Tribal Masculinity: An Alternative of Anti-ecological Masculinity

Masculinity is considered as behavior and attributes expected out of men. It is a socially constructed concept that is shaped by gender roles, societal expectations, and power dynamics that vary across cultures and historical periods. The studies concerning men, masculinity, and nature relations emerged as a response to the essentialized notion of associating men with culture, patriarchy, oppression, and women with nature, rather than focusing on the complexity of masculinities and their relation with nature. Further, Ecomasculinity and Ecological masculinism are Western concepts and frameworks that evolved out of the studies concerning men-nature relationships. Considering the plurality of masculinity and the nuances of men-nature relationships, this paper explores the intersection of men, masculinity, and nature in Tribal society in the context of South India. The study employs textual analysis as a method to explore men-nature relationships. The text considered for the analysis is the novel Huntsman by Lakshmi Saravanakumar, translated into English by Aswini Kumar. The novel presents an indigenous tribal society rooted in the forest with interpersonal connections between humans and non-humans. The paper demonstrates how the concept of Home, Indigeneity, and life in tribal society caters to the construction of the notion of masculinity, which emphasizes caring attitudes toward nature. The perspective of indigenous society challenges the traditional notion of masculinity as dominant and oppressive. This paper argues that masculine discourse in Tribal society is counter-hegemonic, and is built on caring towards humans and nonhumans rather than domination.