“We want our young generation to be rooted in our specific culture and to have good opportunities to take their fate into their own hands. Using our language is essential. What alphabet we use in school, matters less. We tell our students about Ol-chiki [the Santali alphabet invented in 1925 and one of India’s 22 official languages since 2004] – encouraging, but not forcing them to learn it.”– Boro Baski in “The pros and cons of Ol-chiki” (D+C Development and Cooperation, e-Paper April 2021)
https://www.dandc.eu/sites/default/files/pdf_files/dc_2021-04.pdf
https://indiantribalheritage.org/?p=21581
Click on the image to view the slideshow and read more Many tribal peoples have an encyclopaedic knowledge of native animals, plants and herbs; the Yanomami, for example, use around 500 species of plants on a daily basis. The Yali people of West Papua excel as ecologists, and recognize at least 49 varieties of the … Read more
The Santals, a proto-Austroloid racial group, are the largest tribe in West Bengal accounting for more than 50% of the state`s tribal population. Other than West Bengal, their major concentration is in the states of Bihar, Jharkhand, Odisha and Tripura. In Assam, they are not classified separately as a tribe and their lot is clubbed … Read more
Sohrai – The First Day The most important festival of the Santals is called Sohrai. It is the Harvest Festival celebrated after the rice harvest in early January. The celebrations stretch over several days. The first day is Um hiloah. Every family contributes half a kilo of rice, a young chicken, salt, turmeric powder, potatoes, … Read more
The Huka Banam has been a Santal tradition, particularly in Purulia and Bankura. However, this ancient instrument is gradually becoming extinct and there are just a handful of practitioners left today. This workshop was organized as an initial step towards stemming the decline. © 2016 Daricha Foundation. Workshop, Purulia Source: :: Reviving the Huka BanamAddress: https://www.daricha.org/videoplay.aspx?ID=119Date … Read more