Foraging

Women usually do the foraging. The use hand nets to collect fish near the shore. They also trap crabs in their burrows using the net. Women also collect turtle eggs, marine molluscs, clams and cowries from the intertidal and the bay area. Young girls also collect grubs and beetles from under the rotting logs. They also collect the fruits, roots, tubers, honey and non-food items like flowers, leaves and creepers from the forest.

One major task for the women is the collection of honey. There are two types of honey –leo and pod. Leo is collected from large sized honeycombs, which are present on top of tree branches. Pod is produced from smaller honeycombs found in the holes of trees.

The Jarawas prefer to collect leo even though it is more dangerous to do so. They usually climb up the trees with a bucket tied on their back and cut the honeycomb down. The person who finds the beehive has the privilege of first collecting from it. The tribals also use the juice of the homal plant (Pseuduvaria prainii) as bee repellents. They rub the juice on their face hands and bodies and sometimes spit it on the bees as well. Some of the honey is eaten on the spot while the rest is stored in wooden buckets and covered with a thick layer of palm leaves, which is kept in a ditch.

WOMAN FORAGING IN SHALLOW WATERS

JARAWA MAN ENJOYING HONEY