Why in News?

• Recently, More than 181 members of the Hakki Pikki tribal community from Karnataka are stuck in violence-hit Sudan.

Highlights

• The Hakki Pikki tribe is a semi-nomadic tribe traditionally engaged in bird catching and hunting, living in forest areas in west and south India.
• It Is a Scheduled Tribe in Karnataka and their origin is said to be an ancestral relation with the legendary Ranapratap Singh.
• The Hakki Pikki tribe Is believed to have originated from Gujarat and Rajasthan and migrated to south India via Andhra Pradesh.
• The tribe is divided into four clans and has a population of 11,892 in Karnataka.
• The 4 clans are Gujaratia, Panwar, Kaliwala and Mewaras and can be equated with castes in the traditional Hindu society.
• The usual age of marriage among the tribe is 18 for women and 22 for men, and cross-cousin marriages are preferred.
• The society is matriarchal, and Monogamy is the norm.
• Hakki Pikkis in Karnataka follow Hindu traditions and celebrate all Hindu festivals.
• Education levels among the Hakki Pikkis are still low.
• Members of the Hakki Pikki tribe have been travelling to African countries to sell their products as there is a huge demand for Ayurvedic products in the continent.
• African countries offer better market opportunities, with the potential for higher returns on investment in raw materials such as hibiscus powder, oil extraction, gooseberry, Ayurvedic plants, etc.