Worship & rituals

“Bomman thatha told me that our gods live in stones, big rocks and trees. We won’t cut aal maram (Ficus religiosa) because gods will be in that tree. Even the water in the area around the tree should be used neatly and not destroyed. In our community our god Ajji (grandmother) lives in Ellamalai mountain. She is also called Thrithri Eributham. […] Before fishing or taking tubers, we will pray to god and only then we will take it.” – Wildlife conservationist Ramesh in “Bomman thatha and his forest”, a conversation with his grandfather on “bonding between adivasi people and the forest” (At the Edge of Existence, 29 October 2014)
https://cultureandconservation.wordpress.com/2014/10/29/bomman-thatha-and-his-forest/
https://indiantribalheritage.org/?p=8262

“Extraordinary examples of good governance”: Call for a new social contract – International Day of the World’s Indigenous People (9 August) – United Nations

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Leaving no one behind: Indigenous peoples and the call for a new social contract There are over 476 million indigenous peoples living in 90 countries across the world, accounting for 6.2 per cent of the global population. Indigenous peoples are the holders of a vast diversity of unique cultures, traditions, languages and knowledge systems. They … Read more

Tip | Opportunities to appreciate India’s tribal cultural heritage from different angles: Visit one of India’s many museum collections

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Please note: India has far more museums and archives with “tribal collections” than can be shown here. Smaller collections are rarely advertised in tourist brochures or on the internet yet accessible by appointment (e.g. anthropology departments and research institutions). Collections and documentations of musical instruments are also found in the premises of the Sangeet Natak Akademi (New Delhi), exhibitions at some of the Zonal Cultural Centres (Government of India), and in … Read more

Tribal voices worth listening to: On culture, land rights, employment, education and indigenous languages – Andaman, Kerala & Odisha

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“Unless we affirm our culture and right and language, we won’t live. Our colour is good, our language is good, our art is good, our way of living is good. If we can respect your religion and your practices, why can’t you respect ours?” – G. Thenadikulam, Wayanad District “We say, ‘you don’t have to … Read more

Learn more about tribal communities in Telangana

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Banjara Embroidery and Needle works are made extensively by the nomads of Telangana. […] [T]he popular tribe of Banjaras moved towards the Deccan Plateau in South India in 17th century during the reign of Aurangzeb, a Mughal Emperor. They are now widely spread over Deccan Plateau, and they live in small villages which are known … Read more

India is losing farmers: “Rural India will be history” – Scheduled tribes census figures

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According to the Census of 2011, the ST population in India was 104.5 million, accounting for 8.63 percent of the total population of the country. | Learn more >> Source: Foreword by Dr. S. Parasuraman in “Tribal Sub-Plan in Maharashtra: A Diagnostic Study” (TATA Institute of Social Sciences, Mumbai supported by Unicef Maharashtra, December 2015)URL: … Read more