Source: TH
Context: Tension erupted in Nagarhole Reserve, Karnataka, as 52 evicted Jenu Kuruba tribal families attempted to reclaim ancestral forest land under the Forest Rights Act, 2006.
About Jenu Kuruba Tribe:
Origin:
- The Jenu Kuruba (meaning “honey collectors” in Kannada) are a forest-dwelling PVTG primarily in Kodagu and Mysuru districts of Karnataka.
- They are also known as Then Kurumba or Kattu Naikar, living in small forest hamlets called Hadi.
Habitat Status:
- Found across the forest belts of Karnataka, Kerala, and Tamil Nadu.
- Recognized as a Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Group (PVTG) under the Ministry of Tribal Affairs.
Features of the Jenu Kuruba Tribe:
- Livelihood:
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- Traditional livelihood includes honey collection, tuber gathering, and minor forest produce harvesting.
- Post-eviction, many work as plantation labourers, often in coffee estates, facing deep poverty and poor access to services.
- Social Life:
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- Semi-nomadic with a decentralised community structure led by a headman (Yajamana) and ritual chief (Gudda).
- Their decision-making is localised, independent of external religious or political authorities.
- Culture & Belief System:
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- Rich oral traditions: songs, dances, and myths revolving around nature, marriage, and rituals.
- Deep reverence for sylvan deities, nature spirits, and ancestral forces—distinct from mainstream Hinduism.
- Religion includes practices rooted in animism with Hindu overlays in festivals like Holi, Diwali, and Navratri.
