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

Discussing “modernity and tradition”: Dongria’s rights to their religion, to give or withhold their consent and to choose their own future and livelihood – Odisha

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Excerpt Twelve palli sabhas (tribal gram sabhas) in the Niyamgiri Hills of Orissa covering  the entire 250 sq km area is the sacred abode of Niyamraja, the supreme deity of the 8,000-strong Dongaria Kondh, a primitive tribe, straddling the Kalahandi-Rayagada district divide. The Supreme Court on April 12, 2013, directed that tribal opinion be specifically … Read more

Towards an alternative model of legal service delivery: The “Bilaspur Declaration” in the service of rural and tribal communities – Chhattisgarh

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N. R. Madhava Menon, The Hindu Opinion, December 3, 20 To be able to deliver appropriate legal services to the rural and tribal communities, we need an alternative delivery system with a different model of legal service providers Delivery of legal services to the rich and the corporate class is organised not through individual lawyers … Read more

“Aboriginal people are the true Australians”: Documentary filmmaker and investigative journalist John Pilger – Australia

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Watch the trailer for Emmy and Bafta winning film-maker and journalist John Pilger’s epic new documentary about Australia. Two years in the making, Utopia reveals a shocking national secret behind the postcard image of the “lucky country”. Utopia is released on 15 November in UK cinemas, and then will be broadcast on ITV in December … Read more

Resilience in the face of modernization: India’s Supreme Court protects the Dongria’s right to living in Niyamgiri forests – Odisha

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[…] Twelve Dongria villages have now unanimously voted against Vedanta’s mine during consultations ordered by India’s Supreme Court in April 2013, because their religious, cultural and social rights would be jeopardized if mining were to go ahead. Dongria leader Lodu Sikaka said, ‘Our God lives in open space, you keep your God locked up with … Read more

Tip | Educational resources and information on indigenous customs: Wiki Resource for Indian Biodiversity

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Nelumbo nucifera (Sacred Lotus) – the National Flower of India. Find out more national and state symbols of India here >> We strongly believe that knowledge is the first step towards any kind of change. Thus, we created this Biodiversity Of India website. The BOI website, part of the Project Brahma Initiative, is an open-source, community driven project, much like Wikipedia, where anyone … Read more