Team Blitz India
NEW DELHI: The Hakki Pikki tribe of Karnataka was part of India’s rescue operation from war-torn Sudan. It is a semi-nomadic tribe, traditionally engaged in bird catching and hunting, living in forest areas in West and South India.
Expressing gratitude to the Indian Government for their safe evacuation, one of the community members elaborated on their journey from the western region of Darfur to the Saudi port of Jeddah via Port Sudan.
“Our batch consisted of 71 Hakki Pikki members and we had to travel around two thousand kilometres from El Fashir to Port Sudan,” said Prabhu Dass, a member of the Hakki Pikki tribe who coordinated with the Indian Embassy.
The forest is the main natural resource of the Hakki Pikki, and so the tribe has faced challenges due to stricter wildlife protection laws, leading them to shift from hunting to selling herbal oils, spices, and plastic flowers in local temple fairs. According to the 2011 census, the Hakki Pikki population in Karnataka is 11,892, and they live mostly in Davangere, Mysuru, Kolar, Hassan and Shivmogga districts.
In recent years, members of the Hakki Pikki tribe have been travelling to African countries to sell their products. These countries offer better market opportunities, with the potential for higher returns on investment in raw material such as hibiscus powder, oil extraction, gooseberry, and Ayurvedic plants.
