“Lillykutty Abraham is remarkable for braving many firsts -- for compiling the first ever anthology of the songs of the Mavilan tinai (Adivasi) community in the Western Ghats, the first to unveil the integrative tinai (the pre-state lifeway) embodied in their songs, and also to author the first full book applying puttinai theory. Abraham's work is a reaffirmation of the urgent need and momentousness to birth a brave new tinai world, and has the political muscle needed to persuade any conscientious powers-that-be to end the present Anthropocene and usher in the Neotinaicene.”

Nirmal Selvamony, author of Tinai Philosophy: The Indigenous Lifeway for the Anthropocene

“This is a splendid book: an informed, engaging study of the oral traditions of the Mavilan tribe that highlights their deep ecological wisdom and cultural fortitude. It locates Indigenous knowledge within a deeply textured eco-critical frame through puttinai, as it becomes the narrative point of intersection between theory and lived experience. With the help of extremely detailed field research, the author succeeds in capturing details of not only agricultural, nuptial, and ritual songs but also how these practices have perfected a symbiotic relationship with nature. It symbolizes the resilience of Indian Knowledge Systems in interpreting human-environment interlinkages. Required reading for folklorists, ecocritics, and scholars of Indigenous literatures alike, it paints an engaging picture of the continued relevance of Mavilan oral culture.”

Anupama Nayar, Christ University