Koraput tribals get addicted to tobacco young

http://dailypioneer.com/270610/Koraput-tribals-get-addicted-to-tobacco-young.html




SUNDAY PIONEER | Agenda Foray
BHUBANESWAR | Wednesday, July 21, 2010 | Email | Print | | Back


Koraput tribals get addicted to tobacco young
March 30, 2011 5:55:51 PM

Purushottam Singh Thakur | Bhubaneswar

When we were young we chewed tobacco with lime, now our teeth does not permit so we drink sap or sago palm, said 60-year-old Aaitu Durua of Malipadar village in Boipariguda block of Koraput district.

I have been taking tobacco with lime twice a day, said 48-year-old Chaiti Durua of Siribeda village of the same block, adding in their community people being chewing at a young age. “Some of my friends have stopped but I could not,” said Chaiti.

Kumhari Sisa of Narayanpatna village is proud of making a single leaf-rolled smoke leaf to consume for the whole day when she is at work adding it boosts her energy and sharing a smoke with friends is not a taboo.

Tobacco blended with lime and smoking is an age old habit which our forefathers did and so do we but we do not know its consequences, says Budu Bhumia of Mulasar village.

Aaitu, Chaiti, Budu and Kumhari get their tobacco from the weekly market. They are not locally grown. The purchase is included in the weekly shopping list. It is planned what to buy from which market.

Smoking and chewing tobacco is a habit for almost every tribe in Koraput. This forms a part of their food habits and livelihood pursuits. However, some communities have specific restrictions.

Tribesmen of different communities chew tobacco for generations without knowing its impact on health. The life span of most of the tribal communities is short. Smoking is common in all tribal communities except a few primitive groups.

But this is not seen in Durua tribal community living in the forest villages bordering the neighbouring States of Odisha and Chhattisgarh.

The older members of the Durua tribe generally take drinks prepared from sago palm or beer brewed from rice, generally prepared at home. This is restricted to festive occasions only.

\However, men and women and children of the community between the age group of 13-14 years chew tobacco with lime, says Paresh Rath who has done intensive research on the community.

For members of the Durua community of both the States, the product is imported from the adjoining Chhattisgarh.

They live in about 30 villages of Boipariguda, Kundra and Kotapad block of Koraput district and depend on weekly market for buying tobacco. Traders bring it from Chhattisgarh to sell in the weekly market.
Email | Print | Rate: 12345