LANGUAGE IN INDIA

Strength for Today and Bright Hope for Tomorrow

Volume 22:6 June 2022
ISSN 1930-2940

Editors:
         Sam Mohanlal, Ph.D.
         B. Mallikarjun, Ph.D.
         A. R. Fatihi, Ph.D.
         G. Baskaran, Ph.D.
         T. Deivasigamani, Ph.D.
         Pammi Pavan Kumar, Ph.D.
         Soibam Rebika Devi, M.Sc., Ph.D.

Managing Editor & Publisher: M. S. Thirumalai, Ph.D.

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Traditional Food, Health, and Activities of Indigenous People:
The Gujjar-Bakarwal of Jammu and Kashmir

Aneesa Farooq, Research Scholar

Abstract

Objective: To describe how Indigenous Peoples understand their own traditional food system, health, and well-being and other cultural circumstances.

Subjects and setting: Interview were conducted with 6 families of Indigenous Gujjar-Bakarwals including 8 women and 2 men in their home community. The interview was completed over a period of one week. The efforts to record the Gujjar-Bakarwals’ food system, health and activities has been welcomed by the community and considered successful.

Result: The food system of Gujjar-Bakarwals’ is inextricably connected to land, which in turn is interlinked with livelihoods, physical and traditional activities. The cultural diet and the integrity of the ecosystem promotes health and well-being of the community people.

Conclusion: The case study of Gujjar-Bakarwals give important information on locally produced, collected, or hunted foods, activities, and health status. Gujjar-Bakarwals’ reflections on their local food systems and activities should be encouraged and acted upon to protect and promote sustainability of the cultures. The Gujjar-Bakarwals’ food system and active practices clearly have many excellent health benefits. Thus, the cultural activities promote fitness and serve the Gujjar-Bakarwals well.

Keywords: Indigenous Peoples, Gujjar-Bakarwal, Traditional Food, Traditional Activities, Health.

1. Introduction

It is estimated that there are about 350 million Indigenous People living across the world, approximately accounting 5% of the total world population, who constitute more than 5000 languages and cultures (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation [UNESCO], 2015). In India, Indigenous People constitute about 8.2% of the total population. It is approximated that about 92% of the Indigenous People lives in remote forest areas, with little or no basic necessities. Indigenous People practice unique traditions and possess distinct belief system, socio-economic, and political characteristics that are different from those of dominant communities. Indigenous communities show historical continuity with their pre-settled societies or their ancestral environments. The other interchangeable terms for Indigenous peoples are ‘tribes,’ ‘aboriginals,’ ‘nomads,’ ‘hill people’ and hunter-gatherers.’ However, researchers and other professionals acknowledge that Indigenous knowledge needs to be documented if any of it fits with their interest, utilized, or integrated into scientific corpus. Indigenous knowledge is not specific to Indigenous Peoples rather it also includes those who struggle to survive or still depend on traditional forms of knowledge. One approximation is that 80% of the world population is dependent on Indigenous knowledge for either food or medicine (Rural Advancement Foundation International (RAFI); Nakata, 2002).

This is only the beginning part of the article. PLEASE CLICK HERE TO READ THE ENTIRE ARTICLE IN PRINTER-FRIENDLY VERSION.


Aneesa Farooq, Research Scholar
Department of Linguistics
University of Kashmir
aneesafruk@gmail.com
aneesafruk.scholar@kashmiruniversity.net
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