Juxtaposed against the tea plantations of Wayanad in Kerala, you’ll find a sustainable gem.

The ‘first-of-its-kind’ tribal heritage village is called ‘En Ooru’ and is spread across 25 acres.

While the seeds of this project were sown way back in 2010 by the then sub-collector Prasanth Nair, phase one of the project was completed only in June 2022.

Prasanth recalled kickstarting the “ambitious project” during his first posting as an IAS officer. “As a young recruit, I was extremely excited when the Government approved the project,” he shares.

Started with a vision to showcase the rich heritage of the tribal community and indigenous lifestyle, the hamlet was designed as a cooperative entity with members from various local tribes.

Today, it has become a transformational project that seeks to give the tribal community a share of the income from the booming tourism industry of Kerala.

While here, you can explore the tribal market, food outlets, a tribal emporium, an open-air theatre, and a replica of a tribal colony.

At the tribal market, you’ll find millets produced by the tribal farmers, wild honey, and other indigenous products, such as ambum villum (bow and arrow). Tribal artefacts and other products get a well-organised marketplace.

The open-air theatre gives visitors a chance to enjoy the art forms of the different tribes and their performances of Thudi Thalam, Mavilan Pattu, and tribal archery.

The tribal cafeteria allows guests to relish tribal cuisines prepared from forest plants and edible tubers.

These avenues prove to be great sources of income for the local tribal communities, giving them a chance to take their art and culture to the market.