Irula Tribe

About Irula Tribe:

• Irulas are one of India’s oldest indigenous communities.
• They are a particularly vulnerable tribal group (PVTG).
• They live primarily in the northern districts of Tamil Nadu, as well as in parts of Kerala and Karnataka.
• Language: Their language, Irula, is related to Tamil and Kannada, which are southern Dravidian languages.
• Religious Beliefs:
  • The Irula people don’t have a definite god for them. They are pantheists who make provision for the presence of spirits in humans and objects.
  • Their main deity is a virgin goddess called Kanniamma, who is deeply associated with the cobra. 
• Irula houses are built together in small settlements or villages called mottas. The mottas are usually situated on the edges of steep hills and are surrounded by a few dry fields, gardens, and forests or plantations.
• Traditionally, they have been skilled hunters, gatherers, and honey collectors, relying on the forest for their sustenance and livelihood.
• They are specialists in traditional herbal medicine and healing practices.
• Irulas' knowledge of snakes and snake venom is legendary. Their expertise is often sought after in snake rescue and rehabilitation projects.
• The Irula Snake Catchers' Industrial Cooperative Society is a major producer of anti-snake venom (ASV) in the country. It supplies almost 80 percent ofthevenom that goes into making anti-venom in India.
• They use traditional knowledge and skills to catch snakes, extract venom, and release the snakes back into the wild without harming them.

Q1: What is a cooperative society?

A co-operative society is often a voluntary association of individuals who come together with the intention to work together and to promote their economic interest. These societies work on the principle of self-help as well as mutual help. The primary goal is to provide support to the members. A co-operative society may be governed by the respective state’s Co-operative Societies Act or by the Multi-State Co-operative Societies Act, 2002. 

Source: A Tamil Nadu tribe supplies 80% of India’s anti-snake venom but struggles to find a cure for poverty