugede Mara” was identified in few places and the absence of this tree in some groves visited has sent disturbing signals among the people involved.
Keystone have organized a meeting of Seemai Mothalis to understand the ancestral boundaries andselected Sengalcombai, Thoddatty, Johicombaiand Kavalcombai sacred groves for intervention and documented the biodiversity and shared this information with thepeople connected to each sacred grove. Once amonth, a village elder is taking children on abiodiversity walk in the sacred groves. Apart fromthis people have started growing millets on a smallscale for Gumba Deva festivals inside the sacred groves.
After the findings from the sacred grove survey. Keystone added ritual items to the culture shop, like ragi, thenai, samai, dhupa, mud pots, bamboo containers etc. The culture has a small space at the Greenshop in Kotagiri. It aims to provide all the materials required for traditional rituals in one place so that it is easy for people to follow tradition practises. The products were selling very well. All communities are showing interest in this effort.
Part of cultural revival and documentation of ancient culture and practices, a study of 12 sacred Groves and ancestral worship sites of the Irula community were taken up this year. This study covered the Irula sacred sites of the Kotagiri region and is a preliminary sample survey covering nearby sites. The study has brought to light many interesting facts and stories associated with each village and clan which have ownership of these “Thoga”, the sacred groves and “Koppe”, the burial sites. A report is being made currently and will be given back to the community as cultural information. In addition to that 12 sacred groves ofthe Todas in Ooty, Kotagiri and Coonoorregion and four sacred groves from theBadaga community in Kotagiri and Coonoor region to know about the status of the sacred groves.
International day of the World Indigenous Peoples’ Day
The 9th of August, world over, people celebrate the International Day of the Worlds’ Indigenous People according to UN convention. Though, Keystone involved in reviving the culture and tradition of Kurumbas and Irulas, the indigenous peoples’ day brought all the Indigenous communities together including those who have historically been antagonistic to each other.People from NBR were proud to showcase their culture and dance to the other communities wearing their traditional attire. Every year, more than 600 indigenous people witha good number of children took part in thecelebrations. The indigenous peoples’ day celebration happened initiallyat Keystone campus and moved into different locations like Ooty and Coimbatore. Organised cultural important food and biodiversity related materials for display to show their individual community identity during the festivals.
Khadi and Village Industry Minister of Tamil Nadu, Ellithorai K. Ramachandran, Nilgiri Collector and Hill the area development plan project officer were invited for the festival. A team of indigenous community representatives from across the globe led by Mr. Phrang Roy of the Indigenous Partnership Fund addressed the gathering and reinforced the strength and cultural importance and relevance of the indigenous way of life in the present day world. The event was covered by Coonoor Television Network and commercial newspapers.
The success of this event led to people askingus to hold the celebrations locally so that morecommunity members can participate.There are different locations such as Pillur, Arakode, Sigur, Nilambur, Asanur, Punanajar and Coonoor people were celebrated. The Tamilnadu government, All India Radio, Ooty, Karnataka and Kerala state government initiated to celebrate this festival every year. One of the celebration funded by the government especially Hill area development in Nilgiris. We felt that after many years indigenous peoples’ day recognised by the government and celebrated in different districts and states.
The festival has sent out a clear message to the all the indigenous communities about the need to unite and connect to the tribal communities around the world and exhibit their pride in keepingtheir age old traditions alive.
Crafts
Craft is primarily a cultural identity of the people but it also signifies an exchange of products and services. Many communities in the Reserve face the issue of meeting the demands of the market without compromising on the cultural symbolism of their craft. The Toda community is finding it difficult to adapt to the changes required for bringing their products to the market, while the Kota community women are unable to fulfill the demand for the traditional use for their pots which are ritually important for all the communities in the area. The Irulas have difficulty in continuing with their bamboo craft which is replaced by plastic toa large extent. The Kurumbas have not been able to find appreciation for their paintings and musical instruments in the local market and depend on niche segments which help keep the traditions alive.
Keystone started a group called Nilagiri Paluirsuzhal Mandala Palankudiyenar Seemai Makkal Kalasara Kuzhu ThisKuzhu has opened a savings account to receive and use the craft revolving fund and the Seemai Sudhi subscription collection. Working capital is being provided from the revolving fund for Kota potters,Kurumba painters, Toda embroiderers and Cholanaicken bamboo craftspersons. In order to revive pottery by the Kotas, pottery wheels werefabricated and provided to them. Training programmes have also been conducted to support the adoption of these livelihood options.
The Cholanaicken Health Program
The Cholanaicken are a very small community numbering below 200 individuals still living in relative isolation in the forests of Nilambur. The community has been designated as a Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Group. Anaemia is prevalent in the community and almost all the members of the community are under-weight and weak. The Public Distribution Systems supplies them with rice, oil, sugar, dhal and salt, but this does not provide them with requisite nutrition. Their collection of wild foods from the forest is also on the decline. Keystone Foundation decided to work with thecommunity on the nutrition front and started a collobrative effort with Accord whose health extensionspecialists Geetha and Ravi came forward to work
with the community. They have since been visiting theCholanaicken community with help from Integrated Tribal Development Program and Particularly VulnerableTribal Groups promoters. The team visited the womenand children along with some youth having one on onemeetings explaining the importance of personal hygiene, nutritious food and supplements. They peoplewho came to the camp were given eggs and dried fishalong with a health drink made with small millet andjaggery. The women were taught how to prepare theporridge and also given training on cooking withoutnutrition loss.
The importance of wild food were discussed with the community who have almost stopped the practice of collecting wild food. The results of theinitiative are evident as the community has started attending the camp regularly especially the pregnant women and childern who have shown considerable improvement in malnutrition status from Grade III to Grade I after six months which is remarkable. 23 children benefitted from this effort. The weight of the new born babies have shown tremendous improvement from 1.5 kgs to 2.5 kgs with the simple addition ofegg, dried fish and millets .The community has understood the importance ofnutritious food and the change it can bring about, hasstarted buying dried fish themselves to supplementtheir diet. The team has put in considerable effort inreducing the use of white sugar and rice and replacethem with millets and jaggery.The current situation is precarious with suspectedmaoist presence in the area which is hampering theeffort due to lack of access. This effort has demonstrated the role of healthy foods in bolstering the healthstatus of communities. We are committed to continuation of this work through strengthened collaboration with government departments.
What are the aspects that are still continuing and how have they changed from the original?
Community Radio focus – DST; Radio Kotagiri started to document and disseminate the knowledge of the indigenous communities. Hence, radio kotagiri launched and setup in Kotagiri, most of the listeners are non indigenous communities. The programme also decided such a way that other communities also participate and use the radio as a medium to share the knowledges and experiences. The Radio is getting support from other NGO's and governments agencies to give awareness about different schemes and the services. Radio Kotagiri recently received the small grant to work with tea plantation workers and to know the status of health and nutrient of the women in the communities. The project works with tea plantation workers in Kaithala, Thavitumedu villages and working with Kota communities in Pudukotagiri and Thirchikadi villages. Due to expectations of the funding agencies many times the focus of the Radio also varies. The indigenous communities have very less opportunities to share their knowledges through voice media compare to past years.
Seemai Sudhi : After many years of outside source of funding to run the Nilgiri Seemai Sudhi, now its gets supports from internal programmes of the Keystone Foundation and Last Forest Enterprises. Within the 8 pages of Nilgiri Seemai Sudhi, two pages allocated to give informations about different programmes. Sometimes the pages creased from 8 to 10pages based on the programmes requirements. The quarterly newspaper carries informations about different programmes of the Keystone Foundation, importance of last forest enterprises and the Aadhimalai pazhankudiyinar private company limited. The indigenous informations are very less compare to past years. The interaction with communities also decreased due to quartely visit to the villages.
Health and Nutrition programme – both the survey on health & the efforts in Kerala; Community Wellness and Nutrient support : It has been more than two decades that Keystone has been involved with ecologically balanced development with various indigenous communities. It is seen that though income levels have increased and conservation efforts are taken, the health and well-being of the indigenous population is deteriorating. The premise of the programme is that the decline of social cohesion and a sense of loss along with the rate of impact of change has an adverse effect on their overall wellbeing. The health program seeks to understand the linkages of the people’s health to their culture and environment in a holistic perspective.
Keystone-Cornell Health Survey attempts to establish the baseline on health in select communities like Irula, Alu Kurumba, Cholanaicken, Kattunaicken, Paniyar, Aranadan and Mudhuvan. The health survey aims to identify the communities’ perception of illnesses, risk factors, WASH (Water, Sanitation and Hygiene) knowledge and diet diversity. The research will also incorporate an ethnographic perspective to understand the underlying factors that influence health. The research also seeks to comprehend health seeking behaviours and mechanisms of healing from the traditional healers. Special efforts are being taken to document cases related to mental health. Keystone is exploring to build alliances with BANYAN, NIMHANS, NAWA, ASHWINI and other institutions working on health. Public Health systems are also being approached. After the survey results, Keystone will be building a strategy for future work across the Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve.
The program identifies and trains health workers from among the community members as a self-sustaining measure to maintain wellbeing. These village wellness or ‘nalam’workers are trained not only to recognise signs and symptoms of common ailments, but also their cause, which could be improper or insufficient nutrition, environmental pollution, or physical and/or mental stress. Identifying these causes helps the workers to develop preventive processes that will protect the community. Additionally, the nalam workers will provide a crucial link between the patient and specialized medical care should the need arise.
The research component of this program helps understand culture in relation to health to build a preventive healthcare program and reinforce the protective factors which will build the resilience of the community.
The health status of the indigenous community in Nilambur was found to be very poor and it required immediate intervention to monitor their health status. Community members were selected as health workers. Monitoring of health status was carried out with a special focus on pregnant women, infants and individuals with chronic illnesses like hypertension, tuberculosis, leprosy, thyroid disorders and diabetes. Health education and awareness classes are held on anemia, leprosy, antenatal and postnatal care, nutrition, hygiene and substance use. This effort is being supported by the Kerala Forest Department and establishes linkages with the public health system.
Single women : Nilgiri Seemai Sudhi helped to know the status of single women in the indigenous communities in the Nilgirs. Due to continuous death reported in Nilgiri Seemai Sudhi, mostly men die in a young age. The findings of the survey was that single women do not have social supports, no land records, the women have to take of their children and depend on wage work to run their life. The survey helped to create a support system within single women by doing community kitchen garden, involving women in creating participatory resource mappings, women leading teaching children programmes. The women who have an exposure visit to other places where the similar situation and how women who have come forward and creating the changes in the societies by involving in the decision makings and fight for their rights.
What are the things that the government has ensured? : The HADP festival last year, resource centre made by government in Ooty, etc. The continuous effort from the Keystone Foundation, working on reviving of Culture and tradition of the indigenous communities, the government have taken initiative to support the indigenous communities. The government organising festivals, documenting the traditional knowledges and to revive and support crafts of the indigenous communities. The communities have taken the initiative to form the groups to mobilize the funds which are allocated from the central and state governments. There are 8 different groups such as Alukurumbas, Betta Kurumba, Mullu Kurumbas, Irulas, Kotas, Todas, Kattunaicken and Paniya groups formed to plan and monitor the funds. The leaders of the eight different groups meet government official in Delhi and Chennai and Local administration to share the plans and budgets. The tribal culture and resource centre has been built in Ooty by the state government, people can use that buildings for different kind activities such as festivals, Meetings and to have marketing outlets to sell their products.
Community members profile
Mahalingam from Dhalamukkai
Mahalingam(late), Who lived in Dhalamukkai village for more than 40years. He is a Kurumba elder, who practice as healer past so many years. He has been supporting Keystone Foundation by promoting millets, Documenting of traditional knowledge on Medicinal plants and Sacred grove and the folklore of the Kurumbas . He has taken initiative to transfer is knowledge to the younger generation by taking them to the forest and telling them about the different plants which as medicinal properties. He helped Keystone and Cornell University research program to understand about how the modern influences affected their faith in traditional knowledges. His knowledge about healing practise un imaginable. Mostly, Kurumbas are missing him and also his knowledge about cultural and traditional practises.
Veeraiyan from Sokkanalli
Veeraiyan, Who was the elderly person in Sokkanalli village in Sigur region. He was the person who wants to transfer his knowledge to younger generations. He was involved in children programme run by Keystone Foundation and taking children to the forests and explain about the importance of the plants also sharing his knowledge about elephants movements in the forest. He was appreciated Keystone Foundation activities and helped community to win Conservation Award for Sokkanalli village. He also participated all the meetings and festivals which are organised by Keystone Foundation and sharing his knowledge to the other communities. He was the person who treating people equally and helping them without any expectations.
Kanthan – Kodiyur village
Kanthan, who is 58years old, living in Kodiyur village in Pillur region. He is playing Qvalu for all the rituals and ceremonies which happens in this region. He attend all the festivals which are organised by keystone Foundation. He has taken initiative to approach Keystone to get the musical instruments which are used by all the villages in the Pillur region. While he attending the festivals and other programmes, he voluntary gives is Qvalu to the children to practise how to use Qualu. Some of the children and youth have learned Qvalu from him. He and his arakol team, have willingness to teach young generations on playing musical instruments.
Lakshmi – Jeunkurumba in Siriyur village
Lakshmi, who is living in Indiranagar, Siriyur village in Sigur area. She is Jenurkurumba elder in the area and involved with Keystone activities past several years. She learned healing practices from her parents and she has more knowledge about all the cultural and traditional of the Jenukurumba community. She is transferring her knowledge to the younger generation especially to her children. She is spreading news about Keystone activities and encourage others to participate or involve in Keystone activities. She is a leader in her community and trying to support the community to avail benefits from NGO's and other government agencies.
Siva from Korapathi
Siva, 52 years old lady lives in Korapathi village. She is a knowledgeable person in this village about medicinal plants, wildfood and other cultural related informations. She involved in transferring her knowledge to the younger generations. She helped documenting the wildfood of the Pillur region. She participates all the festivals and meetings which are organised by Keystone Foundations. She always find time to share folklores to the younger generation. She makes people happy by fairytales. She is the kind of person who is adopting the situation very easily.
Jadayappan from Geddesal village
Jadaiyan(Late), Knows as President of Hasanur Panchayat. He was the first managing director of the Aadhimalai Pazhankudiyinar Producer company limited. He was priest in the Geddesal village located in Hasanur Region. He was using his political influences to avail benefits for the communities in this region. He was the neutral person for Sholiga, Irula and other communities. Whenever he visits Keystone for meetings and other functions he always share his experience to the young generations. His motivated and inspiration speech and the tireless works makes people to think and get rid of the fears. There are many leaders who emerged in this region and fulfilling his gaps. He strongly supports and encouraging the community and village to follow traditional governance systems. He was village forest council leader and also Minor forest produce collector association leader for several years. His influences in hasanur region helped Thumbithakadu to find the place and construct building to value add the Agri and Non timber forest products. G.Rangan from Bellathicombai village
G.Rangan(late) who lived in Bellathicombai village in Coonoor region. He was a village headman and approaching government to fulfil the basic needs of the village. He was also a Village Forest Council President where the communities from his village and the surrounding villages collected Non timber forest produces. He was an active person for Kurumba communities to talk about the issues and how community people can come together to revive the Culture. He supported Keystone especially for the Culture and People Programme by organizing meetings, accompanying for sacred grove survey and Kurumba Census. He was one of the Tribal Advisory Committee Member and attends all the meetings, festivals and other events which were organized by Keystone. He always appreciate keystones initiative and to be part of the effort.
Nanjan from Bangalapadigai village
Nanjan 60years, who lives in Bangalapadigai village in Kotagiri Region. He is associated with Keystone Foundation more than 15years. He is a traditional leader(Jaathi) and also a village headman of Bangalapadigai village. He introduced Keystone to Arakode area and started involving people for land development and other value addition activities. He is a neutral person in the village and approaching government and other agencies for basic needs of the village. Nanjan involved in getting back their 80acres of land which was encroached by outsiders. He is spreading information about Keystone with other NGO’s and other government agencies. He participate all the meetings and festivals which are organized by the Keystone Foundation.He also attends all the local festivals and ceremonies as a traditional leader and transforming his knowledge to the younger generation. During the Culture and People program he initiated ParaniHatta (traditional Festival) in his village.
What are the questions that still remains
The village and community governance systems are not strong in the communities.
There are different opportunities to raise the income but still the health and the nutrition level of the community is still poor.
The support systems especially single women from the family and the communities are less
Alcohol consumption and verbal and physical violence are quiet strong in the communities