Yellapura: Claretian Father George Kannanthanam, a renowned social activist, on November 3 distributed survival kits to 550 Siddis tribal families in Sahyadri Forest in Yellapura, North Karanataka.
Siddis tribes are the descendants of Bantu people brought to India as slaves from Africa by the Portuguese around the 17th century.
“Our 6th Forest Drive covering tribals in Bandipur, MM Hills, BR Hills and now Sahyadri – supporting 3000 families who lost their only source of income from the sale of forest honey,” said Father George Kannanthanam.
The support came from Rotary and all others supporting agencies such as Mother’s Meal (feeding programme for poor), AIFO (an NGO that works to eradicate leprosy In India and support persons with disability), ECHO (an NGOs that builds capacity in the areas of healthcare, education, and others), BREADS (Bangalore Rural Educational and Development Society of the Salesian Province of Bangalore) and Good Quest Foundation, he said.
The Siddis are an ethnic group inhabiting India and Pakistan. They descended from the Bantu peoples of the East African region. Some were merchants, sailors, indentured servants, slaves and mercenaries.
The Siddi population is currently estimated at around 270,000–350,000 with Karnataka, Gujarat and Hyderabad in India and Makran and Karachi in Pakistan as the main population centers.
Siddis are primarily Muslims, although some are Hindus and others belong to the Catholic Church.
In Karnataka, they are concentrated around Yellapur, Haliyal, Ankola, Joida, Mundgod and Sirsi taluks of Uttara Kannada and in Khanapur of Belgaum and Kalghatgi of Dharwad district.