Myths of the World

The Cholanaikkans are an ethnic group or indigenous community from India . They primarily inhabit the southern Kerala State , especially Silent Valley National Park , and are one of the last remaining   hunter-gatherer tribes of the region. The Cholanaikkans speak the Cholanaikkan language, which belongs to the Dravidian family.  The Cholanaikkan call themselves as ‘Malanaikan’ or ‘Sholanaikan’. They are called Cholanaikan because they inhabit the interior forests. ‘Chola’ or ‘ shola ’ means patches of stunted forest lined by grasslands, and ‘naikan’ means King. They are said to have migrated from Mysore forests.  The Cholanaikkan traditionally reside in the Karulai and Chungathara forest ranges near Nilambur , which fall in Nilambur Taluk of Malappuram district. Until the 1960s, they were leading a secluded life with very limited contact with mainstream urban society. Since then, the Cholanaikkans' traditional lifestyle has been altered. They currently have a 16% l...

The Wodaabe tribe are nomadic pastoralists of the Sahel region in Africa. Their migratory journeys cover the expanse of northern Africa, where they travel with their cattle and families across the arid areas of Niger, Nigeria, Cameroon, Chad and the Central African Republic. They are a small, isolated branch of the Fulani ethnic group and are considered by neighbouring tribes as wild, uncivilised people, labelled as Mbororo , or ‘cattle Fulani’ – those who dwell in cattle camps. They speak Fula, but do not read or write the language. In Fula, Woodabe means “people of the taboo”. The code of ethics ( pulaaku ) of the Wodaabe emphasises reserve and semteende (modesty), munyal (patience and fortitude), hakkilo (care and forethought), and amana (loyalty). The Wodaabe place great emphasis on beauty and charm as this plays a vital role in their culture. When it comes to establishing relationships, the responsibility falls to the man who is required to attract the attention of a woman. ...