'Koraga community has been a victim of globalisation'

Globalisation has put Koraga community and its culture at risk, said Mangalore University Assistant Professor Sabitha Koraga.

She was speaking at a seminar on ‘Evacuation of primitive tribals,’ organised jointly by Samadarshi Vedike, Mangaluru, Hosathu Patrike, Bengaluru, and University College Kannada Sangha, at Ravindra Kalabhavan in Mangaluru on Sunday.

Stating that there is a need to establish the cultural significance of Koraga community, she said, today, Koragas were confined to forests and had lost confidence in joining the mainstream, probably due to years of suppression.

Their population has decreased over the years. Even to this day, many people belonging to Koraga community are living in absolute poverty and are not able to think beyond food and shelter, Sabitha said.

She said there was a need to acknowledge the cultural significance of Koragas. Previously, Koragas were known as Kaadigas, which literally means the people dwelling in forests.

Three dialects of Koraga language exists in Dakshina Kannada and Udupi districts. Koraga people are akin to nature and their deities are consecrated below trees, she said and felt a need to build an atmosphere for sustainable development of socially and economically backward classes like Koragas.

Samajika Arthika Sthityantara Adhyayana Samsthe, Bengaluru, department Head Manohar Yadav lamented that the development programmes meant for tribal people were poorly implemented.

‘Funds unutilised’

During the last two years, not even 35 per cent of the funds reserved for the development of SC/ST have been utilised in the State. Moreover, the facilities meant for tribals are grabbed by non-tribals, to the extent that some of the parliamentarians and legislators who claim to be from tribal community, are not real tribals.

Tribal status

Today, 120 communities, which are not tribals by origin, including Kodavas, are attempting to get tribal status. In various parts of the world, primitive tribals are killed or evacuated by force. Even in India, many are treated as criminals. There are more than 500 primitives in the nation. They have been the victims of caste system.

‘Hosatu’ monthly Editor

Dr Siddanagowda Patil said that the present NDA-led Central government was batting for industrialisation, which will affect the life of tribals. He questioned Udupi Pejavar seer why he was not opposing the stand of the government towards Land Acquisition Ammendment Act.

Filmmaker Kesari Haravu also spoke. University College Kannada department Associate Professor Nagappa Gowda presided over.