SPPEL - Scheme for Protection and Preservation of Endangered Languages

Language Documentation

Jenukuruba Documentation

About the Language

The Jenukuruba tribal inhabits the forest area that forms a conclave of the 3 states of Karnataka, Tamilnadu and Kerala. Their main concentration is in the districts of Mysore and Coorg of Karnataka covering more than 3000 sq kms. Their total population is more than 40,000. This tribe is distinct in its appearance and cultural practices. (Narayan K, 1995).

Jenu in Kannada means honey and kuruba is the caste. As the name suggest Jenu Kurubas are honey gatherers. Like the Kadu Kurubas, Jenu kurubas are the original inhabitants of the forests of the Western Ghats, Southern India.

About the People

They are dark skinned, medium built, wiry with curly hair. The main occupation used to be food gathering in the forests, collection of minor forest produce in the forests, collection of minor forest produce including honey. They are good craftsmen in taming and handling elephants. They were involved in logging and fire fighting operations.

Lifestyle

They live in small settlements called Hadi. They have traditionally been food-gatherers, practicing shifting cultivation, leading to a nomadic existence. More recently, they have taken to living in larger hamlets, with government interventions. They practice agriculture as a subsidiary occupation. Instead of ploughing the field, they scratch the surface with a sort of bamboo spear.

Jenukuruba, a semi-nomadic society is not maintained by rulers, police, centralized visible forces or religious monasteries; but by the technique of its own discipline and diffused power. The pattern is that it is maintained at each settlement level with a head-man (yajamana) and a ritual head / shaman (gudda). They decide the movements, functions of the people except the religious one. But power is completely centralized by the religious head directly. The entire life pattern is designed by the ancestral spirit of the settlement through shamans.