Chidi means ‘bird’ in Hindi, maar means ‘to hunt’. So it stands to reason that the traditional work of the Chidimaar caste is to catch birds. Theirs is a tradition that came with them from India when their ancestors migrated to the Terai region of Nepal. While for hundreds of years their families have been doing this work, today their numbers are dwindling.

The number of birds is rapidly decreasing due to deforestation, and the income they make from the practice is simply no longer enough survive in a world where prices continue to climb. Despite these difficulties there are still some Chidimaar who spend 6 months of the year taking trips to the forests in the hills, to catch birds. They use simple nets and secrets passed down through the generations. They can catch eight to ten birds a day, of which some are sold for food and those with beautiful songs or plumage are sold as pets.

In Banke District there are less than 50 families who still support themselves mostly through bird hunting. 18 of those families live in Howaldarpur Village in Samshergunj VDC. Howaldarpur is a village that is clearly on line with the poorest in Nepal and even the world.

While walking to the village we first met Maiku Chidimaar. Maiku was kind enough to offer to show us his house and his nets. He explained some of the specifics of bird hunting and where they go for the best hunting. While we were talking with Maiku a few more residents gathered around to listen in. While Maiku was open to talk of bird hunting, the newcomers were not as interested in answering those types of questions. Ramsahay Chidimaar was the most vocal of the newcomers.

Ramsahay wanted to talk about the condition of the village and the abject poverty that its residents lived in. He wanted to talk about the several miles they walked to find clean water, he wanted to talk about the fact that no on owned any arable land, he wanted to talk about the fact that none of the children in the village were going to school. He wanted to tell us just how many NGOs and government workers had interviewed them about their traditions and the conditions they live in, but how not a single one of those people who interviewed them every came back to help. As far as he was concerned I was just one more person who would raise their hopes and offer them no practical help.

In a sense he was correct, I really do not have anything to offer the residents of Howaldarpur. His comments were honest and somewhat uncomfortable for me to hear. Ultimately caring is not enough. Despite his harsh words, once I had answered all of Ramsahay’s questions about me and what I was doing, he was actually the villager who opened up most to me. He invited us to his home and offered to show us how his family earns their income during the several months of the year when there are no birds to hunt. Ramsahay makes baskets. His wife and son collect vines from the local jungles, and Ramsahay uses all of his strength to twist those vines into baskets. It takes him several hours to make a basket. He first makes the base of the basket, then he crouches on top of that base and weaves the vines into a basket. The work is tough and is painful for his back, almost every basket he makes causes his fingers bleed. Once finished his wife takes the baskets to sell to local farmers…for less than 50 cents each.