Cultural heritage

“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

“To be taught in a language other than one’s own has a negative effect on learning”: Teaching experiences with English medium in Adivasi education – Viswa Bharati Vidyodaya & UNESCO

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Tip: https://azimpremjiuniversity.edu.in/SitePages/resources-lc-issue-7-august-2020-multilingual-context.aspx It is a complex issue. Something we have been grappling with over the years. Ideally linguistic diversity must be protected at all costs. But pragmatically, in our increasing globalised world restricting people to their own language when only a few speak the language can be very limiting. This is especially true for tribals. … Read more

Toda embroidery: an ancient art thriving in the Nilgiris – Tamil Nadu

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The ancient Toda community people are the residents of Nilgiris that means ‘Blue Mountains’, popularly known as Ooty. Nilgiris is the abode of many interesting tribes and prominent among them are Todas, Kotas, Kurumbas, Irulas, Mullukurumbas and Paniyans. These Todas are said to be of pastoral community and speak Toda language, belonging to Dravidian family … Read more

Members of the Kaani (Kani) community “guardian angels” of the Karamana river (Western Ghats) – Kerala

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Achuthsankar S. Nair | To read the full story, click here >> Unlike city residents who pollute the water, tribal communities upstream revere the river History is often the story of kings, ministers, chieftains and landlords. The story of ordinary human beings who also lived around them at the same time is very often not … Read more

Creativity based on tribal tradition, “one of the pillars of Indian culture”: Tribal sammelan at Hampi Kannada University – Karnataka

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Writer and former Vice-Chancellor of Hampi Kannada University Chandrashekhar Kambar said on Saturday that the Government should take help from sympathetic scholars belonging to tribal communities in understanding the needs and problems of tribal people. He was presiding over the inauguration of the two-day second tribal sammelan, organised by the Hampi Kannada University, District Administration … Read more

“Lessons that can teach us about humanity itself”: Collective and dignified survival celebrated at the Dongria Kondhs’ seed festival – Odisha

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There will always be a seed for everyone | To read the full article and view more photos, click here >> In the early summer month of April, around the magnificent Niyamgiri range in southern Odisha, the desi mango trees are already fruiting and mahua flowers have begun to blossom. Soon Kondh women will squeeze out the … Read more