Mattadiguda, (Adilabad): Adivasis do not waste food when they attend functions, celebrations or community feasts in their gudems. It is difficult to find an Adivasi leaving some of the food on his plate and washing his hands and throwing the remaining food in the dustbin after finishing their lunch or dinner at Adivasis’ community feasts or other celebrations. The Adivasis will take the leftover food to their homes for their family members or to eat it some other time.
This practice called ‘Ghato Thinji Ani Oival’ (means eating food and taking the leftover food to their homes) is popular among Adivasi communities even today in Adilabad district.
Generally Adivasis carry their own plates, bowls when invited to community feasts or any function or celebration in their gudems. Sometimes the organisers provide teak or other leaves to be used as plates.
It is said that the practice is nothing but Adivasis’ respect for food and they never waste food because they knew the risk and labour involved in food gathering, hunting to fill their bellies and also in cultivation of crops and protecting them from forest animals.
Wastage of food has become a major problem in urban and non-tribal communities especially in well to do families while lakhs of people suffer from hunger.
Adivasis maintain discipline while participating in community feasts and sit in a line. Cooked mutton or chicken pieces and soup is served separately to Adivasis at community feasts.
N. Madhusudhan of NGO Yakshi which works on Adivasis’ issues, said Adivasis in Srikakulam of Andhra Pradesh where he worked also take the leftover food with them to their homes after eating at functions or community feasts as they do not want to waste the food and this was their way of respecting the hard earned food.
An Intermediate student Sidam Nandini of Mattadiguda of Utnoor mandal said she has been practicing the ‘Ghato Thinji Ani Oival’ since her childhood on seeing their family members and parents. She said the practice was nothing but Adivasis respect for food and food grains.
Download the all new Deccan Chronicle app for Android and iOS to stay up-to-date with latest headlines and news stories in politics, entertainment, sports, technology, business and much more from India and around the world.
