Adivasi / Adibasi

“Adivasi [Adibasi] – which is derived from Sanskrit – is applied to the dark-skinned or Austro-Asiatic indigenous groups of India (usually those from Eastern India). It is a commonly-used term in Jharkhand, Bihar, West Bengal and Odisha. It is also used by the local Mongoloid tribes of North Eastern India for the migrant workers who were brought in as indentured labourers to work in tea plantations during the colonial period. ‘Tribal’ is a very broad term in the English language, as we all know, and includes all the different indigenous groups of India.” – Santali poet, scholar and translator Ivy Imogene Hansdak (email dated 27 March 2020)
https://indiantribalheritage.org/?p=23032

Adivasi poetry that “expresses unwillingness and disagreement”: Probing into the culture of the ex-tea garden labourers – Assam

by

On second day of TLF, session on “Young Tribal Writers; Their Themes, Issues and Challenges was organized.” The session was chaired by Prof. Sivashish Biswas, Assam University, Assam. During the session, five speakers talked about the emerging young writers from the tribal communities. Dr. Jamuna Bini gave some accounts of eminent tribal poets and writers beginning … Read more

Infusing the Santhali Element in Schooling by Rina Mukherji

by

[…] “Santhal children are compelled to leave behind the culture they grew up in , whenever they go in for modern education and learning the rudiments of the three r’s. It results in their loss of confidence, and utter confusion as regards their identity. We felt it was important that they studied in the Santhali … Read more

Jaipal Singh and the Adivasi (Adibasi) movement of modern India: A gifted speaker from Chotanagpur – Jharkhand

by

The first report on minority rights, made public in late August 1947, provided for reservation for Untouchables only. Muslims were denied the right, which in the circumstances was to be expected. However, one member [of the Constituent Assembly of India] regretted that ‘the most needy, the most deserving group of adibasis [tribals] has been completely … Read more

Audio | Manasamangal song cycle of the snake goddess, Manasa: A tribal goddess appropriated into the Hindu pantheon – West Bengal & Bangladesh

by

To listen, find “Manasamangal” on the Travelling Archive website, then click the play button (“Listen to a song from this session”) Visit the Travelling Archive website for a larger map and to view more images. The four recordings in this session come from an ongoing project on Manasamangal or the Song Cycle of the Snake Goddess, Manasa, which we have … Read more

Adivasi and related issues affecting indigenous peoples – United Nations

by

In the end, it comes down to values […] We want the world our children inherit to be defined by the values enshrined in the UN Charter: peace, justice, respect, human rights, tolerance and solidarity. – António Guterres, United Nations Secretary-General Source: “About Us”, The United NationsAddress : https://www.un.org/en/about-usDate Visited: 5 August 2023