The Kondh tribe native to Odisha, live their lives farming the fertile lands and worshipping their mountain god and the hills they call home. This remote tribe has a population of just over 8000 and for nearly a decade has been living under the threat of a conglomerate trying to build factories to use the natural raw materials that can be found in abundance in this region. The company argues that they will develop the region and bring more jobs to the people, which in turn will ensure more opportunities and a better standard of living. But for the Kondhs their lands, streams, hills and gods is a part of every aspect of their life. What is your opinion? Should the Kondh be left to continue their traditional way of life? If yes, how can the Kondh resist the economic change? If you think no, what can be done to preserve their heritage and cultural identity?
Answers
Answer:Khonds (also spelt Kondha, Kandha etc.) are a tribal community in India. Traditionally hunter-gatherers, they are divided into the hill-dwelling Khonds and plain-dwelling Khonds for census purposes; all the Khonds identify by their clan and usually hold large tracts of fertile land but still practice hunting, gathering and slash-and-burn agriculture in the forests as a symbol of their connection to and ownership of the forest. Khonds speak the Kui and Kuvi languages and write them in Odia script.
The Khonds are adept land-dwellers, exhibiting greater adaptability to the forest environment. However, due to development interventions in education, medical facilities, irrigation, plantation and so on, they are forced into the modern way of life in many ways. Their traditional life style, customary traits of economy, political organisation, norms, values and world view have been drastically changed over a long period.
Explanation:
The Kondh tribe native to Odisha, live their lives farming the fertile lands and worshipping their mountain god and the hills they call home. This remote tribe has a population of just over 8000 and for nearly a decade has been living under the threat of a conglomerate trying to build factories to use the natural raw materials that can be found in abundance in this region. The company argues that they will develop the region and bring more jobs to the people, which in turn will ensure more opportunities and a better standard of living. But for the Kondhs their lands, streams, hills and gods is a part of every aspect of their life. What is your opinion? Should the Kondh be left to continue their traditional way of life? If yes, how can the Kondh resist the economic change? If you think no, what can be done to preserve their heritage and cultural identity?