Kurtia Tribal woman

First today we went to the Dhokra tribal village where they make brass ornaments, necklaces etc. in a process that requires modelling softened tree resin over a clay former – and losing the resin when it is heated and pouring in molten brass to take its place.  When we arrived in the village a shout went up from the children who raced to tell their parents to put out their things for sale on the front terrace of their house. I had to look at everything very carefully and choose things from 3 different people although I really could have done with nothing – they are quite heavy and Imy suitcase is heavy enough already! In a village market further on I had a large brass prawn thrust in front of my face and with a little bargaining that joined the others in my bag.  Then we went through the Kurtia tribal area where many of the women, especially the older ones, had facial and arm tattoos.  They also wear lots of earrings like this one who was at a dried fish stall with her friends watching and listening to  the salesman's patter which made them all laugh..  They have them done after marriage and it is particularly painful.  In these villages the young teenagers don’t go into a communal home but stay with their parents until marriage.  Then the young couple live in their own house near to the boy’s parent’s home.  I was anguished to find a group of these Kurtia tribals sitting under the shady trees beside the road hammering large rocks into small ones for the road works adjacent.  The whole road had been made by their labours but they seemed happy enough.  They sell their large basket to the road contractor for Rs40 (about 50p) and can fill about 5 or 6 a day.  For them this is fair money and although extremely boring isn’t heavy work and at this time of the year there is little they can do on their farms – they can’t grow rice for there is no water for irrigation so they rely on forest fruits and stored foods and have enough money to buy rice and vegetables until they can grow vegetables during and just after the monsoon.  We saw langaur monkeys in the forested sides of the mountains – the whole trip today was gently upwards along a wide, mostly forested valley between mountain peaks.  To begin with there were rivers and ponds but after that just wonderful large trees and shrubs and jungle.  We passed quite a lot of eucalyptus plantations – for paper making at about 10 years growth.  The thin tops and branches are used for weaving fences. Many of the men had short curly hair and round faces and wore a lengut – narrow piece of cloth around the loins - they seemed a very happy lot who were happy to have their photo taken and I was snapped by many a phone too. Pregnant women in India are given Rs3000 at 6 months to help with nutrition, another Rs3000 at 8 months and Rs4000 when the baby arrives.  They can claim this for their first two babies – none for any afterwards but the man can get a radio if he is sterilized (Indira Gandhi started the latter).  There are still an enormous number of children around though.  Will put up extra pics when I have proper wifi.  picasa pics here