Dongria Kondh

The Alluri Sitarama Raju Memorial Tribal Museum: Commemorating the leader of the Rampa Rebellion – Andhra Pradesh

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The sprawling Shilparamam Jatara at Madhurawada, which is slowly drawing tourists and visitors, has an added attraction from Friday — a diorama on the life of legendary freedom fighter and leader of tribal uprising in Rampa Alluri Sitarama Raju. The narrative of the legendary freedom fighter’s life, right from as a boy, when he was … Read more

Tip | Brill’s Encyclopedia of the Religions of the Indigenous People of South Asia

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This encyclopedia addresses the religions of a category of South Asians known as tribals, Ādivāsīs (“First Inhabitants”; or Janajātis, lit. “Class of People”; see also below), and, more recently, indigenous peoples. The three terms, “tribal,” “Ādivāsī,” and “indigenous peoples” are related, but have their own trajectories; they have come into use at different times and … Read more

“Lessons that can teach us about humanity itself”: Collective and dignified survival celebrated at the Dongria Kondhs’ seed festival – Odisha

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There will always be a seed for everyone | To read the full article and view more photos, click here >> In the early summer month of April, around the magnificent Niyamgiri range in southern Odisha, the desi mango trees are already fruiting and mahua flowers have begun to blossom. Soon Kondh women will squeeze out the … Read more

An annual affair prone to hurting the sentiments of those communities it claims to represent: Live models have made a return at the ‘Adivasi Mela’ – Odisha

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Debabrata Mohanty, indianexpress.com, Bhubaneswar, February 2, 2014 Live models have made a return, with an old Santhal tribal standing within his barricaded space playing the musical instrument kendara. | To read the full article, click here >> Two years after the Orissa government drew flak for bringing in around 250 tribals to pose as live models during … Read more

Tribal Museum Bhubaneswar: Founded as a “Museum of Man” to promote tribal development – Odisha

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Pravukalyan Mohapatra, Orissa Review * September – October – 2005 | Read the full article >>

Museum of tribal arts and artifacts in Bhubaneswar has opened up a new vista into the future direction of Orissa’s tribal economy and culture. It would usher in a cultural renaissance in the State. The aim of setting up this museum is not only to help preserve tribal cultures from extinction but also to promote appreciation of a better understanding of tribal development vis-a-vis culture. It is in a way, an acceptance of the fact that no more can we afford casual approach to the life and living of our tribal brethren. Rather, we have to be more pragmatic and practical towards them than ever before.

The idea of setting up a tribal museum in SCSTRTI (Scheduled Cast and Scheduled Tribes Research and Training Institute) located at C.R.P.F. square, Bhubaneswar was originally conceived in 1987, but materialised on March 5, 2001. The exhibits of the museum represent the elementary human cultural values that had shaped our past, are determining our present and will be guiding our future. So the Museum of Tribal Arts and Artifacts can be conceptually labelled as “Museum of Man”. In common parlance, “Museum of Man” means an integrated institution which disseminates knowledge covering the human species in its totality. […]

This museum has approximately 1900 displayed tribal artifacts in five halls. They exhibit dresses and ornaments, dhokra items, dances and musical instruments, hunting implements, fishing
nets, weapons of offence and defence, personal belongings, arts and photographs. […]

The attraction of the arts and photographs section includes snaps like ‘shaman‘ and ‘animal‘ of Saora, Koya dancing girls, women of Bonda and Dongria Kondh with traditional costumes and sketches drawn by tribal children at school. […]

As tribals constitute a major segment (21.13% of total population, numbering 81.45 lakhs as per 2001 Census) of Orissa, non-tribals living in close proximity with them for centuries are considerably influenced by tribal traditions and cultures. Both tribals and non-tribals in Orissa are influenced by each other’s lifestyle to a great extent. That is why Orissan culture is an integrated, composite culture. The supreme God of Hindus, Lord Jagannath, had been the God of primitive tribe, Savaras or Saoras. Half-hewn  wooden deities of the adivasis (schedule tribes) have great iconographical similarity with Lord Jagannath, Balabhadra and Subhadra. The tribal society of Orissa has undergone great changes under the impact of new economic and political forces. In the name of development their society and culture should not be distorted or disintegrated. It is the duty and responsibility of the modern civilization to preserve the valuable ingredients of the endangered tribal culture and tradition with all its distinctiveness and purity. It is expected that the Museum of Tribal Arts and Artifacts will have a positive and constructive contribution towards this goal.

The writer is a Bhubaneswar-based freelance Journalist and he lives at Qr. No.VR 3/2, Unit-3, Bhubaneswar. 

Source: Tribal Museum – An Exotic.pdf
Address : http://orissa.gov.in/e-magazine/Orissareview/sept-oct-2005/engpdf/Tribal%20Museum%20-%20An%20Exotic.pdf
Date Visited: Sat May 10 2014 16:11:57 GMT+0200 (CEST)

[Bold typeface added above for emphasis]

Address
Tribal Museum Bhubaneswar
Gopabandhu Nagar
Bhubaneshwar, OD 751008

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