Kuravar are different- Narikuravar (fox hunters) are different. Is the history of Tamil Kuravar ancestors being misrepresented?
Ancestors’ history is being oppressed:
1. Will the history of the indigenous people (Kuravar) of the Kurinji Mountain, the first division in the Tamil Division, be destroyed by comparing it with the Vaakkiri Poli fake race from the north?
2. They hunt foxes so they should be called Narikarar but why should we call them Narikuravar and combine them with the ancient Tamil people of Kuravar?
3. Is it acceptable to divide the indigenous tribe of Tamil Kuravar into 27 names and give them different caste certificates that separate some as Kuravar and others as Hill Kuravar as per the separation policy?
Narikarar (Fox hunter), not Kuravar:
Akkipikki, also generally called Narikuravar, is a nomadic Vanderi community of Tamil Nadu. They are known as Akkipikki in Karnataka and Nakkala in Andhra. Their secondary occupation is shooting sparrows with sticks and stones, catching foxes, and making and selling beads. They belong to the Most Backward Class (MBC) in the reservation list of the Tamil Nadu government. The Akkipikki people, who speak the Indo-Aryan language, Vaakkiri Puli, have no relation to the Kuravar natives of ancient Tamil. They are engaged in the business of selling small items like needles and moss at bus stands, railway stations, and public shelters.
Their original name was Vaakriwala Kuruvikkaran Nakkale or Akkipikki. But in 1957 during the rule of Kamarasar in Tamil Nadu, those who wanted to transliterate the community name Nakkala to Nari could have done so only. But somehow, they have created a new mixed name by adding Kuravar to them. During the Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu during M. G. Ramachandra's rule, was misnamed Narikkuvar. The Kuravar are the Kurinji division [hills] mentioned in the Tamil Sanga literature but these Narikarar (fox hunters) are nomads native to Gujarat. They hunt with guns. But hunting with bow and arrow, collecting honey and weaving bamboo baskets were the original occupations of the Tamil Kuravar. Tamil Kuravar and Marathi Akkipikki have many differences; we cannot describe them in this one article.
True History of Kuravar (Tribal):
The Kuravar, who originated from the land of Kurinji, is also known by laymen as hill tribes. The word Kundravan is a hillbilly because of living in the hills and then it became Kuravan. It's a great causal name. This word has been used by Tamilians for thousands of years. The best evidence for the use of the Tamil script when it was in Prami form is the word Kuravan inscribed on a silver icon found at Karur, which is to be from the 1st century BC.
We have been taught in primary schools that Kurinji land is the mainland of the four types of land of the Tamil people and its inhabitants are Kuravar. It is clearly explained that Kuravan is a tribe in Sangha literature taught as subjects in high schools and colleges like Akananoor, Purananoor, Nanneri, Malaipadukadam, Meenakshiyammai Kuram, Thirumurugatrupadai, Kurinchippattu, Kuravanji and so on. Statues of Kuravan Kurathi can be found in Perur temple in Coimbatore dating back to 2000 years ago, in the Auudaiyar temple said to have been built by Manikkavasaka, in Krishnapuram temple near Tirunelveli built by the Nayaks and many other temples. These are also proofs that the word Kuravan has been in use in Tamil for a long time. In Census of India 1901, Volume xxvi, Part 1, N. Subramania Iyer, Dewan Beskar - Census Commissioner, page 403, para 20, enumerates the customs of the Kuravar. The Kuravar live in the mountains and hilly areas in South India, according to their own culture, there are main clans and subdivisions such as Sattappadi, Manipadi, Kavadiyar, Meluthan, many studies confirm this. Meena Radhakrishna's Dishonored by History ' Criminal Tribes' describes in detail the injustices inflicted on the Kuravar by the British government, who drove them out of their habitats, stifled the livelihoods of the Kuravar and British Colonial policy It was Kurinji's land Kuravar who gave life to Drama Tamil which is one of the three Tamil which has antiquity and history.
Kuravar people do bamboo work in local bodies, baskets, box weaving, rattan works, and mountain honey-selling as their cultural occupation.
Act of Tamil Nadu Govt:
19-03-2022 Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Mr M.K. Stalin wrote a letter to the Union Government asking them to “include the Narikuravar (Fox hunter) in the tribal list”.
We know that these are from the northern states known as Akkibikki and Naggala which speak a language called Vaakkripoli. To put the word Kuravan, which adds source and pride to Tamil, as the name of a northern speaker called Vaakkripoli, will be an act of questioning the culture of Tamil and the antiquity of Tamil.
The Kuravan tribe has been listed under various aliases. Now when the name of Narikkuravar is added, there is a lot of confusion. In the future, Tamil researchers may confuse Vaakkripoli with Tamil. Even history can make mistakes. The same caste exists in many states with the same name. Nowhere should the nouns be transliterated. Earlier also in Tamil Nadu, it was called Nakkala as in Andhra Pradesh. Nakkala is the Telugu word for fox. So confusion can only be avoided if we change it again to Nakkala or Kuruvikarar as before.
Kuravar and (Nakkale) Kuruvikaran differ in culture, habitat, image systems, occupation, and tradition. Even now, the Honourable Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu, M.K.Stalin, and some Tamil Nadu Ministers, when many government welfare schemes are announced for the Kuravar people. It is noteworthy that there has been a great conflict between the two communities regarding getting the welfare schemes. Hence their real and ancient name (Nakkale) is better as sparrows. Hence, their real and ancient name Kuruvikkaran (Nakkale) is better suitable for them.
Press Release No: 434 Date: 19.03.2022
Press Release
Hon’ble Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu Mr M.K Stalin wrote the letter to the Hon’ble Prime Minister of India to take immediate action to include the Narikuravan/ Kuruvikaran community in Tamil Nadu in the tribal list.
Regarding the delay in the inclusion of the nomadic tribe known as Narikkuravan/ Kuruvikaran community in the tribal list of Tamil Nadu to attract the attention of the Hon’ble Prime Minister of India Mr Narendra Modi by Hon'ble Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Mr M.K Stalin has written a letter today (19-03-2022).
In a letter written by the Hon’ble Chief Minister of Tamilnadu, based on the recommendations of the Government of Tamil Nadu, the Director of Union Tribal Affairs has mentioned in the central government’s letters that the Chief Registrar of India has agreed to the proposal to include the "Kuruvikaran group joined Narikuravan" community in the list of Scheduled Tribals, ( No 12016/S/2011-C&LM-1, dated (30-4-2013), Chief minister of Tamil Nadu would like to bring to the attention of the Hon'ble Prime Minister of India.
Further, the expert committees Lokur Committee in 1965 and the parliamentary Joint Committee in 1967 recommended the inclusion of this community in the Scheduled of Tribes and the Hon’ble Chief Minister has also indicated in his letter that Narikaran is one of the most backward and vulnerable communities and by including them in the Scheduled of Tribes, they are eligible of all constitutional protection and welfare schemes. He mentioned that the inclusion of this community in the tribal list has been pending for a long time despite many requests in this regard.
Therefore, he requested immediate intervention in this matter and urgent action to include the Narikuravan/ Kuruvikaran community in the list of tribals in Tamil Nadu.
(Copy of the request written by Tamil Nadu Chief Minister A.M.K.Stalin to the Union Government)
Requests:
First of all Tamil Nadu Government should document the name of the tribe in their existing MBC list as Nagla (a) Kuruvikaran (or) Narikaran (foxes hunter) instead of calling the Narikaran as Narikuravan without affecting the history of Kurinji land indigenous Kuravan.
Next, the senior citizens of the Tamil Department, who are divided into 27 categories, Kuravan and Malaikuravan, should be merged into one ST list.
Will the government focus on it?
It is very painful that the Chief Minister himself, the first citizen of Tamilnadu, has requested the Union Government to "include the Narikuravas in the tribal list". Due to this, the life and history of the Kuravan people will be affected and the history of the Kuravan, the eldest of the Tamil race, will be hidden from future generations.
The history of an ethnic group should not be lost and at the same time, the government should take note of this article which was created with the idea that there should be no mistakes in history and make it possible to get proper certification for my ethnic people, and not to mix us with other races, but to establish the pride of being the oldest Kuravar of Tamils.
This article was created as a part of the Adivasi Awaaz project, with the support of Misereor and Prayog Samaj Sevi Sanstha.