ABSTRACT
The involuntary displacement of communities as a result of industrial, infrastructure and conservation projects is escalating as an issue worldwide. This chapter discusses the relationships between conservation-led displacement, poverty and cultural survival. It talks about Rana society, with a particular focus on their livelihood system and social life, and then describes the establishment and resettlement programme known as Shuklaphanta Wildlife Reserve. It then discusses the economic and cultural outcomes of displacement for Rana communities that were studied over an 18-month period of anthropological fieldwork from 2004 to 2006. The chapter discusses the Ranas' livelihood system, daily conversations, farming activities, festival celebrations, marriage ceremonies, rituals and forest resource collection. The Ranas' experiences clearly demonstrate that the destruction of their social networks has not only created psychological problems but also led to dispossession and threatened livelihoods and left people feeling more vulnerable.
