What You Should Know About The Hakki Pikki Tribe Stuck In Sudan

Members of the Hakki Pikki tribe from Karnataka are stuck in Sudan, which is seeing conflict between the armed forces, led by General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, and a paramilitary force, known as the Rapid Support Forces and led by General Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo.

India's External Affairs Minister, Dr S Jaishankar, and the former Karnataka chief minister, Siddaramaiah, recently faced off on Twitter over the safety and repatriation of the Hakki Pikki tribe from violence-hit Sudan.

While Dr Jaishankar has said that the government is taking necessary steps and details cannot be disclosed due to security reasons, the debate has sparked curiosity amongst Indians who now want to know about this tribe and how some of them reached Sudan.

Here are some important points you should know about the tribe-

• They are traditionally bird catchers and hunters, with their name derived from Kannada words 'Hakki' meaning 'bird' and 'Pikki' meaning 'catchers'.

• Their population in Karnataka is around 11000.

• The Hakki Pikki community is said to have originated from Gujarat and Rajasthan. They migrated in search of game and are now spread all over southern India.

• After the implementation of stricter wildlife laws, the tribe changed its occupation from hunting to selling spices, flowers, Ayurveda formulations and herbal oils.

• They now travel globally to sell these products, especially in the African continent, where there is a demand for cheaper alternatives to Western medicine.

• The tribe follows Hindu traditions and celebrates Hindu festivals.

(With inputs from PTI)

Also Read: S Jaishankar, Siddaramaiah Trade Barbs On Twitter Over Former Chief Minister's "Grossly Irresponsible" Tweet