Paniyar

A balanced curriculum that helps children “retain the tribal values that have relevance even today and accept the good brought in by modernization”: Interview with the founders of the Vidyodaya School for Adivasi children – Tamil Nadu

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The Vidyodaya School Tucked away in the Blue Mountains, close to Ooty, the tourist destination of Tamil Nadu in southern India, is the small sleepy town of Gudalur, the home town of Rama and B. Ramdas. Gudalur is a land of tea, coffee and pepper. The region is home to the Betta Kurumba, Mullu Kurumba, … Read more

On equality and sharing: “a truly amazing sight” – Tamil Nadu

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By Mari Marcel Thekaekara, The New Internationalist, September 14, 2012 Culture is a tricky thing. How do we define it? Who decides when customs and traditions, even ancient, cherished ones, can be dispensed with? These and many other similar questions have been debated by the Adivasi groups we (ACCORD, an NGO in the Nilgiri hills of … Read more

Tribals’ day out in Udhagamandalam (Nilgiri) – Tamil Nadu

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D. Radhakrishnan, The Hindu, Udhagamandalam, February 14, 2012 Responding to an invitation extended by the local station of the All India Radio and Coimbatore Doordarshan, dance and music troupes of different tribal communities — Todas, Kotas, Paniyas, Irulas, Kurumbas and Kaatunaikers — from different parts of the Nilgiris district landed here to showcase their graceful dance … Read more

Sensitising tribal youth to education: documentary ‘Snehasanthi’ made by tribal youths – Kerala

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A 30-minute documentary, ‘Snehasanthi,’ made by a group of tribal youths under the banner of the Kerala Adivasi Students Forum tells the story of why the tribal youth make a ‘retreat’ from education, especially the  Paniya, Adiya and Kattunayakka sections. Though a lot of projects  have been implemented by successive governments to provide education to tribal … Read more

Civil society’s support for developmental process – Kerala

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Kerala is widely acclaimed for its achievements in social development as it boasts a near total literacy, comparatively higher life expectancy and land reforms. Even though its per capita income has remained low, this phenomenon has famously become known as the “Kerala Model of Development.” However, the exclusion of Dalits, who constitute 9.8 per cent … Read more