Gadaba: A revered tribe as old as India itself; one can see today dwelling in the realms of hilly forests of Odisha and Andhra Pradesh. Rooted deep in their relationship with mother nature, the Gadabas have set about preparing different tools for their daily sustenance, including that of hunting traditional implements. The Jal-Aka is a kind of large hunting net employed mainly for deer trapping. What is so beautiful about the Jal-Aka is that it is made by jute fibre, a completely biodegradable yet very strong fibre. By criss-crossing the fibres into a very thick zig-zag mesh, it can bear the force of the animals struggling within. The mesh openings are designed for medium-to-largish game, which would be effectively captured but never kill them. Thus the tribals must really be credited with loving nature as well as owning an eco-friendly sustainable hunting methodology.
One end of the net is secured with a coconut-fibre rope that adds further strength and flexibility. The rope enables easy tying of the net between two trees or posts in the forest, usually on narrow animal paths or sources of water likely to be visited by deer. The Jal-Aka is a testimony to the inventiveness of the Gadaba tribe, a synthesis of materials directly available to them and of traditional knowledge handed down through generations. It displays the Gadabas' resourcefulness and harmony with nature: a tool for hunting but a symbol of their sustenance and respect for the forest ecosystem.