Soliga Tribe

About Soliga Tribe:

• The Soliga, also spelt Solega, are a group of indigenous, forest-dwelling people found mostly in Tamil Nadu and Karnataka.
• The term "Soliga" literally translates to "children of bamboo", which reflects the tribe's relationship with nature and their belief that they too have emerged from it.
• They reside in the peripheral forest areas near Biligiri Rangana Hills and Male Mahadeshwara Hills.
• They are the first tribal community living inside the core area of a tiger reserve in India (Biligiri Rangaswamy Temple Tiger Reserve) to get their forest rights officially recognised by a court of law.
• According to 2011 Census, the population of Soliga is about 33,871 in Karnataka and 5,965 in Tamil Nadu. 
• Language: The Dravidian language sholaga is spoken by the Soliga. They also speak Kannada and Tamil.
• The Soligas live in single-room huts, built of bamboo and mud.
• Economy:
  • The traditional economy of the Soliga is mostly based on shifting cultivation and collection of minor forest produce.
  • Honey is an important part of the diet for the Soliga people, who still forage large parts of their food from the biodiversity-rich Ghats.
  • The Soligas believe in coexisting with the environment and have indigenous ways of using nature to make unique utility products, such as the ‘jottai’, which is a cup made out of leaves.
• Religion: Along with adhering to Hindu customs, the Soliga people practice naturism and animism.

Q1: What is animism?

Animism is a belief system that attributes a spiritual essence or consciousness to animals, plants, inanimate objects, and natural phenomena. It holds that not only humans but also non-human entities, such as rivers, mountains, trees, and animals, possess a spiritual life or soul. This belief often includes the idea that spirits inhabit these entities, influencing human life and nature.

News: Drinking water plants for Soliga tribe fall into disrepair