Two novels on West Ghat tribal cultural heritage: Changing perceptions of land and its ownership – Kerala & Tamil Nadu

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

Tribal villages, artisans and modern art – Chhattisgarh

India Today, July 14, 2011 Tribal villagesIt is truly an enriching human experience to visit a tribal village. Generally these picturesque villages of mud huts painted bright blue, and paths marked by artistic wooden fences, are some way off the highway.You can hire a car and a local guide, such as Harihar Vaishnav from Kondagaon, to … Read more

Adivasi societies – a heterogeneous set of ethnic and tribal groups in South Asia

Adivasi (a Hindi word that literally means the original inhabitants) is a term for a heterogeneous set of ethnic and tribal groups believed to be the aboriginal population of India. Adivasi societies are present in India, Nepal, Bangladesh, Bhutan and other South Asian nations. Adivasi is officially recognized by the Indian government as “Scheduled Tribes” … Read more

Video | Growing interest in rural and tribal culture: Where men, women and children dance together on many occasions

Sample from the search results for “santal dance video”: Women and men practicing  “Santal Folk Dance” together in a public park – Published by ansigovin on Nov 2, 2012 “Traditional Dance in South Asia” by Rolf Killius Dance and music are the oldest and most original art forms in the world and especially numerous and developed in South Asia. Thus … Read more

“Where art imitates life”: Gond artists recognized – Madhya Pradesh

Gond tribal painting is an integral part of tribal festivities, rituals, and day-to-day living When one lives amidst nature, one’s life is the life of nature, one’s thoughts are the thoughts of the birds, deer and the rivers and one’s expressions are full of nature’s form and gestures. The exhibition of Gond tribal paintings from … Read more