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

eBooks | Adivasi literature, a “distinct theme with many new voices”: Bhasha Research and Publication Centre – Gujarat

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Bhasha is not an acronym. The term ‘bhasha’ means in most Indian languages, ‘language’, ‘speech’, ‘definition’ or ‘voice’. Bhasha Research and Publication Centre was founded in 1996 for study, documentation and conservation of Non Scheduled languages not protected by the Constitution of India. In the initial years, Bhasha focused on languages of Adivasi and Nomadic communities, many … Read more

Free eBooks & Magazine by Bhasha Research and Publication Centre: Adivasi literature and languages

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The Indian Constitution recognizes only 22 languages. Of these only two adivasi languages, Santhali and Bodo are included in the Schedule of Languages. As per the 1991 Census there are 96 other languages having at least 10,000 speakers and 263 languages having even fewer speakers. The Non Scheduled languages being largely oral in nature have … Read more

What keeps us together? Working side by side: Rabindranath Tagore’s play “Raktakarabi” & “Vidyasagar-Charit” in Santali translation – Sahitya Akademi

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The Santali translation of Rabindranath Tagore’s Raktakarabi by Dr. Boro Baski was published by the Sahitya Akademi (www.sahitya-akademi.gov.in) in 2016. Free copies are available from ds.sales@sahitya-akademi.gov.in “The Jinn of that dead wealth we invoke. If we can enslave him the whole world lies at our feet.“ – Professor to Nandini (the protagonist puzzled to “see … Read more

Learning from tribal communities’ success stories: “Is it eccentric to live in beautiful scenery in the hills among some of the most charming people in the country?”

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Arunachal Pradesh’s Singchung Bagun Village Community Reserve is winning hearts of the netizens for its novel cause. The reserve built to preserve a rare species of bird was set up after researchers, the Bagun tribe from the state, and the forest department officials joined hands to build this community reserve. […] Later on, forest department … Read more

Tribal communities have a right to collect, use and sell bamboo: “The adivasi is not the enemy of the forests”

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“Today, bamboo is liberated,” proclaimed Union Minister of State for Environment and Forests Jairam Ramesh at a function here on Wednesday, where he handed over to Mendha’s community leader Devaji Tofa a transit pass that would allow the sale and transportation of bamboo within the community. Ever since bamboo was given the status of a … Read more