Context: Recently, the Koya tribe rode the eco-friendly wave to help conserve the Indian Bison of Eastern Ghats.

Background

• In a move to conserve the Indian Bison in their forests, the indigenous Koya tribe inhabiting the Papikonda hill range in Andhra Pradesh have made an exemplary transition by shedding the use of bison horns to make their traditional flute, Permakore, and replacing it with an instrument made of eco-friendly palm leaf.

Permakore

• In recent times the Koya tribe have moved on from using traditional Indian Bison horns to palm leaves as a gesture of conservation of the Indian Bison to craft their traditional flute, Permakore.

• Permakore is traditional flute that is made from the Indian Bison horn.

• It is used by the indigenous Koya tribe inhabiting the Papikonda hill range in Andhra Pradesh.

• Another name for the Papikondalu hill range is the’ Bison hill range,’ which is derived from the fact that it is home to the Indian Bison.

• In the Koya language, ‘Permam’ stands for Indian Bison or Guar, and ‘Kore’ stands for ‘horn’ and thus, the flute made of Bison horn is called Permakore.

• Permakore is played at a designated time and place to give a call to the entire village to go hunting in the forest.

• This bond between the palm tree and Koyas can be dubbed as a new chapter in the tribe’s culture.

• The Koyas believe that a player could make the best Permakore with the palm leaf as he understands the intricacies of the craft.

• The palm-leaf instrument has a gentle curve like the Bison horn.

• The flute made of the leaf is sustainable for a few years but the one that is made of Bison horn can be used for generations if preserved.

About Indian Bison

• Indian Bison are one of the largest extant bovines. (Wildlife Institute of India (WII))

• It is one of the largest species among the wild cattle, reaching a shoulder height of up to 220 cm.

• The Indian gaur, a reclusive beast that lives in the wild.

• They are found on the forested hills and grassy areas of south to southeast Asia.

• In India, they are found in Nagarhole, Bandipur, Masinagudi National Parks and BR Hills.

Threats

• Food Scarcity

• Poaching

• Habitat Loss due to deforestation and commercial plantations.

• Human-Animal Conflict

Conservation status

• Wild Life Protection Act, 1972: Schedule I.

• International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List: Vulnerable.

About Koya tribe

• The Koya population is primarily found in Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, and Odisha.

• Most Koya speak either Gondi or Telugu, in addition to Koyi.

• They speak the Koya language, which belongs to the Dravidian language family.

• They practice Podu form of shifting cultivation, as practiced by various tribal groups in forest areas has for long been an economic survival versus environmental sustenance issue.

• The held ST status in Chattisgarh but they were not granted ST status in their migrated states such as Telangana.

• Koyas popularly call themselves as Dorala Sattam (Lords group) and Putta Dora (original lords).

• The Godavari and Sabari rivers which flow through their area of habitation exercise profound influence on Koyas’ economic, social and cultural life.