Misconceptions

“The adivasi has always been described as a figure of pity by mainstream writers. But there is a group of tribal writers, who, through their literature, are giving an answer to the questions raised on their identity.” – Jitendra Vasava, a lecturer at Adivasi Academy, Tejgadh (Indian Express, 28 February 2010)
http://archive.indianexpress.com/news/symposium-held-on-gujarat-tribal-literature/585310
https://indiantribalheritage.org/?p=6304

eJournal | “Folk practitioners are an integral part of one of India’s many local cultures”: New light on a wide spectrum of Traditional Indian Medicine (TIM)

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Maarten Bode, “Traditional Indian Medicine (TIM) is not just Ayurveda” in IIAS Newsletter (International Institute for Asian Studies) | No.70 | Spring 2015, p. 47 The manifesto in the Focus section ‘Theorizing Heritage’ (the Newsletter #69) gives me the opportunity to discuss the political nature of narrowing the many forms of contemporary Traditional Indian Medicine … Read more

Video | In search of new tools to rediscover First Nations culture: Popular music that connects American and Canadian artists – Canada

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Montreal film director Mathieu Favreau’s most recent video on Canadian native rapper Daybi is a tribute to the artist and his community. Currently residing with his son on the Kahnawake Mohawk reserve on the outskirts of Montreal, Daybi grew up in Vancouver and Winnipeg, where he began rapping at an early age. His music brought … Read more

“Take up the Green cause”: Kalakshetra has demonstrated the scope for creating an artificial forest with a wide variety of flora and fauna – Tamil Nadu

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A Tamil couplet from Kannappar Kuravanji of Thozuvoor Markanda Naavalar I meditate on the divine forces of the wilderness, to whom the forest rituals are offered. O Mannaru Saami, O Mother Maari, Chamundi, Irulan, Sangile Karuppan – Your though delights me. Quoted from Pidhana – The Canopy of Life (Chennai, 2014, ISBN: 978-81-921627-3-7). This richly illustrated publication tells the story of the … Read more

Bringing order into the passing stream of image and experience: Adivasi art as “collective heritage”

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BY J. SWAMINATHAN  (excerpts from pp. 119-126, India International Centre Quarterly, Vol. 19, No. 1/2) To presume that Adivasi artists lack the sense of perspective because of mental deficiency or the technical incapacity of ‘proper’ representation is to insult both intelligence and art. Moreover to think that the primitive is not aware of the sense … Read more

JAGWAR Santal Literary Meet 2015 (14-15 February) focusing on “individual and collective memories of loss”: Johar HRD Centre, Dumka – Jharkhand

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“Memory is a tricky thing: it picks and chooses what to preserve and what to discard. Sometimes it is the trivial that triggers the process of remembering a great loss.” – Temsula Ao, These Hills Called Home       Concept Note Last year, Jagwar-1: Santal Literary Meet 2013 had been held with the objective of bringing … Read more