Video resources – external

Adivasi rice beer – ceremonial drinking vs bondage caused by strong liquor

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Adivasis and alcohol Historically, ‘pioneers’ of ‘civilized’ dominant (‘mainstream’ is politically incorrect) society have used alcohol to enslave and destroy the indigenous communities they invaded. Like exploitative marauders, they credited themselves with finding ‘new’ lands, sweepingly declaring them Terra Nullis (occasionally even classifying indigenous people as ‘fauna’, making it legal to hunt them). I recently read … Read more

Video | Deepor Beel: A wetland protected by Karbi customs or rituals that give importance to the environment – Assam

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Deepor Beel is a wetland situated in Assam inhabited mostly by tribal people along with their distinct folklore and practices. One thousand and two hundred families of 14 indigenous villages around Deepor Beel depend directly or indirectly on the wetland’s natural resources for their livelihood. The main inhabitants around the Deepor Beel site are the … Read more

The Asurs’ remembrance of their ancestors: A ‘particularly vulnerable’ tribal group – Bihar, Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh & West Bengal

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Chamru is an Asur, a ‘particularly vulnerable tribal group’ that dominates Sakhuapani’s population of about 2,000 and lives in villages spread over a radius of 10 to 20 km. Besides Jharkhand, members of the tribe live in pockets of Bihar, West Bengal and a few other states. The 2011 Census put the number of Asurs at … Read more

Santal music and the bamboo flute of Pannalal Ghosh – West Bengal

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Audio contents on YouTube “For centuries, Santhals, spread across West Bengal, Jharkhand and Bihar, have nurtured culture and heritage. Some of the finest music and art traditions originated in this tribe and went on to influence people like Pannalal Ghosh and Kazi Nazrul Islam.”  The Hindu (Friday Review), 23 April 2015 >> References to the … Read more

Video | Colourful “Rignai and Risa”: Garments woven by women from all tribal communities – Tripura

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During the month of Karthik and Agrahayana, when the crop is harvested tribal women use to spent their leisure hours by making handloom cloths. The very colourful attires of Tribal women are Rignai and Risa. The women wear Rignai at the lower portion of their body while the Risa is used for covering the upper … Read more