Indigenous Reverential Ecofear: A Study on Select Asian and African Tribes

Paper Abstract: In their essay titled "Ecophobia, Reverential Ecofear, and Indigenous World Views, Rayson K Alex and Susan introduced the concept of Indigenous Reverential Ecofear(IRE). IRE represents the amalgamation of fear and reverence that indigenous communities exhibits towards nature. Understanding the concept of IRE necessitates an exploration of a mode of faith, wherein specific deities, whether embodied in a tree or a stone, are perceived as bestowers and arbiters of fortune. This mode of worship persists among various tribes globally.

Known as the protectors of forests, mostly tribes have a strong connection with nature. They regard the entire forest as the abode of their god and their deities control the entire ecosystem while safeguarding them from calamities and illness. The lives of indigenous people are aligned with a rich tapestry of myths, traditions, and rituals associated with the various nature gods. These rituals and traditions are performed unwaveringly due to their sacred nature and the fear of consequences. This normalizing power in people disciplines them in a way that fits their society, and hence IRE creates a behavioural and cultural order.

Considering the relevance of IRE, the paper will examine how the worship of nature gods contributes to the formation of individual subjectivity within indigenous communities by selecting a few tribal communities from both Asia and Africa, and how this serves as a defining aspect of their identity in the light of the concept IRE. Additionally, the paper will also try to explore the interconnectedness of tribal communities across Asia and Africa.

Paper co-authored with: Abdul Sakir PM, University of Calicut