Tribal languages face extinction as “young people want to be part of the mainstream culture” – Uttarakhand

Excerpts from The Telegraph, Calcutta, Sunday , July 25 , 2010Death of a languageJad, a tribal language in Uttarakhand, is slowly going extinct. Hemchhaya Detravels to the tribe’s remote habitat and explains how many native languages around the world are dwindling under the onslaught of globalisationNarayan Singh Negi, leader of the Rong Ba tribe, in the … Read more

JAGWAR Santal Literary Meet 2013: Johar HRD Centre, Dumka – Jharkhand

SANTAL ONOLIA HELMEL 2013 Introduction: For centuries, a large proportion of India’s rich literary heritage was conserved in oral form in the tribal/ indigenous/ adivasi languages of India. After these tribal languages were reduced to script form in the nineteenth century, their oral traditions were documented and preserved as folklore. But as these communities were … Read more

Garo winter harvest festival: creating cultural awareness, generating employment – Meghalaya

The Garo tribe of Western Meghalaya celebrates the winter harvest with a three-day festival. Pheroze L. Vincent watches the Garos climb oiled poles, burst into war cries, and perform dances inspired by crabs and swaying plants. Appearances are deceptive. The mobile phones of bus conductors play Bob Dylan and Eminem booms in the Mi Dokan … Read more

Adivasi (people) – Britannica Online Encyclopedia

Adivasi, ( Hindi: “Original Inhabitants”) official name (in India) Scheduled Tribes,  any of various ethnic groups considered to be the original inhabitants of the Indian subcontinent. The term is used primarily in India and Bangladesh. In the constitution of India, promulgated in 1950, most of these groups were listed—or scheduled—as targets for social and economic development. Since … Read more

Collaborative workshops and showcasing storytelling traditions during the 3-day Festival of Indigenous Storytellers 2012 – Darjeeling

The 3rd Confluence, Festival of Indigenous Storytellers, Darjeeling 2012 The 3rd Confluence, Festival of Indigenous Storytellers, 2012 is being organised at Darjeeling and we cordially invite all those who love storytelling and find in it a window to understand the disappearing worlds of indigenous communities in their traditional essence through their stories. The 3-day event … Read more