The Dongria Kondh are hill dwellers belonging to the Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups (PVTG) of
the Niyamgiri hills. After a long contestation with the giant mining company, Vedanta aluminium Pvt.
Ltd., to protect their Dangar, they have taken steps to protect and promote their cultural identity by
demanding the tag of Geographical Indication for their sacred garment, “the Kapdaganda shawl”, with the
help of DKDA (Dongria Kondh Development agency). By combining efforts of DKDA along with
various NGOs like Anwesha, work is being done for the revival of the shawl. The agency played a
significant role in mediating between the weavers and TDCC (Tribal Development Co-operative
Corporation) to commercialize the shawl. Additionally, the agency aims to create weaving as an
alternative livelihood opportunity for the Kondh tribe. Using the lens of ethnography, this paper will
examine how the tribal culture has been shaped over time and how weaving, as a traditional practice,
helps the tribal people to fulfill economic attainment. This paper will also analyse the role of various
stakeholders involved in the process through the framework of political ecology. It will also explore why
and for what reason the tribal people are asking for a GI tag and who will get benefited from it. Will the
certification of Geographical Indication be sufficient for the Protection of tribal culture and their
upliftment in society, or will it be helpful for the Dongria Kondh to generate sufficient income to earn a
livelihood? In the preliminary study, which is conducted in the village of Khambesi, Kurli, and Khajuri
which comes under the Kurli panchayat of Bissam Cuttack block, it is found that the tribal people faced
situation of class differences, cultural assimilation, and substandard education system due to the
failure of government-implemented policies.
