Tradition and modernity:- Bishram Mankirdia (32) and a few other men from Dengam Mankirdia Sahi village in Khunta block of Mayurbhanj were returning home from Similipal reserve forest recently when a forest guard stopped them on their way.

They had ventured into the forest to collect tree bark (fibre) of siali (Bauhinia vahlii), but the guard was not convinced. “He alleged that we lit a fire inside the forest. Despite our denials, he repeated that we torched the place in the name of collecting tree bark,” said Bishram.

Sairam Mankirdia (35) added that they are sometimes accused of killing animals, too. “For generations, we have been making ropes from siali bark and selling them at haat [a local market]. This is our livelihood. We have not learnt any other skill,” he explained. 

One of the 13 particularly vulnerable tribal groups (PVTGs) in Odisha, Mankirdias are mostly scattered in and around Similipal in Mayurbhanj district. Their livelihood, culture, tradition and identity are dependent on the forest. However, they were barred from entering the forest after UNESCO included it in its list of World Network of Biosphere Reserves in May 2009.  

Much before that, Similipal became a tiger reserve in 1973, wildlife sanctuary in 1979, national park in 1980 and a biosphere reserve in 1994. These time-to-time declarations uprooted Mankirdias from their forest habitat and traditional livelihood. Dengam residents still manage to enter the forest as they have settled in the reserve’s periphery, after being sent out of the core area. However, those living around 40 km away in hill block-171 rehabilitation colony at Uthani Sahi of Kaptipada block find it difficult to do so.

“Villagers stopped collecting siali bark due to the constant harassment and threats from forest staff,” said Sura Mankirdia (33) of hill block colony, adding that they have now replaced siali bark with plastic ropes.

Engaged in making ropes using plastic threads, Raibari Mankirdia (72) of hill block colony said, “These [plastic threads] are available in bulk at the haat. We collect them, make ropes and sell them again at the weekly haat. The demand for our ropes is less as other plastic ropes are also available there.”

Paglu Mankirdia (34) echoed her when he said that profit was less. “When we were using siali bark, there was no investment. The demand was also good. As we have to buy plastic threads now, we get very little in hand.” He mentioned that youth have shifted to farm or construction labour, or were migrating. Paglu himself drives a farm tractor for his livelihood.

Kuni Mankirdia (29) has been facing difficulties in running the household as her husband has migrated for work. "It takes two to three days to make plastic ropes, but when we take it to the market, people ask for siali ropes. If I am unable to sell ropes in the market, I have to borrow rice from other villagers with a promise to return it soon.”

Spell it right

Mankirdias are a semi-nomadic section of the Birhor tribe. "They are called Mankirdias because they are skilled at catching mankads [monkeys] using nets made from siali creepers. They eat monkey flesh and sell the skin to local skin traders," Prof Nirmal Chandra Dash, Department of Population Studies, Fakir Mohan University, Balasore, told 101Reporters. However, a large section of anthropologists, sociologists and development practitioners strongly oppose identifying them as monkey catchers.

Sweta Mishra, a tribal expert at the research wing of Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes Research and Training Institute, said, “The community used to live inside Similipal forest. Earlier, especially during British rule, their expertise was used to catch monkeys.” 

As per the 2011 Census, Mankirdia population in Odisha is 2,849. Sandeep Patnaik, who did a detailed research on Mankirdia tribes of Mayurbhanj, explained, “While doing this research, one question revolved around whether these communities should be left to preserve their traditional life or integrated into the mainstream. At present, Mankirdias find themselves at the crossroads. They have lost access to their original way of life and are finding it extremely difficult to adopt to the mainstream.” 

The younger generation has faced difficulties due to their surname. Sarat Mankadia (18) of Dengam had applied for a tribe certificate for school admission. His surname did not match with the ones in the statewise list of Scheduled Tribes published by the Government of India. Mankidi, Mankirdia and Mankria are part of this list, but not Mankadia. 

When Mankirdias settled in villages, they were provided with voter IDs, in some of which officials misspelled their surname as Mankadia. As these tribals are not literate, they could not understand its implications. "Later, when they applied for ration cards, tribe certificates and other government schemes, their applications were denied on the ground of surnames not matching with the spelling given in the ST list. Consequently, many Mankirdia households could not access government schemes as they had no Aadhaar, ration card or caste certificate,” said Sukanti Patra, who assisted in the research.   

Many parents told 101Reporters that they faced difficulties in enrolling their children in an ashram school (residential tribal hostel) at Oupada, 53 km from Dengam, because of the caste certificate issue. Subham Mankadia (17) had dreamt of becoming a police officer, but is aimless now as he could not get college admission due to the absence of a caste certificate.

But there is something to cheer about. “Recently, the Scheduled Tribes list of Odisha was amended to include synonyms and sub-sections of different tribal communities. This will enable them to get their caste certificates soon,” Mishra said.

Shifting occupation

Most of the Mankirdia families have adapted to farming due to the non-availability of siali bark. They do not possess agricultural lands, so some have become sharecroppers. The monkey-catching occupation is not in demand anymore, and the youth are not interested either. They are migrating to Andhra Pradesh, Gujarat, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu in distress. However, some of them who have returned said that the payment was meagre. Noting that it is difficult to live in a city, one of them said that he had to sell his mobile phone to find money to return home.

“There is a complete absence of work opportunities near their village or panchayat. The state government should find ways to provide the tribe with the option to cultivate. Besides facilitating sharecropping, the government should enable their access to formal credit and crop insurance,” said Patnaik.

The Hill Kharia and Mankirdia Development Agency set up by the Odisha government is functional in Karanjia and Jashipur blocks of Mayurbhanj. Since its inception, it covers only Kendumundi and Durdura villages, whereas Mankirdias have settled in eight different villages. 

When asked about this, Roopa Roshan Sahoo, Commissioner-cum-Secretary, Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe Development, Minorities and Backward Classes Welfare Department, told 101Reporters, “The department will look into it. If needed, we will extend the work to other habitations through our agency.”

Denial of habitat rights

Habitat as defined under Section 2(h) of The Scheduled Tribes and Other Traditional Forest Dwellers (Recognition of Forest Rights) Act, 2006, includes the area comprising the customary habitat and such other habitats in reserve forests and protected forests of primitive tribal groups and pre-agricultural communities and other forest dwelling Scheduled Tribes.

“In the Forest Rights Act and The Wild Life (Protection) Act, 1972, it is clearly mentioned that the vulnerable PVTGs need access to forest for their livelihood, even though the forest is declared as a sanctuary or national park. The district Collector's should ensure that they can exercise their rights,” independent researcher and FRA expert Tushar Dash told 101Reporters.

Though the district level committee approved Mankirdia’s habitat right in 2016, the forest department denied land to them by linking it to their safety. At that time, JD Pati, the then deputy director of Similipal Tiger Reserve, told the media that there are elephants and tigers in the core area. “These people risk their lives by going into the forest just to collect some honey and siali bark. How can I allow them,” he had asked.

“Our future hangs in the balance. Siali bark is available in the core area, but we are barred from entering. The forest department accuses us of destroying elephant fodder. The reality is that elephants do not eat siali bark. They use it to brighten their tusk,” said Manu Mankirdia (33) of Dengam.

On this, Sahoo said the habitat rights issue of Mankirdias involves several stakeholders. “To restore their traditional livelihood, the department will soon hold a multi-sector consultation and will try to find a way for the tribe to access the core area of Similipal.” 

Four women from Dengam and hill block colony, whom Sukanti Patra had trained to make bags and other decorative items using siali bark, said that restrictions in accessing the forest have prevented them from making best use of the training. Patra, who upskills tribal women through her NGO Jana Mangala Mahila Samiti, said, “There is a huge demand for environment-friendly products among urban customers.” Besides bags, slings, nets and small baskets can also be made using the bark.

Asked about the restrictions imposed, Similipal Tiger Project Director Prakash Chand Gogineni told 101Reporters that false allegations were being made against the field staff. “The department has never created barriers or stopped Mankirdias from entering, unless they are involved in a poaching-like incident.”

“Show me any case where we have booked Mankirdias for collecting siali bark. It is available in plenty in the buffer area of Similipal… There is no need to enter the core area… Tribals regularly collect non-timber produce from the forest,” he added.

However, siali rope makers felt that bark available in core areas was softer and of better quality because of atmospheric moisture. 101Reporters/SP