Pulayar community – Kerala, Karnataka & Tamil Nadu

The Pulayar, also Pulaya, or Pulayas or Holeya or Cheramar, are one of the main social groups found in Kerala, Karnataka and in historical Tamil Nadu or Tamilakam Traditions Their marriage rituals were described by Edgar Thurston. Nowadays many of these customs have fallen into disuse. Traditionally women of this caste are more independent compared … Read more

Mundari, Oraon and Chik-Baraik dances: “Living together, keeping their dances distinct” – Jharkhand

A scholar pursuing his PhD in Ranchi University has captured the diverse beats of Jharkhand’s tribal dances in an academic study. Titled “Peculiarities of Folk Dances of Tribes in Jharkhand”, Sunil Baraik’s work on the rarely touched subject will be published by Indian Folklore Support Centre, Chennai. “It’s a booklet that should find readers among … Read more

Video | Festivals offer women the freedom to dance and play games – Goa

<br>In Goa, India, tribal women celebrate a religious festival with dancing and games. In his video today, Devidas shows us the sparkle that fun, games and dancing bring to the tribal women of his community. <a href=”http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sy83wAUEWts”>Read more</a> >></p> By VideoVolunteers Source: “Tribal Festival Celebrates Femininity” by Devidas Gaonkar (Community Correspondent) – YouTube Address : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sy83wAUEWts … Read more

Educational package for children of the Kadar community: Initiating children into formal education easily – Kerala & Tamil Nadu

An educational package for pre-primary children of the Kadar tribe incorporating their own language [has been] distributed in 22 anganwadis [in July 2012]. Dr. Amitha Bachan, the man behind the project says that it will help initiate the children into formal education easily They are not like any other children. These kids of the primitive … Read more

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

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