A dimension within Indigenous Forest Livelihoods
Exploring the deep connection between indigenous communities, their forests, and ancestral traditions.
150 voices speak to this
Positive
Overall Community Sentiment
AI-synthesised pieces woven from many community voices on this theme. They may contain errors or interpretation — they're a reflection of the stories, not a record of fact.
We are tribals who worship nature, depending on its plants for our health and sustenance, while maintaining traditional farming with zero irrigation.
Drawing strength from ancient customs and the jungle's bounty, our community thrives by living independently and preserving traditional foodways for future generations.
In remote mountain forests, a community navigates daily life, preserving ancient crops and adapting cultural traditions amidst evolving times.
Our tribal community shares how to cultivate vital crops like chickpeas, corn, and lentils, even in dry conditions without relying on irrigation.
We, the tribal people, worship nature. We worship trees and plants. We are always with nature.
— PRADEEP KUMAR KANHAR · Boudh, Odisha
We are tribals, we are nature worshippers. We always depend on trees and plants to live. We sustain our livelihood by eating its tubers, fruits, and roots.
— PRADEEP KUMAR KANHAR · Boudh, Odisha
We tribal people bring herbs from the forest and treat ailments, which is very important for health.
— Ram Maravi · Dindori, Madhya Pradesh
We tribal people bring herbs from the forest to treat many diseases, for the well-being of people.
— Ram Maravi · Dindori, Madhya Pradesh
Our tribe is unique because we worship nature, we worship the forest and the land.
— Kachala Choudhary
The factors that define our tribe are mostly living around the forest, along with our dress and traditional attire.
— Sunil oraon · Ranchi, Jharkhand
The lifestyle, food, and traditions of the tribe are naturally connected to nature.
— SUKDEV HEMBRAM
We are indigenous people and we worship nature.
— Manjusha Marko · Dudhi, Sonbhadra, Uttar Pradesh
Our tradition is connected to nature.
— Amar Lal Dhurwey · Mandla, Madhya Pradesh
The heritage of the tribals was the forest.
— Amar Lal Dhurwey · Mandla, Madhya Pradesh
We Adivasi communities are communities that depend on nature, collect roots and tubers from the forests, and use them as food, which is very nutritious and also serves as medicine.
— Ram Kumari
We tribals cut down forests to build our homes and live in the forest itself. From the forest, we get roots, flowers, and delicious fruits, and we sustain our lives from them, and we also do farming.
— Ram Kumari · Sonbhadra, Uttar Pradesh
To define our tribe, first of all, we live in jungle villages and use herbs and all kinds of medicines.
— bachcha lal · Ormaura, Sonbhadra, Uttar Pradesh
Our tribe is completely different from other castes. Our lifestyle and food habits are completely different. We are completely dependent on nature. We also get various food items from nature. We worship nature.
— Ram Kumari · Sonbhadra, Uttar Pradesh
We, the people of the tribal community, are worshippers of nature and are connected to water, forest, and land. Our culture and traditions are unwritten, which makes us different from others.
— Rupesh Maravi · Mandla, Madhya Pradesh
We tribals are completely different from other castes; our ancestors used to live in forests and sustained themselves by eating fruits, flowers, etc., from the forest.
— Ram Kumari · Sonbhadra, Uttar Pradesh
Our diet. We are in a jungle area. The jungle's herbs and some of its air. Now, due to its influence, our diet is different. We remain healthy for this reason because we rely on herbs; when we wake up in the morning, it's the herbs...
— ANIL KUMAR · Sonbhadra, Uttar Pradesh
The people of the Baiga tribe are very close to and knowledgeable about the forest and the earth.
— Kekti Tekam
We worship trees, plants, animals, and medicinal herbs.
— Devisingh Solanki · Alirajpur, Madhya Pradesh
Our tribe has been living in this village for a long time. We are natives of the surrounding area. Now, medicinal herbs...
— Vijay Kumar bhardwaj · Kasdol, Baloda Bazar, Chhattisgarh
We are the tribal people of Jhara forest. We have strong faith. Our worship rituals are distinct. We belong to this land.
— Parikshit Majhi · Balangir, Odisha
We are from the Gond tribe and we worship nature.
— Manjusha Marko · Dudhi, Sonbhadra, Uttar Pradesh
The tribal community is different from other communities because its lifestyle, diet, and worship methods are connected to nature.
— SUKDEV HEMBRAM · East Singhbhum, Jharkhand
We are a tribal community, we farm using ploughs and bullocks, and we sustain our lives. We clear forests and bushes to make fields, and we cultivate sawa, medo, mijhri, and maize, which were grown by our ancestors, and we also preserve their seeds.
— Ram Kumari · Sonbhadra, Uttar Pradesh
Forest, worship, tradition, customs and rituals, food and eating habits, religious ceremonies.
— Devisingh Solanki · Alirajpur, Madhya Pradesh
Tribal people generally live in forests, live in hills, eat forest products, so they lead a different life from ordinary people.
— Kunakanta Behera · Dashapalla, Nayagarh, Odisha
Tribal communities are protectors of nature. They take only as much from nature as is necessary to live. They worship things associated with their lifestyle. They are committed to nature conservation, which defines them uniquely.
— Vijay kanesh · Alirajpur, Madhya Pradesh
Tribal communities are the protectors of nature. They take only as much from nature as is necessary to live life. They worship things associated with their lifestyle. They are committed to nature conservation, which defines them as unique.
— Vijay kanesh · Alirajpur, Madhya Pradesh
Our community lives by building homes in the forests, hunting wild animals, and sustaining themselves by eating tamarind, mango, guava, and other produce found in the forest. Thus, they belong to a different way of life.
— bachcha lal · Shahganj, Sonbhadra, Uttar Pradesh
Firstly, our lifestyle is nature-centric. Forests, hills, rivers, soil—we have a daily connection with all of these. We see nature not just as a resource, but as a life-giving companion. Secondly, our customs and traditions, traditional knowledge, festivals, songs, dances, and folk tales have made our identity unique. These cultural aspects distinguish us from other tribes. Thirdly, our collective philosophy of life—“Everyone eats together, works together, and supports each other”—this is our strength. The community is considered senior to the individual. Fourthly, our intimate connection with land, forest, and water. Considering the hills as deities, the forest as life, and wildlife as fellow travelers—this is the root of our culture. Therefore, my tribe is different from others because of: Traditional forest food and medicinal knowledge, Collective way of life, Life principles based on ancestral advice and folk tales, Religious perspective based on self-realization and natural relationships, Traditional agriculture, forest livelihood, and indigenous practices. All these elements make my tribe known as a distinct cultural, identity-rich, and glorious community.
— sudhir gamanga · Kharlingi, Housingboard Colony, Rayagada
There are many things that define our tribe, such as tribal identity, a deep connection with nature, a collective lifestyle, traditional knowledge, and our connection to folk culture.
— Hemant singh Negi · Noida, Gautam Buddha Nagar, Uttar Pradesh
Our tribe is different from other tribes because our festivals, food, lifestyle, worship, and everything else is different. We live our lives according to our own ways; our eating and drinking habits are also different, and we also eat tubers and fruits from the forests.
— Ram Kumari · Sonbhadra, Uttar Pradesh
We are the Kharia tribal community. And we worship the trees, pillars, and soil of the forest. And accordingly, our festivals, our language are also different. That's why we are separate.
— Anjana Khadia · Sundargarh, Odisha
My name is Rina Kuonro. We are the tribal indigenous people. We produce food and collect from the forest, and we express our desire to live with the forest or with nature. This is a humble request to the government for us, and please pay attention to the forest-derived food that we can obtain.
— RITARANI PRADHAN · Raikia, Kandhamal, Odisha
Our tribal communities live their lives on the edge of the forest.
— Amar Lal Dhurwey · Mandla, Madhya Pradesh
My tribal people, living in the forest far from the city and making food from forest produce.
— bachcha lal · Shahganj, Sonbhadra, Uttar Pradesh
All of us, the tribal and indigenous people, lived and resided in villages nearby, practicing traditional occupations and surviving solely through traditional farming.
— Mukunda Majhi · Udulibeda, Malkangiri, Odisha
Our tribe is mainly nature-worshipping. Our culture, customs, attire, tradition, and spoken language have a distinct identity that is different from others.
— Rupesh Maravi · Mandla, Madhya Pradesh
The Makadia tribe's life and livelihood depend on the forest. They live by gathering and selling fruits, flowers, roots, medicinal herbs, and mushrooms from the forest as food. They respect whatever their elders say. When food in one forest runs out, they move to another forest.
— Anirudha Marai
Tribal people used to build homes after cutting down forests and used herbs, fruits, and food from the forest. And they used to drink Chuwada water. That's why tribal people are different.
— Chanda
