From conversations about oral history, food systems, to agriculture practises, here are snippets of our attempts to understand the Kondh worldview deeper.
Every adivasi community has a creating myth and from the myths emanate the different clans and their deities. There are numerous versions of creation myths so here is one of them ! “In our village we are 34 Kondh families and one Domb family which migrated to Baberi from Kidimati village. There
Siali creeper or Pe Eri in Kui language has a special place in the way of life and farming practices of the Kondhs. It finds relevance in farming, in food and in festivals and hence the Kondhs do not let siali creepers die or be cut. The forest and the field boundaries,
Kondh people’s food, just like their livelihood, was a healthy mix of forest and farm foods. And within this, Kondh women are known to have experimented with recipes that made Kondh food diverse and nutritious. So let us see if this diversity has persisted or changing times have made Kondh food a
Domestic animals are one of the lifelines of adivasi farming systems. While hunting is the Kondh peoples’ connection to animals for food, tending to domestic animals is their connection to farm and non-farm based livelihoods. In both cases the Kondhs have a deep sense of love and respect for animals and this
Among adivasi farmers, Kondhs are known to be the master shifting cultivators but they also are master seed farmers and had a repository of many diverse seed varieties. The Kondh farmers are known to have experimented and created their own varieties of paddy, millets, maize, pulses, etc. But sadly this rich repertoire
Forests are not just trees that give timber. This may be how the non-adivasis look at the forests. But for the Kondhs the forest s more a source of food than of timber and they believe that as long as the forest is there no Kondh will ever die of hunger. Let
An understanding of adivasi culture is not complete without learning about the key institution that binds the adivasi clans together and this key institution is the ‘kutumb’ or clan group. It is an extended family of the village and through these conversationslet us unpack what the kutumb means to the Kondhs and
This story started with a sad reminder to us, non-adivasis, by a Kondh elder about our disturbing opportunistic attitude towards the adivasi people’s stories. Harish Saraka reflected that, “we feel happy when we our stories in print form sometimes in newspapers and sometimes in books. Bt we are tired of telling our
Kondh people are master craftspeople. It is said that they can make everything that they need to survive with their own hands and do not depend on anyone else for anything. One such crucial component of Kondh culture is the knowledge of making and using implements. Let us know what implements Kondhs
Forests are an integral part of Adivasi life and the Kondhs are known among other Adivasi groups of southern Odisha as the greatest connoisseurs of forests. Here is a conversation with Kondh elders about their past, present and future relationship with forests. “On the first Friday after the Hindu Bahuda Jatra (held