The Halakki-Vokkalu (, also transliterated as Halwakki-Wakkal and Halakki-Vokkaliga) are an indigenous tribe of

Karnataka Karnataka (; ISO: , , also known as Karunāḍu) is a state in the southwestern region of India. It was formed on 1 November 1956, with the passage of the States Reorganisation Act. Originally known as Mysore State , it was renamed ''Karnat ...

India India, officially the Republic of India (Hindi: ), is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by area, the second-most populous country, and the most populous democracy in the world. Bounded by the Indian Ocean on the so ...

.:Halwakki Wakkal is an agricultural class, who are relatively poor. Gam Vokkalu, Kare Vokkalu and Atte Vokkalu are grouped under this. They mainly live in North Kanara District and are distinct from Vokkaligas. They are found predominantly in

Uttara Kannada Uttara Kannada is a district in the Indian state of Karnataka. Uttara Kannada District is a major coastal district of Karnataka, and currently holding the title of the largest district in Karnataka. It is bordered by the state of Goa and Bela ...

district and are distinct from

Vokkaliga Vokkaliga (also transliterated as Vokkaligar, Vakkaliga, Wakkaliga, Okkaligar, Okkiliyan) is a community, or a group of closely-related castes, from the Indian state of Karnataka. They are also present in the neighbouring state of Tamil Nadu. As ...

s. Halakki Vokkaligas living in the foot of Western Ghats are known as the " Aboriginals of Uttara Kannada". Their way of living is still ancient. The women adorn themselves with beads and necklaces, heavy nose rings and distinctive attire. Halakki speak a different dialect of Kannada called as Achchagannada.

Reservation

The Halakkis are currently classified as

Other Backward Class The Other Backward Class is a collective term used by the Government of India to classify castes which are educationally or socially backward. It is one of several official classifications of the population of India, along with General castes, S ...

(OBC). Taking Halakkis cognisance of the tribe’s demands to be recognised as a

Scheduled Tribe The Scheduled Castes (SCs) and Scheduled Tribes (STs) are officially designated groups of people and among the most disadvantaged socio-economic groups in India. The terms are recognized in the Constitution of India and the groups are designa ...

, a study was commissioned by the social welfare department and a report was submitted.

Notable Halakkis

* Sukri Bommagowda is a notable Halakki Vokkaliga and has won the

Padma Shri Padma Shri (IAST: ''padma śrī''), also spelled Padma Shree, is the fourth-highest Indian honours system, civilian award of the Republic of India, after the Bharat Ratna, the Padma Vibhushan and the Padma Bhushan. Instituted on 2 January 1954, ...

for folk singing, she is fondly known as "Nightingale of Halakis". *Vaidya Hanumanath Bommu Gouda is also a notable Halakki Vokkaliga and he holds many respected posts such as member of the Department of Folk Science in Hampi Kannada University, member of Western Ghats Forest Products, member of the J.C. club and a few others. Observing his humble service in the medical field and social service he was honoured with fellowship in New-Delhi in 2005, Vaidya Ratna award in 2005, Karnataka's most respected award Kannada Rajyostava Award in 2014. *

Tulsi Gowda Tulsi Gowda is an Indian environmentalist from Honnali village, Ankola taluk in Karnataka state. She has planted more than 30,000 saplings and looks after the nurseries of the Forest Department. Her work has been honoured by the Government o ...

is an environmentalist from

Ankola Ankola is a Town Municipal Council and a taluka in Uttara Kannada district of the Indian state of Karnataka. The name of the place is derived from a forest shrub Ankola grown on the coastal hill side and worshiped by the Halakki Vokkaligas a ...

taluk A tehsil (, also known as tahsil, taluka, or taluk) is a local unit of administrative division in some countries of South Asia. It is a subdistrict of the area within a district including the designated populated place that serves as its administr ...

who was honoured with the Padma Shri award in 2020.

References

Vokkaliga Social groups of Karnataka Social groups of Andhra Pradesh {{India-ethno-stub Other Backward Classes of Karnataka