Conversations on Conservation- Pranab Doley
Lessons on Conservation from Indigenous Communities
In the name of conservation of wildlife, the original inhabitants of the land-the indigenous communities are often evicted from their homes and relocated to new settlements. These communities share a symbiotic relationship with the environment and have shown that it’s possible to coexist harmoniously with wildlife. They have been protecting and nurturing their jal, jungle, jameen for centuries. Their traditional conservation knowledge and practices is something to be recognised, appreciated, and learned from. The Adivasis (Indigenous tribes) should be the leaders of conservation, not victims of it.
This series is an attempt to document the voices and experiences of the indigenous communities that are often missing in the climate and conservation discourse and also share their wisdom and traditional knowledge systems for a healthier, sustainable, inclusive and just planet.
Pranab Doley, Mising Tribe, Assam
Political leader, Activist, Founding member and an advisor to Jeepal Krishak Sramik Sangha, a farmer and indigenous Rights Organisation
Pranab- a first-generation learner and scholar from Visva Bharati University and Tata Institute of Social Sciences (TISS) has been instrumental in bringing global attention to the violation of indigenous rights in the name of wildlife conservation in and around Kaziranga National Park in Assam, a UNESCO Heritage site. Kaziranga, along with 4 other national parks, is home to many indigenous communities with the Karbis living in and around Kaziranga National Park, the Bodos in the Manas National Park and the Misings in Dibru Saikhowa National Park as well as Kaziranga National Park. Pranab belongs to the Mising Tribe, who have lived symbiotically with the forest and the wildlife for centuries and are instrumental in preserving the rich biodiversity of the region. He talks about how when forests are designated as protected areas or national parks, they become fortified with legal sanctions, depriving the tribes of their land, livelihood and means of survival.
Illustrated by Sher Singh Bhabhor
Sher Singh Bhabhor is a Bhil artist from Jhabua district of Madhya Pradesh. He learnt painting from his mother, Bhuri Bai, at the age of seven. By 15, he was drawing on canvas and had developed his own unique colour palette.