Climate Change through Indigenous Eyes: A Case Study of the Santal Women in Bangladesh

Abstract

Climate change is a major problem for vulnerable people worldwide. It severely affects Indigenous communities whose livelihoods are closely connected to nature and agriculture. In Bangladesh, Indigenous women remain largely underrepresented in mainstream climate change discussions, despite their significant ecological knowledge and lived interactions with environmental change. This case study explores how Santal women in northern Bangladesh respond to climate variability through their traditional knowledge, cultural beliefs, and everyday environmental experiences. Fieldwork was conducted from January to April 2025.This study used a qualitative case study design to explore context-specific understandings of climate variability and its impacts. The study took place in Parbatipur Upazila of Dinajpur District. The area was selected due to a high population of Santals in the region whose means of living rely much on natural resources and agriculture. The data were gathered in the form of 25 in depth interviews (IDIs), four key informant interviews ((KIIs)) with the respected members of the community and four focus group discussions (FGDs), involving a total of 50 Santal women. Purposive sampling was used in selecting the respondents to provide diversity in terms of age, education and socio economic background. The collected data were analyzed using thematic analysis following Braun and Clarke’s framework. The findings reveal that although many participants were unfamiliar with the scientific term “climate change”. However, they clearly identified rising temperatures, irregular rainfall, shorter winters, seasonal disruptions, and crop failures through direct environmental observations. Their interpretations combined practical ecological understanding with cultural and spiritual explanations. For example, some participants linked climate change to divine displeasure or ancestral imbalance. This study also found generational differences in accessing modern climate information, including the use of smartphones and weather applications. However, younger women still depended on traditional ecological indicators, such as flowering patterns or bird calls. Additionally, climate variability has significantly affected agriculture, food security, health conditions, and cultural practices. It has increased women's vulnerabilities in everyday life as well. This study argues that Indigenous women's ecological knowledge should be incorporated into local and national climate adaptation policies. Specifically, the study recommends three actions. First, community-based documentation centers for traditional ecological indicators should be established. Second, Santal women should be included in union parishad climate committees. Third, Santal women should be trained as climate outreach workers. Greater inclusion of Santal women in climate decision-making, culturally sensitive adaptation programs, and improved access to climate information are also needed. Furthermore, Indigenous-centered development planning is essential. These steps can strengthen community resilience. They can also support cultural sustainability in climate-vulnerable regions of Bangladesh.