Music & dance

“Within villages around Dang [Gujarat], traditional instruments and artists are waning. Cultural music and dance forms among the adivasis have evolved over centuries. Beautified by elements and nuances of their surroundings, these forms depict their very lifestyles. Played for hours together in the same tempo, music is an integral part of celebrations and mourning. […] Each instrument has a purpose and belief related to it.” – Ashleshaa Khurana in “The ailing art of adivasi music” (Times of India, 30 January 2014)
https://indiantribalheritage.org/?p=13780

“Indigenous Peoples and Environmental Ethics” – The Kaani (Kani) community of Tamil Nadu and Kerala

by

By Davidson Sargunam Indigenous peoples are ethnic groups native to a land or region. Usually they have a close relation to the land and live in consonance with nature. They believe that land and people are inseparable and interdependent. It is this aspect of their lifestyle-the intertwining of their lives with their natural surrounding that are a subject of fascination to modern man.  Today … Read more

“We are so much more than that”: Book by S. Swarnalatha documenting the lives her own community, the Irula, who are known for their knowledge of nature and medicinal herbs – Tamil Nadu & Kerala

by

“My grandmother told me if someone ever pointed out our dance movements are peculiar, we should tell them these are the feline steps of a hunter” | To read the full story, click here >> Swarnalatha belongs to the tribal Irula community, known for their snake-catching skills. “We are so much more than that. We … Read more

Tip | Santal history and customs explained by the Daricha Foundation – West Bengal and Jharkhand

by

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

Video | “Reviving the Huka Banam”: A Workshop in support of Santal instrumental music (Daricha Foundation) – West Bengal

by

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

Audio | The Muria and Maria Gonds of Madhya Pradesh – audio examples and information

by

Audio samples and details: Smithsonian >> Tribal Music of India: The Muria and Maria Gonds of Madhya PradeshCULTURE GROUP(S) Maria; MuriaRECORD LABEL Folkways Records 1983Various Artists FW04028 A buffalo-horn trumpet, the hakum, announces the joyful harvest festival and varying types of drums called mandri, kotoloka and kundir take over. A group of women chant antiphonally … Read more