Hakki Pikki tribal community members have emerged as successful entrepreneurs in the hair oil industry.
About Hakki Pikki Tribe:
Hakki Pikkis (Hakki in Kannada means ‘bird’ and Pikki means ‘catchers’) are a semi-nomadic tribe, traditionally of bird catchers and hunters.
It is one of the major tribal communities in Karnataka. They also reside in the Western and Southern statesof India, mostly near forest areas.
The community migrated from Northern India, mainly Gujarat and Rajasthan, and is now mainly concentrated in Shivamogga, Davanagere, and Mysuru districts of Karnataka.
They are recognized as a Scheduled Tribe in India.
Language:
Though the community lives in the southern part of India, surrounded by Dravidian languages, they speak Indo Aryan language.
Scholars named their mother tongue as ‘Vaagri’.
They speak ‘Vaagri’ at home, but they speak Kannada for their daily business.
UNESCO has listed Hakkipikki is one of the endangered languages.
Occupation:
After the implementation of stricter wildlife laws, the tribe changed its occupation from hunting to selling spices, flowers, Ayurveda formulations, and herbal oils.
They now travel globally to sell these products, especially in the African continent, where there is a demand for cheaper alternatives to Western medicine.
Rituals and customs:
The tribe follows Hindu traditionsand celebrates Hindu festivals.
The tribe prefers cross-cousin marriages.
The society is matriarchal, where the groom gives dowry to the bride’s family.
The eldest son in a family is not supposed to cut his hair so that he can be identified easily.
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