Seasons & festivals

“Our boys and girls get an opportunity to set their eyes upon each other during the dance of the Dandari. They also get to interact a little before they can mutually agree to take the matter to the next step. […] As per our customs and traditions the youngsters enjoy liberty in many aspects. It is rare that a selection made during the Dandari-Ghusadi [dance festival] phase gets cancelled.” – Patel of Bandeyer Atram Sone Rao (Telangana), quoted in “Adivasis dance their way to a girl’s heart” (The Hindu, 29 October 2016)
https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/telangana/Adivasis-dance-their-way-to-a-girl’s-heart/article16085049.ece
https://indiantribalheritage.org/?p=22436

Tribal Research and Development Institute (Bhopal): A ‘nodal’ centre in support of tribal culture – Madhya Pradesh, Himachal Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan & Chhattisgarh

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Activities The Institute has carried out extensive ethnographic studies on the tribes of Madhya Pradesh and maintains a rich database in its documentation centre. Evaluation and impact assessment studies of schemes of the government related to development and empowerment of the scheduled tribes, are undertaken. The Institute apprises the government of its findings on the … Read more

Video | “Dark night”: The story behind the Santali song Nut ninda kadam kadam

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By Boro Baski Sorhae parab is also the time to remember the bygone days and to feel nostalgic. When the women of the village return to their parents’ home from their husband’s village with their children they not only renew their love and relationship with their kins at home but also with their childhood friends. … Read more

Video | Santal flute played by Gokul Hansda: Reviving traditional culture in Santal villages around Santiniketan – West Bengal

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Gokula Hansda – Santal bamboo flute (Har tiriyo) Gokula Hansda is a Santal educator and co-founder of Kulhidhuri, an organization devoted to preserving and reviving traditional Santal culture. Its members collect and sing traditional Santal songs at festivals throughout West Bengal, Jharkhand and Bihar. They wish to re-establish these songs as part of the informal education of … Read more

eJournal | Special issue dedicated to the study of tribal culture in India (open access) – Asian Ethnology

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Kondagaon Dance Competition 2004 from Asian Ethnology on Vimeo. Editors’ Note Frank J. Korom (Boston University) & Benjamin Dorman (Nanzan Institute for Religion and Culture), 28 September 2014, Nagoya, Japan This year we bring you a special double issue dedicated to the study of tribal culture in India. Some of our readers might wonder why we … Read more

The Sohrai harvest festival of the Santals: Photos and customs explained by the Daricha Foundation – West Bengal and Jharkhand

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The harvest festival of Sohrai is the biggest and most important festival of the Santals. During this festival, Santals pay homage to their gods and their ancestors as a thanksgiving for their crops, their cattle, their ploughs and everything that has helped them attain this harvest. | To read the full article and view more … Read more