Social Support: Care or Curse? Views from the Hunter-Gatherer of South India, Asia Kakkoth Seetha* * Department of Anthropology, Kannur University, Thalassery Campus, Palayad. P.O. PIN- 670 661. Kerala, India, Asia. ammusagarika@gmail.com; skakkoth@gmail.com. Abstract This paper tries to understand, from an emic perspective, the different dimensions of social support among the Cholanaickan, a hunter-gather community that lives in the evergreen forests of Nilambur Valley of Kerala, South India. Their experience with the social support extended to them by the welfare State especially in housing is not congenial to their emotional system. I am trying to explicate why the support system extended by the State has ended as ‘curse’ rather than ‘care’. The paper argues that the most useful form of support in all situations, stressful or otherwise, is emotional support and that external support will neither be effective nor acceptable by the community as helpful unless mediated and internalised within their social support system. The paper argues for a more responsible and responsive approach from the side of the Welfare State. Top Key words Social support, Cholanaickan, Hunter-gatherer, Chemmam, Emotional support, Cognitive support, Material support, Reciprocity, Kinship. Top |