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The Challenges and Coping Strategies of 'Mowal' the Honey collectors of Sundarban, Bangladesh

Author Affiliations

  • 1Department of Sociology and Anthropology, International Islamic University MALAYSIA

Int. Res. J. Social Sci., Volume 2, Issue (6), Pages 7-11, June,14 (2013)

Abstract

Sundarban is the leading mangrove timberland in the world which is around one million hectors in total area. Sundarban is famous for its trees, deer and also for its world renowned Royal Bengal Tigers. The people who live nearby the Sundarban are engaged in honey collections, cutting woods and gollpata, fishing, catching crabs and shrimps and collecting snails for their consumption and livelihood. Among all these professionals, ‘mowals’ are the most vulnerable groups. This group of people needs to face many challenges from the beginning to the end of their journey towards honey collection. Need of money, security, honey market and many other obstacles they defeat with their excellent intelligence and indigenous techniques such as by taking loan from ‘mohajon’, staying in group to avoid attack of wild animals. By using observation and informal discussion along with secondary data, the researcher wants to know the challenges and coping strategies of ‘mowals’ throughout their honey collection process in Sundarban.

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