Preserving Identity

The Gaddi tribe is well known due to their challenging way of life, rooted in the difficult mountainous environment of the Western Himalayas, where they inhabit the Kangra and Chamba districts in Himachal Pradesh. Scientists focus their study on understanding how the Gaddi tribe interacts with their environment through investigations of the social-ecological systems that enable their pastoral way of life. The ethnographic research demonstrates that the Gaddi traditional activities, including herding and cultivating patterns, are strongly integrated with the ecological patterns of their environment. The Gaddi tribe depends on their environment not only for economic survival but also for cultural purposes because their traditional land stewardship processes have protected the environment while safeguarding their tribal identity. Modern threats, such as legal grazing right restrictions along with land invasions and intensifying climate change effects, have severely affected the traditional lifestyle of the Gaddi tribe. The research evaluates how Scheduled Tribe (ST) classification affects the tribe by studying both the positive and negative aspects of its membership. Although ST status provides legal and social advantages to the tribe, structural barriers alongside inconsistent implementation prevent the tribe from enjoying complete benefits. Research findings demonstrate that environmental rights protection with community rights protection should exist, so governments need inclusive policies and legal systems supporting Indigenous peoples, including the Gaddi tribe.