One of the best methods to grasp a neighborhood is thru its rituals, traditions and artwork kinds. A mini documentary on the Mannan neighborhood, a scheduled tribe of Kerala, by the Archival and Research Project (ARPO), shines the highlight on the neighborhood’s vibrant historical past and distinctive cultural practices.
Mannan Tribe: The Last Forest Kingdom of Kerala is the first in the collection that goals to doc tribal communities in Kerala. Produced with the assist of the Samagata Foundation, ARPO’s documentary options the members from the tribe and glimpses from their festivals and artwork kinds.
The members of the neighborhood throughout one of their rituals
| Photo Credit:
Special Arrangement
Believed to have migrated from the village of Mannankottai in Madurai to the dense forests of Kerala centuries in the past, the neighborhood has a number of narratives associated to its origin, handed down via generations as fable and folklore. While the most dominant narrative is that they fled Madurai throughout the Chola-Pandya warfare, an off shoot of it suggests they entered the forests in search of cane to construct weapons wanted for warfare solely to quiet down right here finally.
According to a different story, the Mannans made the chariot of Goddess Madurai Meenakshi and ventured into the forests in search of rattan, with which the chariot was pulled. After a number of visits, they fell in love with the forests and settled down. Some outdated timers even consider that the earliest settlers had been charmed by the style of a tortoise egg they ate in Puliyanmala (Idukki district) and by no means left the place.
Today, the Mannan neighborhood has individuals unfold over Idukki, Ernakulam and Thrissur districts. “Documenting the tribe’s traditions and culture is a step towards engaging with the community and ensuring that their rich heritage is showcased to the world. It also leads to the larger goal of conservation,” says Sruthin Lal, co-founder of ARPO.
Raman Rajamannan, the king of the Mannan tribal neighborhood and his spouse. They had been invited as company of the Scheduled Tribes (SC) Development division for the Republic Day parade in Delhi this yr. Minister for Welfare of Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, and Backward Classes O.R. Kelu handing over the Republic Day invitation
| Photo Credit:
SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT
Currently, the Mannans are one of the solely tribal communities to observe kingship, a variety of self-governance that has existed since the earliest days of the neighborhood’s presence in Kerala. The King is the ceremonial head of the tribe and his responsibility consists of guaranteeing the welfare of the individuals in his neighborhood. They additionally observe a distinctive self-governance system.
“Though lifestyle changes have come in, they are a community that still follows their traditions,” says Sruthinlal. ‘Payayil Iruthal’ is one such ritual, he explains. “It is the practice of grieving a loved one. The deceased person’s spouse is confined to a mat for seven days and would not engage in daily activities. This mourning ritual, which is traditionally performed for three years after a person passes away, gives the surviving partner the space to come to terms with grief and overcome it,” provides Sruthin.
This is an element of ARPO’s persevering with mission referred to as Earthlore, which goals to doc the historical past, way of life and tradition of tribal communities. Currently it’s working with the Mannan and the Paliyar tribe. Earthlore can be providing fellowship programmes funded by the Tata Trust to advertise the music of these tribal communities and discover international platforms for the proficient musicians in the neighborhood.
Founded in 2021, ARPO is now venturing into cultural tourism, curating intimate journey experiences for many who are on the lookout for a deeper understanding of tradition. Under its model Guli Heritage, the staff has already organised over 20 such experiential excursions, primarily in northern Kerala.
Published – May 07, 2025 03:47 pm IST
