Category Archives: Santali language and literature

“For decades, the Ol-chiki alphabet, which was invented [by Raghunath Murmu in 1925] to represent the Santali language, was largely irrelevant. That changed in the late 1970s. […] In 2004, Santali became one of India’s 22 official languages. […] As more teachers are trained to teach in Santali and more textbooks with Ol-chiki writing appear, educational results will improve. Moreover, there is scope for publishing the same Santali text in more than one script.” –  Boro Baski in “The pros and cons of Ol-chiki” (D+C Development and Cooperation, e-Paper April 2021)
https://www.dandc.eu/sites/default/files/pdf_files/dc_2021-04.pdf
https://indiantribalheritage.org/?p=21581

“Santali is not a dead language in the first place so it does not need to be ‘revived’! […] Santali (Santhali) is one of the two tribal languages that have been recognized as official languages.” – Santal scholar Ivy Imogene Hansdak (Jamia Millia Islamia University New Delhi, 13 January 2017)
https://indiantribalheritage.org/?p=21604

“Mostly, these tribals have been portrayed as the objects of analysis, hunger-stricken and uncivilized. Consequently, the socio-political mainstream that is unaccustomed to accept them as civilized human beings, tries to subjugate them. They agree to accept them as their ally only at the cost of their betrayal to their identity. The available literature of Santhals is the demonstration of the voices of the people struggling to liberate themselves from the clutches of varied suppressions that problematize the very essence of their identity. Taking characters from every stratum, Santhali writers are enriching Tribal literature and foregrounding the unmapped realm of Santhal community.” – Abstract by Teresa Tudu (“Tribes In Transition” conference 2017)
https://indiantribalheritage.org/?p=25135

“Santali language and the music are the two important life lines for the existence of the Santal tribe in the modern world, and it has helped me to reconnect with the socio-cultural life of my village and retain my Santal mentality.” – Boro Baski in “Gai Gupi Kada Gupi: The story behind the song” (April 2021)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5SyRGJHepbc 
https://indiantribalheritage.org/?p=42269