Category Archives: Tribal elders

“The Adivasi Munnetra Sangam, Gudalur, spearheaded a movement that prevents Adivasi children from dropping out of school, by involving local tribal communities in the process. [It] appointed village elders in all tribal hamlets and have given them the responsibility to take [2,800 tribal] children to school, wait till classes get over, and then return.” – Former Founder-Trustee of the Viswa Bharathi Vidyodaya Trust, Bhaskaran Ramdas interviewed in “Grassroots movement to keep kids in school” by Rohan Premkumar The New Indian Express, 11 August 2016)
https://indiantribalheritage.org/?p=20832

“We plant the trees for our children in the memory of our elders who planted for us.” – Fundia Bai Parte of Korku village in Betul (Madhya Pradesh), interviewed in “Protectors dubbed criminals” by Aparna Pallavi (Down To Earth 7 June 2015)
https://www.downtoearth.org.in/coverage/protectors-dubbed-criminals-38993
https://indiantribalheritage.org/?p=20447

“Literature on adivasis, shaped by perspectives of authors who may or may not have interacted or studied the tribals and their lives, could be romantic flights of the imagination or grim portraits about trials and tribulations of the tribals. Irked by these fanciful and wrong representations of his community, Narayan, a member of the Malaarayar tribal community in Kerala, took up the pen to write the first authentic novel written by an adivasi in South India [who] reminds us, yet again, how these children of the land were marginalised by the state, the establishment and organised religion. From proud farmers, practitioners of traditional medicine and guardians of the land, the tribals became displaced and dispossessed, dependent on the largesse of the State to protect their lands and, most importantly, their cultural identity.” – Saraswathy Nagarajan in “Found in translation” reviewing Kocharethi by Narayan, “a novel based on experiences told by the author’s elders” (The Hindu, 27 April 2011)
https://www.thehindu.com/features/metroplus/article1772998.ece
https://indiantribalheritage.org/?p=1459

“We were there, we are here and we will be there” (Hum the, hum hain aur hum rahenge) – Vandna Tete during the first-ever all-India tribal women writers’ meet (The Telegraph Ranchi, September 2017)
https://indiantribalheritage.org/?p=22856

“We were there, we are here and we will be there”: First ever All India Tribal Women Writers’ Meet (Ranchi, 7- 8 Sept 2017) – Jharkhand

Posted on 05/08/2020 by website administrator

Tribal societies are going through a transition phase and identity of tribals is being rediscovered through literary writings. Acclaimed writer and professor of North East Hill University, Shillong, Streamlet Dkhar, was addressing a room full of 35 women authors at … Continue reading →

Posted in Accountability, Commentary, Democracy, Eastern region, History, Languages and linguistic heritage, Literature - fiction, Literature and bibliographies, Maps, Modernity, Networking, Organizations, Photos and slideshows, Press snippets, Quotes, Rights of Indigenous Peoples, Tribal elders, Women | Comments Off on “We were there, we are here and we will be there”: First ever All India Tribal Women Writers’ Meet (Ranchi, 7- 8 Sept 2017) – Jharkhand

The Adivasi way of life: Utopian or worth emulating by ‘mainstream’ society? – An ongoing debate

Posted on 02/08/2020 by website administrator

Anyone who has had some meaningful interaction with India’s indigenous or adivasi people, cannot fail to be touched by the encounter. There is a directness in them, an absence of artifice or guile, an almost childlike innocence, born of simplicity … Continue reading →

Posted in Adivasi, Assimilation, Bees and honey, Childhood and children, Commentary, Community facilities, Customs, De- and re-tribalisation, FAQ, Fashion and design, Health and nutrition, Media portrayal, Misconceptions, Modernity, Quotes, Southern region, Tribal culture worldwide, Tribal elders, Western Ghats - tribal heritage & ecology, Women, Worship and rituals | Comments Off on The Adivasi way of life: Utopian or worth emulating by ‘mainstream’ society? – An ongoing debate

Village elders’ involvement has worked wonders: Adivasi kids from Nilgiris tribal hamlets now complete their basic education – Tamil Nadu

Posted on 01/08/2020 by website administrator

COIMBATORE: A grassroots movement to keep Adivasi kids in school has seemingly worked wonders in over 320 tribal hamlets in Gudalur, Nilgiris. The Adivasi Munnetra Sangam, Gudalur, spearheaded a movement that prevents Adivasi children from dropping out of school, by … Continue reading →

Posted in Adivasi, Childhood and children, Community facilities, Education and literacy, Figures, census and other statistics, Government of India, Languages and linguistic heritage, Maps, Multi-lingual education, Networking, Organizations, Press snippets, Southern region, Success story, Tribal elders | Comments Off on Village elders’ involvement has worked wonders: Adivasi kids from Nilgiris tribal hamlets now complete their basic education – Tamil Nadu

Toda embroidery: an ancient art thriving in the Nilgiris – Tamil Nadu

Posted on 01/08/2020 by website administrator

The ancient Toda community people are the residents of Nilgiris that means ‘Blue Mountains’, popularly known as Ooty. Nilgiris is the abode of many interesting tribes and prominent among them are Todas, Kotas, Kurumbas, Irulas, Mullukurumbas and Paniyans. These Todas … Continue reading →

Posted in Anthropology, Assimilation, Crafts and visual arts, Cultural heritage, Customs, Dress and ornaments, Ecology and environment, Economy and development, Endangered language, Games and leisure time, Health and nutrition, Misconceptions, Modernity, Names and communities, Nature and wildlife, Organizations, Particularly vulnerable tribal group, Press snippets, Revival of traditions, Seasons and festivals, Southern region, Success story, Tourism, Tribal elders, Western Ghats - tribal heritage & ecology, Women, Worship and rituals | Tagged | Comments Off on Toda embroidery: an ancient art thriving in the Nilgiris – Tamil Nadu

The Asurs’ remembrance of their ancestors: A ‘particularly vulnerable’ tribal group –  Bihar, Jharkhand & West Bengal

Posted on 26/07/2020 by website administrator

Prashant Pandey & Premankur Biswas, Indian Express, December 8, 2016 | To view more photos and read the full article, click here >> Chamru is an Asur, a ‘particularly vulnerable tribal group’ that dominates Sakhuapani’s population of about 2,000 and lives in villages … Continue reading →

Posted in Anthropology, Cultural heritage, Customs, De- and re-tribalisation, Dress and ornaments, Eastern region, Economy and development, Figures, census and other statistics, Health and nutrition, History, Maps, Media portrayal, Misconceptions, Music and dance, Musicology, Names and communities, Northern region, Particularly vulnerable tribal group, Performing arts, Photos and slideshows, Press snippets, Revival of traditions, Rural poverty, Seasons and festivals, Storytelling, Tribal elders, Video resources - external, Worship and rituals | Tagged | Comments Off on The Asurs’ remembrance of their ancestors: A ‘particularly vulnerable’ tribal group –  Bihar, Jharkhand & West Bengal