Dodhara Chandani (Kanchanpur): The nomadic Raute people who once lived off food sources like wild roots, yams, and tubers in the jungle, have now started to integrate into society with other communities.
Facing restriction on cutting down trees in the jungle, they are currently surviving on the social security allowance provided by the government as they were unable to make wooden materials which is their traditional profession.
Traditionally the Raute people lived a nomadic lifestyle based on subsistence hunting of langur and macaque monkeys. They gathered wild forest tubers, fruits, and greens. To obtain grain (rice), iron, cloth, and jewelry, they carved wooden bowls and boxes to barter for goods from local farmers.
One Badsingh Raute from local Tundikhel in Bhimdatta Municipality-9 of Kanchanpur said that they have started participating in every activity in the community.
“The government brought us from the forest to the settlement and has been providing us with a monthly allowance. Since I haven’t found work according to my skills, I have to manage on the allowance provided by the government,” he said.
He shared that the people of the Raute community used to make various materials from wood while staying in the jungle, but has not been able to bring wood from the jungle after they started living in the settlement.
He complained that although the Raute people were brought from the jungle and began living like other citizens in the community, they are facing problem as they are not finding work according to their skills.
“Our children have not attended schools and got modern education. The government should provide employment for us. The government gives us an allowance of four thousand rupees per month every three months. That is not enough to even cover food expenses.”
Kiri Devi Raute said that her son has gone to India in search of work as he did not find suitable work here.
“We have assimilated in society, but there is a problem due to lack of employment,” she said, adding that her son went to India for work after it became difficult to manage daily expenses for the family with the allowance.
She shared that she prefers community life over jungle life. “It feels good to live here like other citizens after leaving jungle life. It would have been better if the government had focused on providing us with income opportunities.”
In Kanchanpur, with a population of about five hundred thousand, there are only three families of the Raute community residing.
The three Raute families have migrated from Lali in Darchula to Tundikhel in Kanchanpur via Jogbudha of Dadeldhura. They are beginning to search for alternatives to their traditional livelihood after settling here.
“It is difficult to eke out a living here with the skills of our ancestors. We only get daily wage work in the village, if any at all,” said Anita Raute. “The government should help us become self-sufficient by teaching us suitable skills for the current times.”
The Raute people, who used to survive by bartering wooden utensils for food while living in the jungle, now purchase essential food items daily with the allowance provided by the government. Recently, the Raute have been participating in every festival and celebration within the community.
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