Karnataka tribals held in Ivory Coast for illegally selling herbal oil released

Nine members of the Hakki Pikki tribal community, a semi-nomadic group of bird catchers and hunters from Karnataka, have been released after their arrest in Ivory Coast last month for allegedly selling herbal oil illegally. The group, comprising Nirveni, Prabhudev, Shahajan, Shanthi, Girish, Lakshmi, Pappu P, Pappa, and Simran, were arrested on July 29 in Abengourou, about 200 km from Abidjan.

They were initially detained six months after their arrival in Africa. According to Nirveni, the nine were released on August 12 but are not planning to immediately return to India as they have not achieved satisfactory business results. Instead, they intend to promote the herbal oil through social media in Ivory Coast and subsequently sell the products.

If permitted, the group plans to stay in Ivory Coast for a month before returning to India. If their request for permission is denied, they will proceed with their return. The Hakki Pikki people, traditionally residents of Paksirajapura in Mysuru district, have been travelling to African nations for decades, utilizing their traditional knowledge of plants to produce and market herbal oils and other plant-based medicines.

The community has been making significant profits on their investments despite facing various challenges, including civil wars and difficult circumstances.