On the 8th of August 2021, the women of Sonagara village organized an exhibition of some of the wild foods consumed by them. The event was facilitated by PNF fellow Anita Kumari. Sonagara is home to 45 families belonging to the Bhumij community and it is situated in Potka Block of East Singhbhum district.
While the district has experienced much deforestation and degradation of its forest resources the people of Sonagara continue to protect and safeguard their community forest areas. In addition to the food produced through their agricultural activities which involve the cultivation of paddy, pulses and a variety of vegetables, they also depend on a rich diversity of wild and uncultivated food. The villagers had brought several varieties of wild as well as a few cultivated food items.
The foods on display included a variety of wild and cultivated green leafy vegetables, shoots, fruits, flowers, roots and tubers, and mushrooms. The women also shared the methods of preparation and uses of foods on display. They shared that Math Ada is a sour green leafy vegetable and they also dry the leaves for future consumption. They pointed out that the more mature the tree the more tasty the leaves are.
They shared that Sarjom(Sal) has many uses. They eat the fruit, use the branches as datum (sticks to clean teeth and mouth) and the leaves are used to make plates and bowls.
They eat the Bhela / Bhelwafruit and the oil from the seed is used to grease bullock cartwheels and also to avoid skin infections. While Chakra leaves make a tasty vegetable its fruit is made into a paste and along with salt applied to a cow’s tongue to treat blisters on the tongue.
The women of Sonagara that wild food continues to constitute an integral part of their diet and their surroundings provide them with a variety of different wild foods throughout the year. They were too keen to pass on this knowledge and these practices to the new generations and are jointly working to protect and safeguard their forests and natural resources.
By Rohan Mukherjee
