hakki pikki tribe for 5 February 2026

Hakki Pikki Tribe Latest News

Eight members of Karnataka’s Hakki Pikki tribal community, who had travelled to Central Africa for the sale of herbal products, are now facing a serious crisis after their visas expired.

About Hakki Pikki Tribe

• ‘Hakki-Pikki’ is one of the major tribal communities in Karnataka.
• According to the 2011 census, the Hakki Pikki population in Karnataka is 11,892.
• In Kannada, the word ‘Hakki’ stands for ‘bird' and ‘Pikki’ stands for the verb ‘to catch’. 
• Therefore, the community is known as the ‘bird catcher,’ which is their traditional occupation.
• They  believe their original ancestor was the legendary Ranapratap Singh and that they are from a Kshatriya or warrior background. 
• They believe their ancestors migrated to southern India after being defeated by the Moghuls. 
• They are recognized as a Scheduled Tribe in India.
• Language:
  • Despite being surrounded by Dravidian languages and living in southern India, the community speaks an Indo-Aryan language. 
  • Their mother tongue was designated 'Vaagri' by scholars.
  • They communicate in 'Vaagri' at home but speak in Kannada when conducting daily business.
  • UNESCO has listed ‘Vaagri’ as 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 began doing odd jobs like working in fields and sharpening knives and sickles by riding around towns.
  • They are renowned for their indigenous medicines. The community resided in the dense jungles for a long time and created its own plant- and herb-based medicine systems.
  • 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 traditions and celebrates Hindu festivals.
  • They follow a clan-based social structure and practice endogamy within their clan.
  • The tribe prefers cross-cousin marriages.
  • The society is matriarchal, where the groom gives dowry to the bride’s family.

Source: HANS