Context:
More than 181 members of the community from Karnataka are stuck in violence-hit Sudan. The government is making efforts to bring them back.
Who are the Hakki Pikki?
- The Hakki Pikki is a tribe that lives in several states in the west and south of India, especially near forest areas. Hakki Pikkis (Hakki in Kannada means ‘bird’ and Pikki means ‘catchers’) are a semi-nomadic tribe, traditionally of bird catchers and hunters.
- According to the 2011 census, the Hakki Pikki population in Karnataka is 11,892, and they live majorly in Davangere, Mysuru, Kolar, Hassan, and Shivmogga districts. In different regions, they are known by different names, such as Mel-Shikari in northern Karnataka and Maharashtra.
- The Hakki Pikki move in groups from place to place in search of livelihood. They are divided into four clans, called Gujaratia, Panwar, Kaliwala, and Mewaras. These clans can be equated with castes in traditional Hindu society. In the olden days, there was a hierarchy among the clans, with the Gujaratia at the top and the Mewaras at the bottom. The forest is the main natural resource of the Hakki Pikki.
Where do they live?
Hakki Pikki people are believed to hail originally from the bordering districts of Gujarat and Rajasthan. To Karnataka, they seem to have arrived via Andhra Pradesh, as they still remember a place called Jalapally near Hyderabad as their ancestral home, where their forefathers lived for a considerable period. They are now spread across south India.
What were their traditional jobs, and what do they do now?
- Traditionally, Hakki Pikkis lived in forest areas, leading a nomadic life for nine months a year and coming back to their permanent camps for three. Men of the tribe would hunt while women begged in villages. But as the wildlife protection laws became stricter, the Hakki Pikkis in Karnataka started selling spices, herbal oils, and plastic flowers in local temple fairs.
- They used to kill animals to make a living. But then some of the community members were booked and jailed under wildlife laws. So they shifted to selling herbal oils and other materials in villages and towns.
- The herbal oil business took off, and now the tribe members go to many places across the globe to sell their products.
- People from the state have been traveling to Singapore, Thailand and African countries for the past 20 years now.
- Education levels among the Hakki Pikkis are still low. For example, in the 2,000-strong population of Pakshirajapura, only eight people have completed graduation-level courses and one person works as a police constable.
What are their rituals and customs?
- Hakki Pikkis in Karnataka follow Hindu traditions and celebrate all Hindu festivals. They are non-vegetarians. The eldest son in a family is not supposed to cut his hair so that he can be identified easily.
- The tribe prefers cross-cousin marriages. The society is matriarchal.
How well do they earn in African countries?
- The residents of Pakshirajapura said African countries offer them an opportunity to escape poverty faster.
- They also sell online and promote products on social media, including Fackbook and YouTube.
Source: Indian Express