A mini documentary offers a peak into the lives of the Mannan tribe in Kerala
Mannan Tribe: The Last Forest Kingdom of Kerala is the first in the series that aims to document tribal communities in Kerala. Produced with the support of the Samagata Foundation, ARPO's documentary features the members from the tribe and glimpses from their festivals and art forms.
Believed to have migrated from the village of Mannankottai in Madurai to the dense forests of Kerala centuries ago, the community has multiple narratives related to its origin, passed down through generations as myth and folklore. While the most dominant narrative is that they fled Madurai during the Chola-Pandya war, an off shoot of it suggests they entered the forests in search of cane to build weapons needed for war only to settle down here eventually.
According to another story, the Mannans made the chariot of Goddess Madurai Meenakshi and ventured into the forests in search of rattan, with which the chariot was pulled. After several visits, they fell in love with the forests and settled down. Some old timers even believe that the earliest settlers were charmed by the taste of a tortoise egg they ate in Puliyanmala (Idukki district) and never left the place.
Today, the Mannan community has people spread over Idukki, Ernakulam and Thrissur districts. 'Documenting the tribe's traditions and culture is a step towards engaging with the community and ensuring that their rich heritage is showcased to the world. It also leads to the larger goal of conservation,' says Sruthin Lal, co-founder of ARPO.
Currently, the Mannans are one of the only tribal communities to follow kingship, a kind of self-governance that has existed since the earliest days of the community's presence in Kerala. The King is the ceremonial head of the tribe and his duty includes ensuring the welfare of the people in his community. They also follow a unique self-governance system.
'Though lifestyle changes have come in, they are a community that still follows their traditions,' says Sruthinlal. 'Payayil Iruthal' is one such ritual, he explains. 'It is the practice of grieving a loved one. The deceased person's spouse is confined to a mat for seven days and would not engage in daily activities. This mourning ritual, which is traditionally performed for three years after a person passes away, gives the surviving partner the space to come to terms with grief and overcome it,' adds Sruthin.
This is part of ARPO's continuing project called Earthlore, which aims to document the history, lifestyle and culture of tribal communities. Currently it is working with the Mannan and the Paliyar tribe. Earthlore is also offering fellowship programmes funded by the Tata Trust to promote the music of these tribal communities and find global platforms for the talented musicians in the community.
Founded in 2021, ARPO is now venturing into cultural tourism, curating intimate travel experiences for those who are looking for a deeper understanding of culture. Under its brand Guli Heritage, the team has already organised over 20 such experiential tours, mainly in northern Kerala.
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