Customs

“We have a song for every situation. We feel money takes away from the enjoyment of life. But to earn a livelihood, people have to learn other languages.” – Santal teacher Pada Murmu interviewed by Nandini Nair (OPEN Magazine, 13 January 2017)
https://openthemagazine.com/features/dispatch/santali-talking-time/
https://indiantribalheritage.org/?p=21581

Reviving tattoos: An integral way of life for ages – Manipur

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Tattooing the face, maybe a style fad today, but for certain tribal and indigenous people in the far North East of the country, such tattoos have been a integral way of life for ages. And now, a 27-year-old Naga youth from Manipur is working to revive and give a new form to the traditional tattooing … Read more

Ancestors, social values and clan practices: Cultural identity transmitted through the weaves of the North-East – Seven Sister States

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Folklore, myths and handloom Hidden within the colour, weave and design of tribal textiles are many legends If you were to look beyond the visible landscape of a weave, you would find myriad stories hidden in the colours and designs—tales about human creation, magical deities and kindred forest spirits. These patterns offer tangible evidence of legends … Read more

What Adivasis themselves have to say: Reflections on life, religion, politics, the past, the present, and the world around them – Tamil Nadu

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Reams have been written about adivasis by so-called experts. Much of it is subjective interpretation, an exercise I have always been wary of indulging in. For this issue, therefore, my husband Stan and I recorded reflections of different adivasis on how they view life, their religion, politics, the past, the present and the world around … Read more

Anthropological Museum in Mysore – Karnataka

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Anthropological MuseumManav Bhawan, BogadiMysore, Karnataka Anthropological Survey of Indiawww.ansi.gov.in The Anthropological Museum is a treasure trove of objects and weapons used by the South Indian communities, primarily the tribal communities, of India. Established in 1965 by the Anthropological Survey of India, the museum has over 1,000 exhibits collected from the tribal and ethnic groups of … Read more

eJournal | “Environmental groups and movements have been at the forefront of efforts to democratize state institutions”

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[…] In India, as elsewhere, colonialism is “first, foremost and always” about land. As in North America and Africa, the policing of reserve forests has often resulted in what amounts to ethnic cleansing, with Indigenous peoples being evicted from their homelands for the benefit of the tourism industry and its urban, middle-class clients. Displaced Adivasis … Read more