The Trajectory of Tribal Development Practice: The Case of Muthuvan Community in Kerala

Abstract

Tribal development in Kerala has now reached a perplexing situation due to the failure of the state in ensuring the inclusive well-being of the members of tribal communities. This is also true with regard to sustaining their age-old ways of life and living circumstances.  A comprehensive analysis of the tribal living conditions in the state is essential to get a clear idea of the ‘developmental issues and concerns’ and to arrive at clear ways of resolving them. Several tribal communities or a majority of their hamlets have already shifted or are in the process of shifting to the new living circumstances. Not being a smooth shift, involves serious struggles for survival with drastic shifts being demanded in the modes livelihood, patterns of living, belief systems etc. This has brought the traditional ways of tribal existence in the state under serious challenge with old models of coexistence and environment-based living nearly put to an end. Amidst this state of affairs, it is truly a fascinating scene to watch that in a few hamlets of certain tribal communities, such as Muthuvans in Idukki district and its adjoining areas in Kerala, the elements of traditional life still survive despite their intermixture with the mainstream population. The paper draws from field observations and attempts to understand the trajectory of tribal existences in Kerala State. The move from tradition to the present day modernity is closely analysed here, with or without the academic rigour, in order to present the reader with some dairy notes that could be useful to comprehend the magnitude of the change and the ensuing struggles.