Names & communities

Communities with populations spread across state/linguistic borders are often known by different names by local authorities while “some of these communities figure in various classifications in the states” according to the National Commission for Denotified, Nomadic and Semi-Nomadic Tribes: “There are many anomalies in terms of identification of these communities, from state to state. Many people also do not know what is denotified tribe and which authority is looking after their grievances. […] In some states they are called ‘tribal settlers’. In some states they are called ‘hidden tribes’ etc.” – Bibek Debroy in “An unfortunate legacy” (Indian Express, 5 January 2017)
https://indianexpress.com/article/opinion/columns/crime-criminal-act-racial-discrimination-non-bailable-offence-criminal-tribes-act-an-unfortunate-legacy-4459258/
https://indiantribalheritage.org/?p=12284

An annual affair prone to hurting the sentiments of those communities it claims to represent: Live models have made a return at the ‘Adivasi Mela’ – Odisha

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Debabrata Mohanty, indianexpress.com, Bhubaneswar, February 2, 2014 Live models have made a return, with an old Santhal tribal standing within his barricaded space playing the musical instrument kendara. | To read the full article, click here >> Two years after the Orissa government drew flak for bringing in around 250 tribals to pose as live models during … Read more

Santal customs and the question of women’s rights vs. ‘punishment’: A commentary by Ruby Hembrom – West Bengal & Jharkhand

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Ruby Hembrom, Times of India, 25 January 2014 | To read the full commentary and understand its context, click here >> KOLKATA: The news of the gang rape as a punishment in Birbhum district was the most horrific piece of news about atrocities of tribals against themselves. We’ve heard of inter-tribal conflicts but here was one … Read more

Video | Adivaani at TEDxXLRI: Ruby Hembrom on professional publishing and self-expression by Adivasis in the modern world – Jharkhand & West Bengal

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A presentation by Ruby Hembrom, co-founder of Adivaani (Kolkata); the first independently organized TED Talk held at the Xavier School of Management (Jamshedpur) Published on Apr 19, 2014 When Ruby joined a publishing course in April 2012, she soon realised that the tribal voice was missing from the popular discourse. The disappointment spawned the idea of setting up … Read more

Video | Finding a place for Adivasi folktales on the bookshelves: Adivaani – West Bengal

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Duration: 4:51 | More news on Adivaani >> This is a story of three friends in Kolkata coming together and saving a culture and its heritage from extinction. Ruby Hembrom quit her job as an IT professional to take to promoting the folktales of Adivasis a place on the bookshelves. Here is the inspiring and heartening … Read more

Tip | Stories well told and images worth viewing: India’s tribal customs portrayed on fountainink.in

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To read this and other stories, and also to view more photographs, click here >> Murali Maash went to the remote forests of Edamalakkudy as a teacher. He’s still there today, a living legend among the Muthuvan tribals. […] A cluster of 28 tribal settlements (two of which are uninhabited) scattered in the 106.19 sq km reserve forest area … Read more