By Bijishna T K, Community Wellbeing & Rakesh E R , Using Diversity Fellow, Community Wellbeing
A meaningful and insightful forest walk titled ‘Choppu Udukki’ (meaning In Search of Leafy Greens in the Kattunayakan language) was conducted as part of a community learning initiative. The walk was guided by Ammini Amma, a 72-year-old elder from Narangakunnu Ooru, who generously shared her rich traditional knowledge of edible leafy plants, medicinal herbs, and forest trees traditionally used by the Kattunayakan tribal community. Youth groups and our fellows participated in the program, with a total of 12 youths taking part.
Throughout the walk, she explained the names, healing properties, and cultural significance of different plants and trees in her tribal language, with translations provided in Malayalam by Rakesh. Participants also contributed by sharing plant names in their own languages, making the session highly interactive. The opportunity to see, touch, and learn directly from nature offered a rare and valuable experiential learning experience.
A memorable moment from the walk was the encounter with the ‘Ezhilam Paala’ (Alstonia scholaris tree, where participants observed three nails driven into the trunk and even saw a snake resting inside a crack. Ammini Amma shared that the tree is traditionally believed to be inhabited by spirits, and she advised the group not to touch it—an important reminder of the deep cultural respect that continues within the community.
The group also discussed the disappearance of many traditional medicinal plants due to climate change, raising concerns about the urgent need to preserve and document indigenous knowledge before it is lost. The experience deepened participants’ understanding of the vital connection between nature, culture, and community heritage.
The programme concluded with participants expressing heartfelt gratitude for being part of such a meaningful initiative, and many shared their eagerness to join similar learning opportunities in the future.
