FROM FOREST TO FRINGE: GENDER, DISPLACEMENT AND EVERYDAY ADAPTATION AMONG MALAIPANDARAM WOMEN IN 20TH-CENTURY KERALA

The Malaipandaram, also known as the Malampandaram are a traditional nomadic tribe, mostly found in the hilly terrain of the Pathanamthitta and Kollam districts in southern Kerala. After Indian independence, as part of developmental initiatives and forest policies, the people of the tribe were displaced from their natural forest habitat to state-provided settlements. Forest-based independence was replaced by settlement life characterised by access to government welfare schemes, healthcare, education and wage labour. This introduced both new challenges, in the form of economic dependency and livelihood instability, and also opportunities in education and health care practices. This article provides new insights into how these transitions and state interventions reshaped the autonomy and lived experiences of Malaipandaram women. It is based upon field work conducted across 15 tribal settlements in Pathanamthitta and Kollam districts. 15 in-depth interviews with Malaipandaram women examine their lived experiences regarding forest life, adaptation and displacement. Their oral histories were analysed to bring forward first-hand insights into intergenerational experiences of forest displacement and social marginalisation. Until now, few studies have been conducted with the Malaipandaram tribe. This article puts the voices of Malaipandaram women in the centre, highlighting the intersection of gender, indigeneity, and post-independence policy in shaping marginalised lives. By centring oral histories, the article offers a more nuanced understanding of tribal displacement, beyond the popular narratives of either decline or empowerment.