Nature-human’s celebratory ties: indigenous foodways and festive traditions of central India

Abstract The region of central India is home to several indigenous groups, living in forested areas, who show their close affinity to their land through various cultural practices. We found that almost every activity they perform revolves around their connection to nature, exhibiting their reverence for Mother Earth and other natural entities with which their lives are interrelated. Food-centred festivals are notable among these pursuits, as they provide occasions to commemorate ancestral customs, celebrate agricultural cycles, and reinforce the community’s devotion to nature. It may be observed that food plays a key role in shaping cultural settings. The present study aims to document these events and highlight the symbolic connotations of organising such festivals. Derived from the immersive fieldwork in the villages of Maikal Hills, the festivals, which frequently fall on significant agricultural events, show how the festive events are an important constituent of the region’s foodways. This study examines the embedded aspects of these foodways through the lens of environmentalism and indigenous identity. We have found that such celebrations are based on a holistic worldview in which food embodies the community’s symbolic reverence for nature. At the same time, it is the primary source of nutrition and shapes cultural identity.