“Santiniketan is in many ways a pioneering step in the field of education and rural reconstruction. Located in the heart of nature amongst Hindu, Muslim, and Santali villages which were in ‘serious decline’ despite a rich cultural heritage, the school, from almost its beginning aimed to combine education with a sense of obligation towards the larger civic community.” – UNESCO World Heritage Centre website
https://whc.unesco.org/en/tentativelists/5495/
https://indiantribalheritage.org/?p=4348
Marriage Reception A Santal marriage takes five days and involves various, often complex, rituals. On the day of the Gidi-chumara (Marriage Reception) the women arrive to bless the bride and groom with grass and grains of rice which are kept in a basket. The high wooden turmeric crusher called akhur (on the right) indicates that … Read more
Priyamvada Gopal on the rights of indigenous peoples (Adivasi in India): Colonialiality is a dynamic we need to be alert for as much in the present even within so-called independent, decolonized countries [quote from 31:30 onwards] Listen to the full episode including an interview with author Priyamvada Gopal (53:59) on CBC radio >> Priyamvada Gopal’s … Read more
The Yerukulas were first criminalised by the British and forced into a ‘reformatory’ colony named ‘Stuartpuram’ in 1913. P. Samuel Jonathan reports on the tragic history of a community devastated by colonial prejudice and tracks their struggle to reclaim a life of dignity. | Read the full story >> The Yerukulas were originally traders of grain and salt … Read more
ASHOKA, ELEPHANT BOY, Age 17Excerpts from Mother India’s Children by Edward Rice Sometimes India reminds me of the ocean. It looks like one great undifferentiated mass of people, like so many identical waves. To the tourists who jump from Calcutta to the Taj Mahal in Agra and then to Bombay, it is. All Indians look … Read more
There’s much to learn from the positive contributions made by tribal communities on a daily basis. To start with, let’s learn from insiders and others who have dedicated their lives to ensuring that a precious heritage will continue to make a difference to people from all backgrounds – all over India and even beyond: “[I]t … Read more