kattunayakan

Language information by source

The Kattunayakan are a tribal people who live in south India. Their name means "chiefs of the forest. They are believed to be among of the earliest inhabitants of south India. Their main livelihood is collecting and selling of honey. They also fish, hunt and collect forest products to eat and sell. The Kattunayakan are a scheduled caste meaning they are eligible for special consideration for public jobs and college admission..

The Kattunayakan are one of the few tribal peoples of India who still live as hunter-gatherers. The literacy rate is very low for both men and women. They practice traditional medicine and live without modern conveniences like electricity and indoor plumbing.

The Kattunayakan live much like their ancestors have for hundreds of years. The Kattunayakan like to live in separate family dwellings of about ten people. A council of elders makes decisions for the family groups. Honey plays a special role in their lives. They eat it, use it for medicine and trade it for things they need. The Kattunayakan can climb 20-30 meter trees in search of honey. One hive can yield over 25 pounds of honey. They get so many bee stings that their bodies develop immunity. Their main competition is bears, which they sometimes have to fight off to get the honey.

The Kattunayakan are known for their dancing and singing. They pass on their history and customs through song and dance. The Kattunayakan are monogamous with girls marrying when they reach puberty. The main languages that the Kattunayakan speak are Tamil and Telugu.