SATKHIRA, Bangladesh, Dec 9 (IPS) – A dried karam tree branch stands on the bank of a pond in a field in Datinakhali village, bordering the Sundarbans. Despite many efforts, the tree could not be saved.
For two years, the Munda community in the Sundarbans of Bangladesh fought to save the Karam tree so they could bring back their traditional traditions. Karam Festival—once the largest festival in their community. Many trees cannot survive due to the effects of salinity. This list also includes the Karam tree, which is the most important ingredient in celebrating the festival.
Bhakta Sardar, a priest from the Munda community, says the festival of the indigenous Munda community would be incomplete without the branches of the Karam tree
“We believe that our prosperity and well-being are hidden in the branches of the Karam tree. We pray to God to achieve our prosperity around this festival. But frequent cyclones and salinization have killed the Karam trees.”
“Now we celebrate this festival only in his name for the prosperity of the community. We cannot leave the festival to the next generation,” Bhakta Sardar added, referring to a smaller festival where the community uses banyan tree branches as an alternative.
While the debate on how to integrate non-economic losses and damages due to the effects of climate change continued during the 30th Conference of the Parties to the UNFCCC (COP30) in Belém, Brazil, the Munda community is looking for ways to revive the Karam festival, a symbol of their prosperity. A recent one study stressed that these non-economic losses and damages also include the loss of religious and cultural practices.
The research shows that climate risks on the coast of Bangladesh are increasing. In the southwest the risk is even greater. If this situation continues in the future, small communities such as the indigenous Munda community will be in even greater crisis. The study called for policy and financial reforms to help communities like these adapt to the impacts of climate change.
In search of the Karam tree
The scientific name of the Karam tree is Mitragyna parvifolia. This tree in the Asian region is also known as Kelikadam. It mainly blooms before the monsoon. With the Karam tree gone, the indigenous Munda community of Bangladesh now celebrates a similar festival on a smaller scale, using branches from a banyan tree. The scientific name of this tree is Religious fig tree.
There were once many Karam trees in the villages of southwestern Bangladesh. Datinakhali, bordering the Sundarbans in the Shyamnagar upazila (sub-district) of Satkhira district, is one such village. This village celebrated the Karam festival with a grand event in which people of Munda community from different areas participated.
In addition to their ancient religious tradition, the community in this village on the banks of the Chuna River faces economic difficulties.
The indigenous Munda community lives in several villages bordering the Sundarbans in Koyra upazila (sub-district) of Khulna district in southwestern Bangladesh.
Shukkuri Rani Munda attended the Karam festival organized in the courtyard of Fulsingh Munda’s house in Uttar Haztakhali village.
“To everyone now, the festival feels like a myth. A storm has wiped out the entire festival. The next generation will forget the name of the Karam festival,” she says.
Munda Young Balai Krishna Sardar (38), president of the Sundarban Adivasi Unnayan Sangstha of that village, does not remember attending the festival. Rangalal Munda’s 60-year-old father, Fulsingh Munda, witnessed a small-scale celebration five years ago. After Fulsingh’s death a year ago, no one in the village knows how to initiate the Karam festival.
‘A symbol of our faith’
The Munda community believes that the branches of this tree hide prosperity and well-being. They believe that the Karam festival ensures their good health and the well-being of future generations. Several tribal communities in Jharkhand, West Bengal and Bihar, India celebrate this festival with similar beliefs. Indigenous communities like Munda, Mahato, Kurmi, Matato, Santal, Orao, Baraik, Singh, Pahan, Mahali, Bhumij, etc. all celebrate the Karam festival.
“The Karam festival is our faith. Perhaps our economic condition is gradually deteriorating because we cannot follow our religious instructions,” says Anandini Rani Munda of Datinakhali village, expressing the belief that religious and economic well-being are intrinsically linked.
Nilkant Pahan, a priest from Burigoalini village in Shyamnagar upazila (sub-district), had been conducting the puja (religious ceremony) of the Munda community for eight years. He has organized the Karam festival several times as per the ancestral tradition. But they were small events.
“Celebrating the Karam festival is our religious tradition. Our ancestors have observed this tradition. We are trying to maintain its continuity. We are facing a much bigger socio-economic and cultural crisis than before. We do not know what this crisis is because we cannot observe religious traditions,” Pahan said.
Impact of salinity
During the day Cyclone Aila in 2009, the entire area was submerged in the wave of salt water that broke the dam. The land was submerged in salt water for a long time and the Karam trees could no longer survive. Many older Munda citizens believe that not only Aila but also other cyclones, especially a strong cyclone that hit the region in 2013, 1988helped reduce the number of Karam trees.
GM Mostafizur Rahman, Chief Scientific Officer of Khulna Soil Resources Institute, said, “Both the intensity and magnitude of salinity in soil and water are increasing due to climate change; 81 percent of land in Shyamnagar is affected by varying degrees of salinity.”
Professor Saleh Ahmed Khan, Department of Botany, Jahangirnagar University, said, “The tree that the Munda community calls the ‘Karam’ tree is ‘Kelikadam.’ We didn’t find it among the 528 species we examined. The tree may not have survived due to the spread of salinity.”
Fight to bring back the Karam festival
The Sundarbans Adivasi Munda Sangstha (SAMS) and leading members of the Munda community are working to bring back the Karam tree. They are trying to bring back the Karam festival by bringing branches of the Karam tree from other districts.
Two years ago, a branch of the Karam tree was planted at the SAMS office building on Shyamnagar-Munshiganj road, and another branch was planted in Munda-dominated Datinakhali village. But it was not possible to save the tree. They’ll try again next year.
“We celebrate the Karam festival for our prosperity. We are trying to save the Karam trees for the festival. But due to the salinity in the soil, the Karam trees cannot be saved. As an alternative, we use the branches of the banyan tree (Ficus religiosa),” said Geeta Rani Munda from Datinakhali village.
Krishnapada Sardar, executive director of SAMS, said it was not enough that this festival survives only in the stories of elders.
“It was an important event in the rural culture of this community, which is proud of its identity. Climate change has changed the dietary habits of the Munda community and reduced livelihood opportunities. The families of the community are facing an extreme economic crisis.
“Our lost festivals can be brought back by restoring the Karam tree. We want to return to our lost traditions. We want to return to our roots.”
IPS UN office report
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