Commentary

“Unless we affirm our culture and right and language, we won’t live. Our colour is good, our language is good, our art is good, our way of living is good. If we can respect your religion and your practices, why can’t you respect ours?” – G. Thenadikulam from Wayanad District (Survival International, accessed 21 September 2022)
http://notprimitive.in/not-primitive-info
https://indiantribalheritage.org/?p=22274

The importance of one’s mother-tongue in primary education: Suitable teaching methods and textbooks

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Imagine yourself as a child attending school only to realize that you cannot understand anything said by your teachers (and vice-versa) … Yet this has long been the unenviable situation faced by “tribal” children all over the world including India, a country whose constitution protects the right of children to learn through their mother tongue: Across the region, … Read more

Conserving the forest, medicinal plants, woods and wildlife of Bastar: Customs that reflect religious sentiments while achieving more – Chhattisgarh

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Rashmi Drolia, TNN | Jun 4, 2014, | To read the full story, click here>> RAIPUR: For tribals residing around Boma hill in Chhattisgarh’s Dantewada district in Bastar, it’s sin to climb or step up on this hill and doing so costs the offender Rs 500. In a unique style to conserve environment and pay respect to … Read more

An annual affair prone to hurting the sentiments of those communities it claims to represent: Live models have made a return at the ‘Adivasi Mela’ – Odisha

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Debabrata Mohanty, indianexpress.com, Bhubaneswar, February 2, 2014 Live models have made a return, with an old Santhal tribal standing within his barricaded space playing the musical instrument kendara. | To read the full article, click here >> Two years after the Orissa government drew flak for bringing in around 250 tribals to pose as live models during … Read more

“Nobody lives like their ancestors”: A timely reflection on kings and emperors, state development and conservation – Survival International

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They are not backward, they don’t live like our ancestors, they don’t live like their ancestors, we don’t live like our ancestors, nobody lives like their ancestors, actually a very common mistake Survival Director Stephen Corry commenting on misconceptions as  regards “Tribal peoples” around the world To view his keynote address on February 28, 2014  at the Indigenous Peoples’ Forum, click here >> … Read more

Santal customs and the question of women’s rights vs. ‘punishment’: A commentary by Ruby Hembrom – West Bengal & Jharkhand

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Ruby Hembrom, Times of India, 25 January 2014 | To read the full commentary and understand its context, click here >> KOLKATA: The news of the gang rape as a punishment in Birbhum district was the most horrific piece of news about atrocities of tribals against themselves. We’ve heard of inter-tribal conflicts but here was one … Read more