1Research Scholar, Department of Law, Arunachal University of Studies, Namsai, Arunachal Pradesh
2Asssistant Professor, The WB National University of Juridical Sciences
3Asssistant Professor, Department of Law, Arunachal University of Studies, Namsai, Arunachal Pradesh
The Idu Mishmi tribe of Arunachal Pradesh, India, plays an integral role in the conservation of biodiversity within and around their natural habitat across generations. Their indigenous belief systems form ethical and social frameworks that facilitate harmonious coexistence with nature and active participation in conservation efforts. This tribe, like many others globally, has developed religious and cultural practices intricately tied to nature, indirectly or directly contributing to biodiversity conservation.
Recognizing the paramount importance of our environment's natural resources, it is imperative to preserve them in their pristine state. This study focuses on evaluating the cultural beliefs and practices of the Idu Mishmi tribe related to animals and birds, aiming to assess their impact on wildlife conservation. The religious and cultural beliefs of the Idu Mishmi tribe, deeply woven into their lifestyle, highlight a profound commitment to wildlife conservation.
Discussions with both the youth and elders of the Idu-Mishmi tribe underscore the pivotal role played by their beliefs and practices, rooted since time immemorial, in preserving numerous mammalian species. The IduMishmi''s consider the tiger as part of their family, and they strictly prohibit the hunting of tiger family animals. Similarly, other animals such as slow loris, hoolock gibbon, anteater, and birds like bengal florican, wathstogan, and frogmouth are also protected from hunting.
The Idu Mishmi community has an expansive system of behavioral prohibitions that permeate all aspects of life, with a focus on ritual restrictions known as iyu-ena (where "ena" means restrictions). These restrictions are observed during hunting, wild meat consumption, and various other socio-cultural activities. The study revealed that wild meat consumption was reduced by as much as 88%during ena restrictions across all socioeconomic categories.
Indigenous culture, Idu Mishmi, Belief -systems, Animal conservation, Taboo
