Common Ground, based in Attappadi, Kerala and Bengaluru is a commune rooted in tribal wisdom and sustainable living practices. Through community-driven workshops on natural building, farming, and architecture, it encourages a deeper connection with the environment. Its upcoming 'Tribal Architecture' workshop, led by an Irula community member, highlights indigenous knowledge systems while fostering collective learning and ecological responsibility.
Rooted in community and tribal wisdom, 'Common Ground' is a commune that centres human friendly experiences and highlights the importance of preservation by shining a light on different forms of sustainable architecture, art, music, and farming.
Predominantly operating out of Bengaluru and Kerala, the commune believes that our planet does not rely on us for anything and will continue to exist and thrive long after we, human beings, are gone. Meanwhile we need the resources provided by Earth to not only thrive, but also survive and as such, we need to ensure that we do not deplete and strip the planet of its resources. The Common Ground fosters this understanding to help its network become sustainable citizens of this planet and empower them to survive successfully.
Tribal wisdom is the accumulated and lived knowledge and sustainable practices that are passed down in indigenous communities from generation to generation. These practices are what help these communities survive and flourish in their natural habitat for centuries, and Common Ground deeply draws its values from this body of knowledge. This education, despite deviating from formal systems, is also essential to help us understand the true ecological cost of the modern lives we lead.
Common Ground focuses on bringing together all these values in the activities and workshops they conduct. Their upcoming three-day Tribal Architecture and Natural Building Workshop take aplce from 8th to the 10th of May, at the Dhaanyam, Attappadi, Kerala, an evolving integrated food forest curated by Common Ground.
The workshop will be led by a member of the Irula tribe, that are found in the states of Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Karnataka and focuses on teaching participants through shared experience. By learning about bamboo structures and natural roofing, they will create a functional tribal structure by the end of their three days together. The experience aims to increase awareness about sustainable practices but also help people connect with each other through the communal experiences and an understanding grounded in the process of building something together.
Common Ground provides an alternative way of living that is deeply rooted in its intentions of building a community that understands the importance of our planet and the soil that gives us everything we have. It also reinforces the notion that sustainable living practices are not a mere trend but a tangible way of living. Common Ground urges us to prioritise substance, and reconnect with the land beneath our feet, and understand what it sincerely means to be a citizen of the earth.
To know more about 'The Common Ground', follow them on Instagram here, and to register for their May edition of the Tribal Architecture and Natural Building Workshop, click here.
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