The Traditional Social Governance

Traditional governance

The following article is the out come of focus group discussion with the Palmyrah taping community members held at Veettukadu village of Kannirajapurm panchayat of Kadaladi. All the facts and figures on the basis of the focus group discussion and interview. This was documented for the People’s Action for Development, Vembar.

Introduction

The palmyrah tapping community is in the Gulf of Mannar region is migrated from deep south of Tamil Nadu i.e. villages like Samithoppu as well as in and around villages of Kanyakumari district. They were migrated at least 150 years back i.e. roughly in the beginning of 18^th century. They were migrated in search of livelihood.  Palmyrah tree was only source of livelihood in the region apart from fishing.

In the beginning they settled in smaller level. In order to protect the community interest they developed their own system of governance.

Origin:

The governance must have started in the early 19^th century. This was verified through oral tradition of the community who are living in the panchayats of Kanyrajapuram and Naripayur of Kadaladi block of Ramanathapuram district, Tamil Nadu. The system was evolved it self last 100 years or so.

Structure:

The head of the village called ambalam who inebriated the post from his ancestors. The ambalam was assisted by Kannakar (who is in charge of account), Pokishthar (who is in charge of treasury). Dharmarkartha, who was looking after the temple. All these post were inherited from their ancestors otherwise it was kind of feudal system.

Functions and role:

The traditional body performed certain roles and duties:

      The governing body was entitled to collect taxes especially from vendors (who entering the village) it is otherwise called ‘mahamai”.

      They plan and conduct village temple festival.

      They involved in conflict resolution with in the community.

      They had power to negotiate with other community in case of conflict with other communities.

      They also collect common fund called ‘dheeva kasu” to meet out the emergency for the community. This fund will be used to help even individual families which under went emergency like fire accident or death of earning member of the  family.

      submission of financial expenditure to the villagers

Democratization of socio political governance:

This community also underwent various changes which influence by the contemporary mainstream politics. During 1970 the traditional governing body is democratized. For instance, the post of Ambalam is replaced by the village leader who has elected by the villagers. He also assisted by secretary and treasurer. This leadership is on rotational basis which means every year leadership will be changed. Their functions are also similar to the earlier setup. They also levied taxes on venders who are entering their villages called "Mahamai". In order to meet out the emergency, they collect "Deeva Kasu". It is usually Rs. 20/- from palmyrah tappers; Rs. 50/- from others. This is the way they strengthen their common fund.

Conflict resolution:

• The governing body resolved civil issues between the community members especially land issues, domestic violence, land titles etc
• The police will enter the village with the consultation with village leader. The criminal cases will be informed to the police station through traditional panchyat
• The traditional bodies achieved through few common issues. They got ration shop (PDS) in their village in Vettukkadu after struggling for 20 years (since the year of 1990). They also received drinking water supply from Panchayat in the year 2005 through effort of traditional panchayat.
• They got uninterrupted 3 phase power supply in 2011 after long agitation by the      traditional panchayat.

Traditional Vs modernity

Till 1970 the traditional leadership was inherited. After 1970, the system was changed. All the community members jointly elected a leader. The leadership is shifted from inherited to elect. The leadership also becomes rotational one. The posts were replaced by village leader, secretary, and treasurer instead of Ambalam, Kanakkar and Pokkistar.

Objective:   Work for Change
The declined livelihood
I am a social activist working for palmera tappers and fisher folk of Gulf of Mannar covering both Ramanathapuram and Thoothukudi districts of Tamil Nadu, India. Geographically the region is semi arid, mainly depending on rain fed agricultural.  Generally agriculture will be  practised from mid October to mid January i.e. during northeast monsoon.
Since northeast monsoon usually brings cyclonic rain, which results in uncertain yielding of produces. Hence the people of region deprived of permanent livelihood.
The region has different livelihood for the survival of the people. The blocks of Kadaladi, Thiruplani of Ramanathapuram and Vilathikulam of Thoothukudi  districts has plenty of palmera trees. The people of the region identified palmera is source of income, more over, it with stand hot climate of the region.
Palmera tapping:
Palmera tapping is occuring at least last 2 or 3  centuries. The history of palmera tappers gos back to at least 3 to 4  centuries. Most of them migrated from Kanyakumari  or Tirunelveli districts to tapp the palmera trees.
Palmera tapping is tedious process, which demands hard phisical work of entire family. While man is climbing tree the  woman of the family will make jaggary out of neera. In Tamil jaggary called karuppatti. To collect small amount of neera one has to climb the tree 3 times in a day. In this process the able body man can clime at the most 30  to 40 trees in a day.

The neera is collected daily to prevent from spoiling.  The women of the community cook the neera over firewood, add calcium, pour the mixture into coconut shells, and leave them to dry to form jaggery – an unrefined whole cane sugar. Ten kilograms, or one kotum, of jaggery is bundled into a thatch carry bag and sold for 400 to 600 rupees.

Palmyra tapping is seasonal occupation usually, starts from mid January to mid August, In Tamil calendar i.e. from the month of thai to adi. Vembar Karuppatti is famous one, which attracts all types of people. Karuppatti uses for consumptions and has medicinal values.

The exploitation tappers faced was similar to fishermen; however, it was even more alarming because they were being forced to not only sell their jaggery to merchants at below-market rates, but also at high interest rates (accumulates to 24 percent in a year and is added to the principal amount at the year end), to compensate for their use of the land and the tree (owned by the merchant).

The age-old livelihood, which is said by the villagers to be near extinction because of various reasons. 

Since government banned on toddy tapping, which reduce the income of the age old community. 

The lack of storage facilities by the tappers make them more vulnerable to merchants. 

There is no any technical development to reduce the hardships of the poor tappers. 

The health hazardous of women is high due to use of firewood choola for jaggary making. 

Social tappers are considered lowest in the social strata even people are hesitant give the girl for marriage. 

There is adequate social welfare measures from the government.

For the above-mentioned reasons the community is itself abandoning the age-old livelihood, accommodated major chunk of the population of the region.