“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
Prevalent in the tribal belt of the bordering areas of the provinces of Orissa, Jharkhand and West- Bengal in eastern India. There are three district forms of Chhau: (i) Seraikella Chhau of Jharkhand (ii) Mayurbhanj Chhau of Orissa (iii) Purulia Chhau of West Bengal (i) The dances as mainly come from communities known as Mundas, … Read more
How Tribal Women of Odisha Have Made Farming Organic, Profitable & Life-Changing | Read the full article and view more images >> Basudev Mahapatra, Thebetterindia.com, July 13, 2017 Tribal communities in Sundargarh district of Odisha have revived the traditional practice of growing food without the help of chemical fertilisers and made it viable economically by … Read more
Parimal Hembram reads “Ak’ sar sap tege huyuk’ tena” Translation into English by Antara Dev Sen, published in The Little Magazine, Vol. VII, Issue 3 & 4.: Source: Courtesy Dr. Ivy Hansdak (email 15 November 2017)
Newborns in India have a lesser chance of survival than babies born in Afghanistan and Somalia, according to the latest Global Burden of Disease (GBD) study published in the medical journal The Lancet. In the GBD rankings for healthcare access and quality (HAQ), India has fallen 11 places, and now ranks 154 out of 195 … Read more
UNICEF is collaborating with the government to put together a communication plan for students, parents and community members to ensure all children go back to school once schools reopen. Monika Nielsen, Chief of Field Office, UNICEF, Odisha said, “It is very crucial to ensure children continue to learn even as the schools are closed. The … Read more