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Source-This post is based on the article “What do tribal groups like the Soligas and Yeravas eat?” published in “DownToEarth” on 14th January 2024.
Why in the News?
A Brief About Soligas and Yeravas Tribes, A newly released book “Forgotten Trails: Foraging Wild Edibles,” documents the wild foods gathered by the Soligas and Yeravas tribes from the forests.
About Soligas
| Aspect | Details |
| About | 1. The Soligas are an indigenous community residing in the Cauvery Basin and the surrounding hills of peninsular India. 2. They are the original inhabitants of Karnataka, primarily residing in the Chamarajanagar and Mandya districts. |
| Language | They speak Sholaga, which belongs to the Dravidian family. |
| Religion | 1. The Soliga people adhere to a blend of naturism, animism, and Hindu practices. 2. Their primary deity is Madeshwara. |
| Characteristics | 1. Honey plays a vital role in the Soliga diet. 2. The community continuing to forage a significant portion of their food from the biodiversity-rich Ghats. 3. They live in the forest outskirts near Biligiri Rangana Hills and Male Mahadeshwara hills in Chamarajanagar district. 4. They have become the first tribal community residing within the core region of an Indian tiger reserve to have their forest rights formally acknowledged by a court of law. 5. Soligas eat Silver cockscomb as a healthy leafy green, rich in beta-carotene, folic acid, vitamin E, calcium, and iron. |
Note- The scientific community has named a new genus of wasp (Soliga ecarinata) in honor of this community.
About Yeravas
| Aspect | Details |
| About | 1. They are also an indigenous community residing in the Cauvery Basin and the surrounding hills of peninsular India. 2. They migrated from the Wayanad district in Kerala and established their settlement in the Kodagu district of the state. |
| Language | They speak Revula language. |
| Religion | The Yeravas people practice Hinduism while they also believe in spirits residing in natural elements like trees, mountains, and rivers. |
| Characteristics | 1. They are mostly agricultural laborers in coffee plantations and tea estates. 2. Yeravas incorporate a higher quantity of tubers into their diet compared to Soligas. 3. Yeravas include mushrooms in their diet during the monsoon season. 4. Their settlements are called ‘Kunju‘. |
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