munda honey (in english)

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1 HONEY FROM THE TRIBAL MUNDA PEOPLE OF THE SUNDERBAN FOREST In Bangladesh apiculture according to modern technology is quite new. But in the Sundarban Forest collecting honey has a long tradition. Those who collect honey in the Sunderban Forest are called Mouali. For 6-7 months a year they enter the Sundarban Forest with their small boats. In the Sundarban Forest there are different kinds of danger. There are poisonous snakes, tigers, crocodiles and there are the bandits of the forest who are called jolodosshu as they live mainly on boats.

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Page 1: Munda honey (in English)

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HONEY FROM THE TRIBAL MUNDA PEOPLE OF THE SUNDERBAN FOREST

In Bangladesh apiculture according to modern technology is quite new. But in the Sundarban Forest collecting honey has a long tradition. Those who collect honey in the Sunderban Forest are called Mouali. For 6-7 months a year they enter the Sundarban Forest with their small boats. In the Sundarban Forest there are different kinds of danger. There are poisonous snakes, tigers, crocodiles and there are the bandits of the forest who are called jolodosshu as they live mainly on boats.

Page 2: Munda honey (in English)

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The jolodosshu are criminal people who would be sentenced to death living amidst civil society. Therefore in order to save themselves they take shelter in the deep jungle away from human society. But as there is no food in the jungle very often they come out from the forest and enter the nearby villages in search of food, money and various kinds of things, and very often they rob the poor Moulais. So the occupation of the Moualis is exposed to great risks and dangers. Before entering the forest the Moualis pray Bonbibi. She is the goddess of the forest. They believe that Bonbibi will protect them from all kind of dangers. The Moualis collect honey from a big beehive. The bees which make it are quite big and ferocious. Local people call them das poka. From such a beehive the Moualis collect at least 10-15 kg. of honey. Moualis use a towel to protect their faces from the stings of the bees and drive them away with a fuming torch. This king of bee cannot be kept in a hive box, therefore apiculture according to modern technology is not possible with das poka. In Bangladesh there is another kind of bee which is called Bharotio moumachi that means Indian bee. This bee is very small and lazy. Therefore it does not produce much honey. Several years ago another kind of bee was imported from Australia. Its name is Apis mellifera. This bee is very laborious and can produce a lot of honey for 6-7 months a year. In the rainy season there are no flowers, so it is not possible for this bee to produce honey. During that period this kind of bee must be fed with sugar.

Page 3: Munda honey (in English)

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The tribal Munda people live near the Sundarban Forest. Their economic condition is very bad. Among them some have understood that apiculture can be a profitable business. Last autumn two Munda women went to a Government institution to take training on apiculture . After getting training they bought 5 hives and a machine to extract honey from the hive combs. Their first honey came from mustard seeds flowers. (Shorisha). Then during springtime they took those 5 hives to the Sunderban Forest and they were able to harvest a remarkable quantity of honey. Moreover they were able to double the number of their bee hives. Now Sushoma and Bahamoni (these are the names of the two ladies trained on apiculture) would like to start a small business with their honey. In the countryside the cost of honey is very low. So those who carry out this business in rural Bangladesh will not get so much profit. Shushoma and Bahamoni Munda have got the news that town people will give a better price for pure honey. For this reason they are trying to sell their honey in town and their honey is not adulterated at all. If town people buy this honey, then Bahamoni and Sushoma can get a good profit and will be able to involve other Munda women into this kind of income generating activities. We would like to thank those who will buy this pure honey from the tribal Munda women of the Sunderban Forest, and we wish them all the best.

Page 4: Munda honey (in English)

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Shushoma Munda and Bahamoni Munda.

Machine to extract honey from the hive combs.