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“Indigenous Peoples and Environmental Ethics” – The Kaani (Kani) community of Tamil Nadu and Kerala

By Davidson Sargunam Indigenous peoples are ethnic groups native to a land or region. Usually they have a close relation to the land and live in consonance with nature. They believe that land and people are inseparable and interdependent. …

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“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

“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 …

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A martial arts festival that keep a tradition alive and profitable for practitioners: Tournaments conducted by the Khasi Hills Archery Sports Association – Meghalaya

In hilly Shillong, dream-interpreting locals and tribal archers combine to practise ‘Teer’ gambling | To view more photos and read the full story, click here >> The capital of Meghalaya likes to bet …

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Improving Bhil children’s reading skills and comprehension: Report on the use of colourful storybooks in a range of Indian languages besides English – Madhya Pradesh

Tulika’s  storybooks were very well received by the students at Kakrana’s Rani Kajal Jeevan Shala (village school). They enjoyed reading them and even understood the stories. They made a considerable …

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Participatory resource monitoring, implementation of the Forest Rights Act and welfare schemes – Karnataka

Learn more about tribal communities, biodiversity and wildlife related issues across Karnataka and the Western Ghats (e.g. search for “Karnataka Adivasi Abhivrudhi Mandali”, “Biligiri Rangaswamy Temple Tiger Reserve”, “man animal …

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Tip | Santal history and customs explained by the Daricha Foundation – West Bengal and Jharkhand

The Santals, a proto-Austroloid racial group,  are the largest tribe in West Bengal accounting  for more than 50% of the state`s tribal population. Other than West Bengal, their major concentration …

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The “Sohrai” harvest festival of the Santals: A large mural created by village artists to express their cultural identity – West Bengal

Sohrai – The First Day The most important festival of the Santals is called Sohrai. It is the Harvest Festival celebrated after the rice harvest in early January. The celebrations …

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The Santals by Boro Baski

Santals are the largest homogeneous tribal community in Eastern India. In the 1991 census, more than 5.2 million Santals were counted [5.8 million in the 2001 census]. People of this …