Similarities and differences between African diasporas in the Americas and those in India: Historical roots and customs of the Siddis – Gujarat, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh and Maharashtra

Sidis [Sidhi] in India are now completely assimilated into local communities. Sidis are settled in Gujarat, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh and Maharashtra. When we think of African diasporas, we think of the Americas and the horrors of the slave trade, of African experiences of disruption and displacement. To most people it comes as a surprise that … Read more

Video | Chenchu hunter-gatherers: An Ethnographic film by Sathya Mohan – Andhra Pradesh

This award-winning ethnographic documentary film made by Sathya Mohan PV, deals with the socio-economic and religious life of the Chenchus, the only Telugu speaking prehistoric hunting-gathering tribe living in the Nallamalai forests of Andhra Pradesh, India. They are a conservative tribal group and have not made many changes in their lifestyle or tried to adapt … Read more

Audio | Celebrating the wisdom of the world’s indigenous cultures: Milton K. Wong Lecture by Wade Davis – Canada

This lecture was recorded for broadcast on Ideas on CBC Radio One. Listen to the full episode (54:00) >> Every culture tries to answer a fundamental question: What does it mean to be human and alive?  In the Milton K. Wong Lecture, anthropologist Wade Davis explores some of the diversity of human culture, and considers what … Read more

Video | Schooling the World – a documentary on the world’s last sustainable indigenous cultures

SCHOOLING THE WORLD takes a challenging, sometimes funny, ultimately deeply troubling look at the role played by modern education in the destruction of the world’s last sustainable indigenous cultures.  The controversial award-winning documentary film, “Schooling the World: the White Man’s Last Burden,” by Emmy and Writers Guild award winning film and television writer/director Carol Black … Read more

Video | Tribal culture and natural resources: The Chota Nagpur (Chotanagpur) plateau of eastern India – Jharkhand

Chota Nagpur [Chotanagpur] plateau is in eastern India, in Jharkhand state. The plateau is composed of Precambrian rocks (more than 540,000,000 years old). Chota Nagpur is the collective name for the Ranchi, Hazaribagh, and Kodarma plateaus, which have an area of 25,293 sq m (65,509 sq km). Its largest division is the Ranchi Plateau, which … Read more