Herps in Society and Culture: Snake Charmers

Herps in Society and Culture:  Snake Charmers

    One of the most familiar and longest standing icons of Indian culture is that of the enchanting snake charmer.  The idea of an ordinary man mastering the will of a highly venomous reptile with only the use of a haunting flute tune seems an act of magic.  Many of us now know that this is not the case, and that without ears the snakes cannot even hear the charmers tune.  Instead, the snakes follow the swaying movement of the flute end warily guarding against an attack while displaying a hood as a visual threat.  Even so, watching the cobra’s gentle dance is still an amazing an beautiful thing.
    Snakes, and particularly cobras, have always been an important part of Indian culture and are very promenint in the Hindi religion.  The god Vishnu is said to manifest as 1,000 headed snake in order to cleanse the world at the end of an aeon. Another god, Shiva, is often seen wearing a protective cobra around his head or chest.  Snakes are also seen as being able to bring wealth, respect and power to those who treat them well and bringing sickness and death to those who do not.  As such, many of the earliest snake charmers were seen almost as holy men because of their close interaction with their serpentine counter parts.
    However, this ancient and long standing Indian profession is slowly disappearing, which may not be all bad.  In order to ensure the safety of the charmers many of these snakes have been “surgically” altered by having their fangs removed or even having their entire mouth sewn shut.  After such practices the snakes can no longer eat and eventually starve to death.  Luckily, pressures from animal rights’s groups and from the Indian government to protect these beautiful snakes are helping to deter people from continuing these cruel practices.  But then what about the charmers?  
    Many snake charmers are from large families who have specialized in snake charming for generations and who know no other profession or means of making a living.  Fortunately, a number of groups have found some very creative solutions for keeping these iconic men and women employed.  Recognizing the skills and talent that these individuals possess for working with the potentially deadly snakes, many snake charmers are being retrained as snake handlers.  Some of these men and women may work as “animal control” by helping to remove venomous snakes from densely populated areas where they may pose a threat to the people who live there.  Other ex-charmers now act as snake milkers, harvesting the venom from cobras, kraits and Russel’s vipers in order to make antivenin that may be used in hospitals to treat those who have been bitten and envenomated.  Still others may act as speakers and educators, teaching the public to respect and appreciate these snakes instead of fearing them. 
    In this way, an ancient and iconic tradition is continuing on in a modern world and where once these men and women exploited and hurt the snakes that provide them with a means of living, they now are an important force in protecting and preserving these beautiful animals.

Resources :
http://www.npr.org/2011/08/08/139086119/in-india-snake-charmers-are-losing-their-sway
http://www.indiancultureonline.com/details/Snake-Worship.html
http://www.lifeinthefastlane.ca/legendary-and-mysterious-art-of-snake-charming-revealed/weird-science