Category Archives: Music and dance

The old villagers who have imbibed our traditional knowledge and normally make and play the Banam [fiddle] are unable to transmit their skills and knowledge to [youngsters] busy preparing school lessons and therefore get little time to sit with the elderly people of their village and learn from them. Another reason is [an] attraction to the fast and loud music from Bollywood and from other modern sources. – Dr. Boro Baski on the purpose of organizing instrument making workshops at the Museum of Santal Culture (Bishnubati village near Santiniketan, West Bengal)

Within villages around Dang [in Gujarat], traditional instruments and artists are waning. Cultural music and dance forms among the adivasis have evolved over centuries. Beautified by elements and nuances of their surroundings, these forms depict their very lifestyles. Played for hours together in the same tempo, music is an integral part of celebrations and mourning. […] Each instrument has a purpose and belief related to it. – Ashleshaa Khurana (“The ailing art of adivasi music”, Times of India, 30 January 2014)

“We are so much more than that”: Book by S. Swarnalatha documenting the lives her own community, the Irula, who are known for their knowledge of nature and medicinal herbs – Tamil Nadu & Kerala

Posted on 15/11/2019 by website administrator

“My grandmother told me if someone ever pointed out our dance movements are peculiar, we should tell them these are the feline steps of a hunter” | To read the full story, click here >> Swarnalatha belongs to the tribal … Continue reading →

Posted in Anthropology, Childhood and children, Customs, Ecology and environment, Education and literacy, Endangered language, Ethnobotany, Games and leisure time, Languages and linguistic heritage, Maps, Misconceptions, Music and dance, Names and communities, Nature and wildlife, Organizations, Press snippets, Quotes, Southern region, Storytelling, Worship and rituals | Tagged | Comments Off on “We are so much more than that”: Book by S. Swarnalatha documenting the lives her own community, the Irula, who are known for their knowledge of nature and medicinal herbs – Tamil Nadu & Kerala

Dance and music of the Santal community – West Bengal & Jharkhand

Posted on 07/11/2019 by website administrator

[…] Unlike many other tribal groups of the Indian Subcontinent, the Santals are known for preserving their native language despite waves of migrations and invasions from Dravidians, Indo-Aryans, Mughals, Europeans, and others. Santali culture is depicted in the paintings and … Continue reading →

Posted in Audio resources - external, Customs, Eastern region, History, Maps, Music and dance, Names and communities, Quotes, Social conventions, Websites by tribal communities | Tagged | Comments Off on Dance and music of the Santal community – West Bengal & Jharkhand

The Dehwali: A community with a rich repertoire of songs, stories, legends, puzzles, sayings and drama – Gujarat

Posted on 01/11/2019 by website administrator

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Posted in Adivasi, Cultural heritage, Education and literacy, Languages and linguistic heritage, Literature - fiction, Multi-lingual education, Music and dance, Organizations, Revival of traditions, Storytelling, Tips, Western region | Tagged | Comments Off on The Dehwali: A community with a rich repertoire of songs, stories, legends, puzzles, sayings and drama – Gujarat

Learn more about tribal communities in the “Seven Sister States”: Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland & Tripura

Posted on 27/10/2019 by website administrator
Posted in Anthropology, Childhood and children, Colonial policies, Commentary, Community facilities, Crafts and visual arts, Crocodile, Customs, De- and re-tribalisation, Democracy, Dress and ornaments, Eco tourism, Ecology and environment, Economy and development, Education and literacy, Elephant, Fashion, Figures, census and other statistics, Forest Rights Act (FRA), Games and leisure time, Government of India, Health and nutrition, History, Homes and utensils, Languages and linguistic heritage, Literature and bibliographies, Maps, Modernity, Multi-lingual education, Museum collections - India, Music and dance, Musicology, Nature and wildlife, Organizations, Performing arts, Revival of traditions, Rights of Indigenous Peoples, Seasons and festivals, Seven Sister States, Success story, Tiger, Tips, Tourism, Trees, Video contents, Women, Worship and rituals | Comments Off on Learn more about tribal communities in the “Seven Sister States”: Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland & Tripura

Kota music and dance

Posted on 29/09/2019 by website administrator

The inhabitants of remote Kunda Kotagiri village maintain their own culture centre. This ensures the continuance of their community’s distinct traditions among the educated youth of this village. Such enthusiasm was much in evidence during this unannounced visit which was … Continue reading →

Posted in Anthropology, Community facilities, Economy and development, Education and literacy, Health and nutrition, History, Literature and bibliographies, Maps, Modernity, Museum collections - India, Music and dance, Musicology, Names and communities, Organizations, Photos and slideshows, Revival of traditions, Seasons and festivals, Southern region, Success story, Video contents, Women | Tagged | Comments Off on Kota music and dance