TRIBAL/INDIGENOUS RESEARCH: DIALOGUES AND PERSPECTIVES FROM WITHIN

Abstract

In this paper, I shed light on some of the realities I encountered while conducting research in Tribal Studies. In this paper, I discuss the attitude of officials in the departments in charge of protecting and improving the well-being of tribes and obstacles to fieldwork. This article is an outcome of extensive fieldwork carried out in the Attappady region of Palakkad District, Kerala, India. Data used for the article is solely culled from the conversations conducted in the field. These conversations are recorded and presented without sacrificing spirit or essence. I omit the conversations from other related studies to maintain the value of these conversations outside of the research context. I end the article with the conclusion that research involving Indigenous People must always include Indigenous perspectives and opinions.