[RECAP] Tribal Mapping in Sri Lanka

[IlankovanT]

There are many awesome ways that you can contribute to Google maps with your passion!

Here's my new chapter for Google maps "Tribal Villages mapping and the value of Sri Lankan traditions belong to the Tribal Communities"

Yes! Started educating Sri Lankan Tribal communities regarding Google Maps which will help them in many ways to protect nature. For instance; identifying unauthorized human intervention on the forest, deforestation (using Google map images), and navigation.

Photo taken at Mahiyanganaya with Sri Lankan ancient Tribal's community

Before jumping into my RECAP I would like to play a short video and then you will understand the whole story behind this.

While contributing to Google maps I always think in many ways to contribute which are not in common. Yes after my Google maps towards Rural I have started this Tribal Village mapping. Sri Lankan Tribal communities are very old and they are living in certain parts of Sri Lanka, I have started to explore their village with my cameras along with Google maps. We all know many tourists visit this place and I thought to give a more detailed contribution about this ancient community living in Sri Lanka through Google maps.

Tribal community person taken us inside his villageTribal community person shown their traditional activities

@IsurangaD  joined me in this meetup and we started exploring the Tribal village, when I entered the forest I felt different, yes everyone knows that I'm a nature lover and I enjoyed each and every moment seeing those Tribal Village activities this gave me more boosts.

Yes, I'm a nature lover 

Isuranga started taking pictures

They started speaking in Sinhala language and later I recognized that it is not Sinhala language which we speak normally in Sri Lanka. I have noted they added the word "bo-jjee" in each sentence and I was wondering about the way they spoke. I have explained Tribal communities why I came here and they were super happy with my theme and they said they never have used digital maps and this is the first time they are going to see. Slowly I became friends with them and one person told us, that he can take us inside the forest to show their activities, they always carry axe, bow, and arrow. They are good in taking honey from the forest and they showed us how to take honey and yes! We got an experience to taste fresh honey right from the tree.

Fresh honey taken form the treeIsuranga tasting fresh honeyTribal weapons which they used by the communities

The forest doesn't have any footpath and we were following the person, he demonstrated to us how they make fire and how they live. Also, he was training us how to aim bow arrow and in my first shot, I hit the target.

While we talk about tribal communities, this one thing is always coming to our minds. Yes, their dance and music. I was really eager to see the dance and finally, they presented for us. Tribal have long hair and it swayed nicely while they dance (check my video 1:45), the leader of tribal community person told us it's a kind of worship for God.

Ancient tribal danceAncient tribal danceAncient tribal danceAncient tribal danceAncient tribal danceAncient tribal dance

Finally, we got together in a place and I start demonstrating Google Map and they got shocked and amazed. while demonstrating one person ran away from the place and took a Sri Lanka map which they made by hand, it's a kind of old cartographic technique they used to draw this Sri Lankan map with rice. It's Sri Lanka via cultivating rice in different regions and they have collected the samples and made a Sri Lankan map with that.

Sri Lanka Map made by Tribal's

When I show Sri Lankan maps through Google Maps they really felt happy, and I started explaining the use of Google Maps especially for the tribal communities. Even though in the forest we had good signal coverage to operate Google Maps. I'm sure @TraciC  is happy about the Sri Lankan internet connectivity. I turned on the satellite view and taught them about how to find human interventions, deforestations through Google Maps. In addition to this, they were telling us they can hear easily when they cut trees also this Google Maps Satellite images is really useful for them to monitor. Also, I have shown the uploaded photos to that particular place and explain how to review particular places.

Showing Google Maps to a TribalShowing our current location from the forestTeaching Google maps and showing photos from Google Map

After hearing everything they got understood everything in one shot. One person told me that he can take another round to the forest and if possible take 360 videos of the traces and put it on the map yes I have done that too. Seems it is now in processing and soon it will be visible on Google Maps.

360 SV coverage inside their village

I'm a nature lover who is passionate about helping people. Local guide's journey made me apply all my passions through my contributions to Google Maps. In Sri Lanka, there are several places where tribal communities are living and I have identified all those places and in upcoming days I'm planning to visit them and adding more photos of them, taking videos of their traditional activities and uploading to Google Maps.

I would say this is one of my favorite contributions to Google Maps. More Photos please check this album

@VasT, @JaneBurunina, @KarenVChin, @DeniGu, @Giu_DiB, @Aruni hope you will like this RECAP 

[Nyainurjanah]

@IlankovanT 

Awwww awesome  i love the video ,, adventures mode ON but lot of fun . I love nature ,I enjoyed your post . 

Learning activities like shot ,and swing the rope . 

[Julien44]

Hi @IlankovanT 

I love your recap.

It is for me a journey in a tribal Sri Lankan village with amazing photos and a brilliant video.

Thanks a lot for sharing it with us.

Have a nice evening and see you around

Jul

[IlankovanT]

@Julien44, happy that I have taken you virtually to Sri Lanka 🙂 I have planned such mapping activities and I will share some beautiful photos and videos soon. Thank you

Thank you @Nyainurjanah 🙂

[Ruxellan]

Hey @IlankovanT It was really great meet up and obviously very different. Phots are awesome. Thanks for sharing 

[KarenVChin]

@IlankovanT  - this is a great recap. I really enjoyed your video too. Your video editing skills get better and better with every video you create.

It is fascinating to see you teaching the Tribesman how to use Google Maps and him seeing the benefits of using this app. I am also impressed you could get internet connectivity in the middle of the rain forest. 

I cannot always get connectivity in certain areas where I live and recently while I was in Hawaii driving through town!

Cheers,

Karen

[rajeshvr1]

@IlankovanT  what an attempt,  uncommon! Congrats! You're an example of thousands of multi skilled Local Guides around us! I'm  seeing many a Ilankovan around me but separated,  not knowing each other! The rich knowledge and experience sharing is virtually nil in that case lest all in our community must have been in this Connect channel to get connected! By the way,  I'm Rajesh  VR,  your neighbour, from Trivandrum,  Kerala. I'm inviting you to my post on our community - Mutli skilled but separated Local Guides around the globe. Thank you.

[VasT]

Great recap @IlankovanT, 

I am eager to see the rest parts of your meet-up series. I was fascinated by the map of rice. It's quite accurate. Were the autochthonous population interested in becoming Local Guides?

[kasunaaa]

@IlankovanT wow what a nice recap. Amazing super cool video with wonderful slow motion shots. You nailed it! Looks you got lot of experience how they make fire, Hunting, finding way in the forest, their traditions etc. Great ! Thank you for sharing this amazing recap!

[PavelSarwar]

@IlankovanT Proud of You bro. You mean something new and exceptional.