Here are the photographs that were on display at my recently concluded solo exhibition, The Timeless Essence of Indigenous People.

Soliga Tribe

Soligas mainly inhabit the BR Hills and the associated hill ranges in the Indian state of Karnataka. They speak Soliganudi, an ancient Kannada dialect. Their main source of income is harvesting and sale of Non-timber Forest Produce (NTFP). There is a lot of man-animal conflict with their increasing population and needs. Recently, their rights on harvesting NTFP is being sought to be withdrawn citing conservation concerns, sparking a debate about the rights of indigenous people.

Reference: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Soliga

Halakki Vokkaliga Tribe

Halakki Vokkaligas live in the foothills of Western Ghats are known as the “Aboriginals of Uttara Kannada”. The women, who like to deck themselves up, have their nose, ears, necks, arms and ankles loaded with ornaments made of brass, copper and silver. They have a great fancy for blue, yellow and red beads, and wear them in large numbers, around their necks in the form of strings.

Reference: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Halakki_vokkaliga, http://www.kamat.com/kalranga/people/halakki.htm

Siddi Tribe

The Siddis are an Indian and Pakistani ethnic group of Afro-Arab and/or Black African descent. Villages in the forests of Northern Karnataka have residents who most likely descended from Mozambican/Angolan slaves, escaping from the clutches of Portuguese traders and ships around 400 years ago.

Reference: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Siddi

Gavali Tribe

The Gavali tribe is a sub-caste of Dhangar, primarily located in the Indian state of Maharashtra. Dhangars are a tribe that migrated to the mountains and hills with their sheep and cows, and stayed in the forests.

Reference: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dhangar