Assimilation

“In contemporary practice, the tribal memory is greatly undermined. There is general insistence that tribal children attend schools where non-tribal children attend schools, that they use medicines manufactured for others and that they adopt common agricultural practices. All because the world has very little time to listen patiently to the tribals, with their immense knowledge and creativity.” – Ganesh [G.N.] Devy in Painted Words: An Anthology of Tribal Literature, quoted by Santali poet, scholar and translator Ivy Imogene Hansdak in “Is tribal identity relevant in today’s world?”, Inaugural Speech, National Conference “Tribes In Transition-II: Reaffirming Indigenous Identity Through Narrative” (2017)
https://www.indiantribalheritage.org/?p=23032

eBook | Preserving the variety of modern India’s communities and cultures in the making of the nation: Nehru’s empathy for “a people who sing and dance”

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Ethnic Life-Worlds in North-East India: An Analysis by Prasenjit Biswas, Chandan Suklabaidy | Learn more here >> Nehru is not only opposed to muting the tribal into submission but is also opposed to majoritarian Hindu chauvinism that aims at creating a homogenized national community. […] For Nehru, the key is to preserve the variety of communities and … Read more

“Indigenous people are at the forefront of the struggle to save the planet”: Defending the guardians of nature

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On a very small scale compared to the widely promoted homogenising mega-schools, [alternative schools] respect diversity and are sensitive to the socio-cultural and political context of the children. […] The National Education Policy of 2020 is silent on the crucial question of integrating Adivasi knowledge. It appears to encourage multilingual education but calls for ‘philanthropic’ … Read more

Tip | How many ‘Scheduled Tribes’ are there in India? And what distinguishes them from other communities? (‘tribal’ or otherwise) – Information provided by the National Commission for Scheduled Tribes

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Source: FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS | National Commission for Scheduled TribesAddress: https://www.ncst.nic.in/ Date Visited: 15 September 2021

Audio & video | Alternatives offered by India’s grassroot movements: Regenerating ecosystems with insights from modernity

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“The world is a living tapestry … As the weave of life is torn apart in one place, the threads unravel in another,” says author and physics professor Vandana Singh, acknowledging humanity’s interconnectedness with the planet — and the uncertain future we face if we don’t protect it. Reading an excerpt from her latest work … Read more

Video | Ainu cultural revival: Maintaining a “critically endangered” language in an ocean of diversity – Japan

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by Sarah W | Read her full blog here >> If you were to ask people to describe “Japan” or “the Japanese” in one word, there’s a pretty good chance that you’d hear one word over and over again: “homogeneous.” The Japanese have long prided themselves on the homogeneity of their nation, and it sure is easy … Read more