Walking Is a Way of Knowing: in a Kadar Forest

by Madhuri Ramesh, Manish Chandi, Matthew Frame (illustrator)

The Kadars are a small indigenous community in south India. Even though they no longer live deep in the forest, they still walk its paths every day. For them, walking is a way of knowing, not just a way of getting from place to place.
This is the story of a Kadar elder who takes a young urban visitor through the tangled woods that make up his ancient home.

Genres: Nonfiction, Nature, Juvenile, Childrens, Art

56 pages, Hardcover

Published April 15, 2018

Reviews

[Varuna · Rating 5 out of 5]

Here is a book that wasn't on my to-read list. And the beauty lies in how I picked it up in the good old way while browsing through books in an art store. In a world of countless reviews, we are slowly losing out on the delight of chance discoveries and this was one such random feather of joy that came my way. So I may be a bit biased as I recount my experience with this one.

An easy read and hence it is probably a book for children. But I would call it the book that adults need. It is a simple true story of a tribe of forest dwellers in the south of India. It is not just a friendly reminder about co-existing with nature but holds something profound- how a walk in the forest is a lesson in awareness, in keeping our senses alive and the stories that we gather in the forest live through us till the next adventure begins. I wish we paid heed to the ancient wisdom, find ways to preserve it and learn to co-exist!

BTW, I am not much of an art connoisseur but the graphics of the book are fairly interesting too! Perhaps that's why it was found in an art store :)

[Kannan · Rating 5 out of 5]

There was a time when mankind was environmentally 'aware', as we learned to co-exist with the myriad fellow-beings with whom we share this planet. The amount of wisdom amassed over time with such first-hand experience is invaluable. That wisdom has been passed from older generations to the modern-day forest dwellers. The modern humans have detached themselves from such heritage, and are mostly environmentally illiterate (this includes me - I have no shame in admitting that, but I am an ardent learner).

Environmental literacy is the most pressing need of our times, for people are easily misled with various theories on natural systems and philosophies propagated by many groups to suit their own interests. Becoming environmentally literate could equip people with the knowledge to be more discerning and make right decisions. It could also make the planet and its diverse life forms more endearing to them, and make them care more - hopefully.

To that end, there is a lot for us to learn from simple people like the Kadars. In them and their lives, we can identify the true human spirit and brotherhood. They have a keen awareness of the environment, their home - the forest, and are sensitive to the needs and ways of their fellow inhabitants of the forest. These are people who have a very high environmental literacy that they have gained through the best means: their lessons, their experience; their school, the forests!

Apart from these insights one could gain from the book, it makes such an engaging and interesting read for kids! My 6 year-old daughter and I read these stories together and were amazed at the Kadars' way of life and their wisdom. Their tales and concepts are simple on the surface, yet hides profound truths. Their empathy towards the insects, animals, birds, and plant-life move us. Be it their thoughtfulness in not extracting the entire honey from a hive, or their reverence for the Malabar Whistling Thrush - it is that humane faculty of care that comes through. These people are inhabitants of that part of the Western Ghats in South India close to my own home town, and their language has shades of my own. This is why I could relate to the names they have given to different animals. In particular, ‘Pithakannu’ or 'jaundice-eyed' is the name for the leopard. I was awestruck by the thought that these people must have seen a leopard up close, stared right into their eyes to be able to come up with such a name!

We read this and its companion book - Speaking to an Elephant - time and again as we never tire of the humble ways of these people and their lovely tales. Just the other day when we were watching the TV, my daughter exclaimed, ‘Appa, here’s Pithakannu!’ - on seeing a leopard. This made me very happy and proud. These books have saved me many a night from having to come up with ad-hoc bed-time stories! I have to thank the authors for the simple language used (my daughter could read almost without help!) and for the illustrator for the lovely depiction of the dramatic scenes. I am sure my little one would recall these illustrations whenever she thinks of a leopard or hornbill, or a mouse deer!

I am so glad to have stumbled upon these books.

[T.R. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another wonderful book by Madhuri Ramesh and Manish Chandi, a companion volume to Speaking to an Elephant , again bringing alive in words and in the wonderful artwork of Matthew Frame the rich cultural, imaginative, and natural worlds of the Kadar people. The Kadar, forest dwellers considered the original inhabitants of the Anamalai, are hunter-gatherers who are now increasingly integrated with the outside world. Yet, their remarkable ways of life, thinking, and stories have remained little appreciated and these two books go a distance in redressing the lacunae.

In the book, a Kadar talks about the rainforest to a researcher who follows him trying to learn about the forest. From turtles and elephants and whistling thrushes and bees to wild tubers and mushrooms and trees, the researcher gradually learns of a world in which the Kadar retain deep connections and remain immersed. Field research, in comparison, remains often tightly focused and the scientist working in the forest fails to see these wider and deeper connections and gains only a narrow perspective that the scientific method reveals in bits and pieces. The Kadar perspective, in contrast, emerges from walking--walking in the forest with all senses and the imagination open--seeing, feeling, hearing, smelling, touching, even recognising the ancestors in the whistling thrush as a form of connectedness across generations. For the Kadar, walking thus becomes a way of knowing. And this is true, as anyone who has walked the forests with the older and experienced Kadar will testify.

The book is available in Tamil translation, too. The extraordinary artwork by Matthew Frame beautifully embellishes the stories and makes this book something to collect, read, and cherish.

[Anjana Balakrishnan · Rating 4 out of 5]

In Walking Is A Way Of Knowing, Madiyappan, a Kadar elder, shows an urban youth around his home—the forest. The book pays tribute to the Kadars’ oral traditions of storytelling passed on from elders to the next generation around the evening fire. Kadar elder and expert forest guide Madiyappan, his uncle Krishnan and his cousin Padma share with the young visitor their stories of the forest—stories that inform their way of life.

Walking Is A Way Of Knowing manages to demonstrate the meandering nature of folktales beautifully with Madiyappan’s stories digressing ever so gently like a forest trail before eventually getting back to the answer. Madiyappan says that the forest is a “storehouse of smells”. Outsiders use books to understand the forest so they understand things only by sight. But most of the adivasis cannot read, so they use all their senses, their entire bodies “to hear the stories of the forest”.

That’s my biggest takeaway from this book. To be receptive to the world; to listen with all our senses. Especially in these trumpeting times. On days when the world gets me down, I see myself entering the forest again and walking with the Kadars. More of this review on fictionhead.in.

[Asha Chandran · Rating 5 out of 5]

Life of the indigenous Kadar community is an insightful read. Their simple lives are closely intertwined with the forests and the denizens therein. They know their forests inside out, where the sky is green. ‘The sunlight filters through the layers of leaves and lights them up in parakeet green, fern green, viper green, and dark spinach green…” the descriptions are so evocative and allows the reader to picture them in one’s mind’s canvas. With changing times, one can also perceive the nostalgia of their good old times. Loved the selfless Kadars - who are so mindful of leaving the forest produce - fruits for monkeys, honey for bees and bears, tubers for boars and deer… wish we, the urban lot, are half as thoughtful and compassionate!

[Miz Lizzie · Rating 5 out of 5]

An usual book that may have a hard time finding an audience, which would be a shame as it holds such wisdom. It is essentially anthropology/folklore, oral history for children. The little-known (at least to a western audience), the traditional way of life and world-view of the Kadars, indigenous forest people in South India is presented in a in-the-moment-style of selections of conversations (presumably from the fieldwork recordings of the authors).

Book-Pairings:
Speaking to an Elephant: and other tales from the Kadars by Manish Chandi and Madhuri Rames, the companion volume of folktales increases the value and interest in this title.

[Anne · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars
Authors go visit an indigenous community in south India that lives in a beautiful forest, but it is rapidly changing. Explanation at the end might have been more useful at the beginning. Includes muted illustrations in grays, browns, and greens. An interesting look at a place that seems very beautiful. Not engaging enough for most in this age group, but love the exposure to someplace new and unknown. Anthropologically important.

[Vinayak Hegde · Rating 4 out of 5]

A beautifully illustrated book on the life of Kadar - forest dwelling community living in the Southern reaches of Western ghats of India. The book chronicles how they live live in harmony with nature and understand the forest deeply through it's smells, animals, plants, sounds and silence. The book is richly illustrated by Matthew Frame. Truly a beautiful work of art as much as an enlightening book.

[Neha · Rating 4 out of 5]

It is actually a kiddy book that I didn’t know while placing an order but after receiving I found the illustrations too beautiful to return and accompanying write-up is also good, so overall a good book. A nature loving kid would treasure it.

[Kaycee Monnens · Rating 4 out of 5]

With striking illustrations and a conversational tone, this graphic novel brings an entire culture to life. Very fascinating.

[Aruna Kumar Gadepalli · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is about indigenous knowledge that the community of Kadars about the forest, with illustrations.

[Alyson · Rating 3 out of 5]

Part of my illustrator research. Kids book.

[Raylene · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely LOVED it. Part of the Champaca book subscription, thank you Aamna ❣️

[Swapnil · Rating 4 out of 5]

Reading as a way of knowing, thanks to Madhuri and Manish. :)

[Joshua Imafidon · Rating 4 out of 5]

'This is how all paths are first made'

[Jebin · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book. I felt like I'd taken a walk through the forest myself, with the Kadars.

[Mathieu · Rating 3 out of 5]

A short children's book, but insightful for how forest people live and respect a forest. It is about the Kadar people, a forest-dwelling tribe of the Anamalai Hills in south India.

[Niraj Agarwal · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved the illustrations and the folk stories of a people of India here to unbeknownst to me.