Idukki's Muthuvan Tribe Keeps Wild Honey Collection Sweet, Civil

Each collector is allotted a specific number of tree holes from which he can collect the wild honey

- NEJMA SULAIMAN @Idukki

The expertise of members of the Muthuvan tribe is second to none when it comes to collecting wild honey from dangerous, rocky slopes and wild trees. However, since the five tribal settlements in the Vattavada panchayat of Idukki have several honey collecting men who extract it from the large tree holes where the bees build hives, they strictly follow a specific system to ensure proper distribution of the produce, which is also a source of their livelihood.

Each collector is allotted a specific number of tree holes from which he can collect the wild honey. In the collector's absence, only a member of his family or someone he assigned can collect the honey from the spot allotted to him.