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
The video contains a documentation of Birhor Tribe of Bihar. The Birhor Community, hunting and food gathering tribe of Bihar, Central India. Living in leaf huts called kumbhas, the Birhor maintain their close links with nature and still rely on hunting and food gathering as a mode of subsistence. The film gives glimpses of community … Read more
The Sahitya Akademi (India’s National Academy of Letters) had its Annual Festival of Letters in February 2017, during which the Creation Myth of six tribal groups were narrated and presented in the original languages (Kurukh/ Oraon, Munda, Santali, Kharia, Ho and Biryia/ Asur). Here are two videos that were shown with live-streaming and are available … Read more
“We, the members of South Asian Diaspora located in North America and Europe, desire peace, harmony and good neighborliness among the countries of South Asia, and social justice and economic wellbeing for the people there. We also have a responsibility to make a contribution in these directions. Over the years many of us have been … Read more
The term Irula means being capable of finding one’s path in dark forests, according to an Irula myth | Read the full report in the Times of India here >> Born in nature’s lap, Irulas share a symbiotic relationship with Mother Earth. They reside in the hills of northern Tamil Nadu and are one among the six oldest … Read more
Two novels that capture local history in English translationEach novel is written from a different angle, yet both chronicle the lives of people attached to their land and customs while facing the pressures imposed by mainstream society: one by male Malayalam writer ‘Narayan’ who hails from Kerala’s Malayarayar community; and the other by Rajam Krishnan … Read more