“While the danger of extinction looms large over some languages, many other languages have been thriving. For example, Gondi (spoken in Odisha, Chhattisgarh, Maharashtra), Bhili (Maharashtra, Rajasthan, Gujarat), Mizo (Mizoram), Garo and Khasi (Meghalaya) and Kokborok (Tripura) are showing an upward trend because educated people in these communities have started using these languages for writing. They publish poems, write plays and perform them. In some of the languages, even films are being made.” – Abhijit Mohanty in “Seven decades after independence, many tribal languages in India face extinction threat” (Down to Earth, 26 August 2020)
https://www.downtoearth.org.in/blog/governance/seven-decades-after-independence-many-tribal-languages-in-india-face-extinction-threat-73071
https://indiantribalheritage.org/?p=6879
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
Issue 9.1 of Volume 10 of ‘Moving Worlds: A Journal of Transcultural Wiriting’ edited by Shirley Chew http://www.movingworlds.net This issue draws from one segment of the paper presented at the international conference. Chotro (meaning ‘coming together’ in the language of the Bhils of central India), which exmained the position of indigenous peoples of the ‘post’ … Read more
The following are the brief profiles of some of the outstanding Santal writers, poets and storytellers. As Songs and dances are part and parcel of Santal life, naturally, Santals inherited the poetry writing skills as the way they learn to speak and walk. This has led to nurturing of plenty of poets among the Santals. … Read more