Category Archives: Languages and linguistic heritage

“They have lost their livelihood, their forests and even their Gods. Now they will also lose their language.” – Raghavan Payyanad (folklorist and exponent of indigenous knowledge), in “Relinking tribal youth with their culture” on efforts to revive and reacquaint youngsters from different tribes with endangered tribal arts at the Kerala Institute for Research, Training and Development Studies of Scheduled Castes and Tribes Kozhikode (The Hindu, 16 December 2015)
https://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/kozhikode/relinking-tribal-youth-with-their-culture/article7994424.ece
https://indiantribalheritage.org/?p=19376

“There are 418 different tribes in India, with even more languages and dialects. […] To accommodate these diverse and culturally distinct communities with a single educational policy is a mammoth task, verging on the impossible. Thus, despite good intentions, tribal-education policies are mostly dysfunctional. And when such systematic dysfunction continues for years or even generations, social unrest erupts.” – Boro Baski in “Teaching Santal children” (D+C Development and Cooperation, 2 July 2009)
https://www.dandc.eu/en/article/long-term-success-non-formal-adivasi-school-west-bengal
https://indiantribalheritage.org/?p=2274

“Nations don’t make us human – languages make us human [and] behave like civilised beings.” – Ganesh Devy (co-founder, People’s Linguistic Survey of India) in a video interview (Scroll.in, 25 November 2017)
https://www.facebook.com/scroll.in/videos/1600744976675043/
https://indiantribalheritage.org/?p=24320

“All languages created by human communities are our collective cultural heritage. Therefore, it is our collective responsibility to ensure that they do not face the global phonocide let loose in our time.” – Ganesh Devy in a lecture at the National Institute of Advanced Studies, Bangalore (26 September 2010)
https://indiantribalheritage.org/wp-content/uploads/Inclusive_Education_NIAS_Lecture_2010_Prof-Ganesh_Devy.pdf
https://indiantribalheritage.org/?page_id=27950

Tribal Trilingual Short Story Writing Contest – TTSSWC 2021

Posted on 05/03/2021 by website administrator

Here is a chance to win prizes in an exciting creative writing contest!Enter the Tribal Trilingual Short Story Writing Contest 2021 of India in three languages – English, Hindi and Santali– being held in memory of late Dr. Stephen B. … Continue reading →

Posted in Activities, Languages and linguistic heritage, Literature - fiction, Santali language and literature, Storytelling, Tribal identity | Comments Off on Tribal Trilingual Short Story Writing Contest – TTSSWC 2021

Video & ePub: “Biodiversity”: Inherited knowledge and its value for modern healthcare & using resources in a sustainable manner – M.S. Swaminathan Research Foundation

Posted on 02/03/2021 by website administrator

Learn from M S Swaminathan – a world renowned scientist – how biological diversity contributes to public health, people’s livelihood and environmental security in addition to food security: his call on Indian citizens to use and share resources in a more … Continue reading →

Posted in Accountability, Adivasi / Adibasi, Anthropology, Biodiversity, Colonial policies, Constitution and Supreme Court, Customs, Eastern region, Ecology and environment, Economy and development, ePub & eJournal, Ethnobotany, Forest Rights Act (FRA), Gandhian social movement, Government of India, Health and nutrition, History, Languages and linguistic heritage, Networking, Organizations, Quotes, Rights of Indigenous Peoples, Success story, Tips, Video resources - external, Wayanad, Western Ghats - tribal heritage & ecology | Comments Off on Video & ePub: “Biodiversity”: Inherited knowledge and its value for modern healthcare & using resources in a sustainable manner – M.S. Swaminathan Research Foundation

Audio | Historical recordings of Santali songs (1931): Arnold Bake’s recordings at Kairabani – Jharkhand

Posted on 22/02/2021 by website administrator

In Kairabani [Arnold Bake] photographed Santali pupils playing their instruments at the mission, but he seems to have been dissatisfied with the sober ambience of the premises. To also have a picture of a Santali musician in a natural environment, … Continue reading →

Posted in Eastern region, History, Languages and linguistic heritage, Misconceptions, Music and dance, Musicology, Names and communities, Organizations, Santali language and literature, Worship and rituals | Tagged | Comments Off on Audio | Historical recordings of Santali songs (1931): Arnold Bake’s recordings at Kairabani – Jharkhand

ePub | Museum of Santal Culture: A Catalogue on Santal Cultural Items – West Bengal

Posted on 19/02/2021 by website administrator

Tips Use the full screen optio for convenient reading Audio (speaking) is available for English text at different speeds To learn more about specific items and their usage, type words like “instrument”, “ornament”, “drum”, “flute”, “puppetry”, “dress”, “ceremony”, “fish” etc. in search … Continue reading →

Posted in Adivasi / Adibasi, Anthropology, Childhood and children, Community facilities, Crafts and visual arts, Cultural heritage, Customs, Dress and ornaments, Eastern region, Economy and development, ePub & eJournal, Fashion and design, Games and leisure time, Homes and utensils, Languages and linguistic heritage, Literature and bibliographies, Museum collections - India, Music and dance, Musicology, Names and communities, Organizations, Performing arts, Photos and slideshows, Puppetry, Revival of traditions, Seasons and festivals, Success story, Tribal identity, Women, Worship and rituals | Tagged | Comments Off on ePub | Museum of Santal Culture: A Catalogue on Santal Cultural Items – West Bengal

Teaching Santal children by Boro Baski

Posted on 27/01/2021 by website administrator

Though India is hit hard by the Covid-19 pandemic, our small cluster of two Adivasi villages in West Bengal has not suffered infections yet. We do feel the economic impacts of course. […] Farm work has continued quietly. To many … Continue reading →

Posted in Adivasi / Adibasi, Assimilation, Childhood and children, Community facilities, Constitution and Supreme Court, Customs, Eastern region, Ecology and environment, Economy and development, Education and literacy, Figures, census and other statistics, Gandhian social movement, Globalization, Government of India, Languages and linguistic heritage, Literature and bibliographies, Modernity, Multi-lingual education, Museum collections - India, Names and communities, Nature and wildlife, Organizations, Photos and slideshows, Quotes, Rural poverty, Seasons and festivals, Social conventions, Success story, Tagore and rural culture, Tribal elders, Video contents, Worship and rituals | Tagged | Comments Off on Teaching Santal children by Boro Baski