Who Are the Chenchu?
The Chenchu are a Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Group (PVTG) of the Nallamala forests in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana, South India, numbering approximately 65,000-70,000. They speak Chenchu, a Dravidian language related to Telugu. The Chenchu are among the few remaining hunter-gatherer societies in South India, having traditionally lived by collecting forest products, hunting small game, and practicing minimal cultivation. Their homeland in the Nallamala hills, now largely designated as the Nagarjunasagar-Srisailam Tiger Reserve, has shaped their unique adaptation to dry deciduous forest environments. The Chenchu's continued foraging economy makes them anthropologically significant as one of India's last hunting and gathering communities.
Forest Economy
Traditional Chenchu economy centered on collecting forest products—roots, tubers, fruits, honey, and medicinal plants—supplemented by hunting small game with bows, snares, and dogs. The Nallamala forests provided abundant resources for those with knowledge to exploit them. Chenchu moved seasonally within forest territories, building temporary shelters from local materials. Unlike neighboring agricultural communities, Chenchu traditionally had minimal cultivation and livestock. Their intimate knowledge of forest ecology—knowing which plants were edible or medicinal, understanding animal behavior, finding water sources—represented sophisticated adaptation. They collected products like honey and tamarind for trade with settled communities, exchanging forest goods for metal tools, cloth, and grain.
Tiger Reserve Conflicts
The establishment of the Nagarjunasagar-Srisailam Tiger Reserve in 1983 created significant challenges for Chenchu. Conservation policies restricted traditional forest access—hunting was prohibited, gathering regulated, and relocation threatened. The Forest Rights Act (2006) theoretically recognized tribal rights, but implementation has been contested. Chenchu find themselves caught between tiger conservation imperatives and their traditional livelihood needs. Some have been relocated to settlement villages where they struggle to adapt to agricultural life. Others remain in forest areas in ambiguous legal situations. This conflict illustrates tensions between indigenous rights and conservation priorities affecting forest-dwelling peoples globally.
Contemporary Chenchu
Modern Chenchu face severe challenges. Their traditional foraging economy has been disrupted by forest restrictions, deforestation, and market penetration. Many Chenchu now work as casual laborers or attempt unfamiliar agriculture. Health indicators are poor—malnutrition, high infant mortality, and lack of medical access affect communities. Education levels remain low. Government programs designating them as a PVTG provide some support but have had limited success in improving conditions. Cultural change accelerates as traditional knowledge becomes less relevant to changed circumstances. Yet some communities maintain forest connections, and advocates work for recognition of forest rights. The Chenchu situation exemplifies the challenges facing hunter-gatherer peoples in modern nation-states with conservation priorities.
References
- FĂĽrer-Haimendorf, C. von (1943). The Chenchus: Jungle Folk of the Deccan
- Rao, N. & Rao, K. M. (1984). The Changing Chenchu
- Agrawal, A. & Redford, K. (2009). Conservation and Displacement