Tribal identity

“While benefiting from affirmative action in some cases, Adivasis or indigenous people in India also feel the claustrophobic confines of their identity which has been imposed on them by others, be it the colonial administrator, the colonial anthropologist, the missionary or the neo-liberal, neo-imperialist forces that rule global economy today.” – Santali poet, scholar and translator Ivy Imogene Hansdak  in “Is tribal identity relevant in today’s world?”, Inaugural Speech, National Conference “Tribes In Transition-II: Reaffirming Indigenous Identity Through Narrative” (2017)
https://indiantribalheritage.org/?p=23032

Forests mean different things to different people: Biologists and conservationists, strategic planners and tribal people – Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand & Odisha

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Forests mean different things to different people, for biologists and conservationists, an ecosystem has to adhere to certain scientific norms to qualify it as a forest. For strategic planners, forests are “an administrative category implying a desired land use” whether or not trees are included, but it is useful in making claims to “extend the … Read more

Video | Colourful “Rignai and Risa”: Garments woven by women from all tribal communities – Tripura

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During the month of Karthik and Agrahayana, when the crop is harvested tribal women use to spent their leisure hours by making handloom cloths. The very colourful attires of Tribal women are Rignai and Risa. The women wear Rignai at the lower portion of their body while the Risa is used for covering the upper … Read more

A historical plea to ‘secure the advancement of the tribals without disturbing the essential harmony of their life and secure their integration without imposition’: Scheduled Areas and Scheduled Tribes Commission – Government of India

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Indians are truly rooted in an ethos of living in harmony with their land. There was a time when the Indian subcontinent was carpeted in green… watered by glacial rivers, blessed by rolling hills and productive grasslands, lush rainforests and wave-kissed mangroves. All creatures, great and small, found niches here and thrived. Varied cultures were … Read more

eLearning | Native Roots, Greener Futures: Walking the Kálhaculture Way (free course)

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Now live! Native Roots, Greener Futures: Walking the Kálhaculture Way. Our course is free for teens, their families and educators. Learn about climate change, indigenous wisdom and how to become an activist scholar in your community. If you are a parent or educator interested in a quality learning experience about the environment indigenous knowledge, traditional agriculture, mindfulness, … Read more

The uniqueness of Pithora art and the jewellery: Creative expressions of Bhil and Bhilala communities – Madhya Pradesh

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Be it the depiction of countryside, weddings, festivals or celebrations – Pithora art, made by tribals of Aadharkaanch in Alirajpur district of Madhya Pradesh, celebrates different realities of rural living. The paintings are usually canvased on cloth, paper, card boards and walls with natural and synthetic colors. Traditionally, Pithora like every other form of painting originated … Read more