Category Archives: Women

Nirmala Putul: A Santal poet questioning ‘development’ and ‘progress’ in modern civilization

Mountain Child by Nirmala Putul The mountain child — a fragment of the mountain — plays in the lap of the mountain Toddling up the mountain he plants his feet in the mountain soil to rise like a mountain in … Continue reading

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Mahasweta Devi: A model in which activism and writing can reflect upon each other

Mahasweta Devi was born in 1926 in the city of Dacca in East Bengal (modern day Bangladesh). As an adolescent, she and her family moved to West Bengal in India. Born into a literary family, Mahasweta Devi was also influenced … Continue reading

Posted in Accountability, Adivasi, History, Literature - fiction, Literature and bibliographies, Modernity, Quotes, Rights of Indigenous Peoples, Storytelling, Women | Comments Off

Tip | Search articles on tribal history, politics and literature on Ramachandra Guha’s website

Type “adivasi”, “tribal”, “Mahasweta Devi”, “Verrier Elwin”, the name of place or a tribal community or similar combinations of words in the the Quick Search field seen on Ramachandra Guha’s website >> Guha’s books include a pioneering environmental history, The … Continue reading

Posted in Accountability, Adivasi, Anthropology, Assimilation, Colonial policies, Commentary, Customs, De- and re-tribalisation, Democracy, Dress and ornaments, Ecology and environment, Economy and development, Gandhian social movement, Health and nutrition, History, Internet, Literature and bibliographies, Media portrayal, Misconceptions, Modernity, Names and communities, Nature and wildlife, Quotes, Rights of Indigenous Peoples, Seasons and festivals, Tips, Women | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Comments Off

Academy of Tribal Learning: Ramachandra Guha on its inauguration by writer-activist Mahasweta Devi – Gujarat

In the first week of February 2002, I got a call from the writer Mahasweta Devi. I had met Mahasweta only once—in a boarding house in Delhi where we both happened to be staying—but knew, of course, a great deal about … Continue reading

Posted in Adivasi, Community facilities, Cultural heritage, Education and literacy, Languages and linguistic heritage, Museum collections - India, Names and communities, Organizations, Quotes, Rights of Indigenous Peoples, Women | Tagged | Comments Off

Early Buddhist Sanghas valued outlook of tribal society: Democratic functioning, gender equality and knowledge of medicinal plants

Lobsan Payat (Newsfinder.org) Posted by Anandajoti on Tuesday, 19th October, 2010 Adivasi traditions and practices pervade all aspects of Indian culture and civilization, yet this awareness is often lacking in popular consciousness, and the extent and import of Adivasi contributions … Continue reading

Posted in Adivasi, Democracy, Ecology and environment, Economy and development, Health and nutrition, History, Languages and linguistic heritage, Names and communities, Quotes, Women | Tagged | Comments Off

Western India’s cotton-growing and -dyeing technologies traced to Indus Valley civilization

  The western region consists of the desert states of Gujarat and Rajasthan as well as Haryana, western Uttar Pradesh and western Madhya Pradesh. [...] The region is home to a wide variety of people with different religious ‘s and … Continue reading

Posted in Crafts and visual arts, Customs, Dress and ornaments, Economy and development, Fashion, History, Modernity, Names and communities, Photos and slideshows, Quotes, Women | Tagged , | Comments Off

Video | Hul Sengel: The Spirit of the Santal Revolution (1855) – Jharkhand

Watch a film produced on the occasion of the 150th anniversary of the Santal Hul ["Santal revolution" of 1855-56] >> Director and Producer: Daniel J. Rycroft, University of East Anglia Co-Director: Joy Raj Tudu (Indian Confederation of Indigenous & Tribal People) Co-Producer: D. … Continue reading

Posted in Adivasi, Childhood and children, Colonial policies, Crafts and visual arts, Cultural heritage, History, Languages and linguistic heritage, Maps, Media portrayal, Music and dance, Names and communities, Revival of traditions, Rights of Indigenous Peoples, Storytelling, Tribal elders, Tribal identity, Video resources - external, Women | Tagged | Comments Off

The Irulas’ Natural Products Corporation: Providing employment to several hundred Irula women – Tamil Nadu & New Delhi

Times of India, 29-3-2005 The Irulas’ Natural Products Corporation is a partnership firm located in the ITWWS campus, which produces, promotes and markets Irula health-care products. It provides employment to several hundred Irula women. [...] A team of experienced vaidyars … Continue reading

Posted in Adivasi, Customs, Economy and development, Government of India, Health and nutrition, History, Maps, Names and communities, Organizations, Press snippets, Women | Tagged | Comments Off

Call for respect to indigenous peoples and an end to gender discrimination: India’s first National Dalit and Adivasi Women’s Congress

Dalit and Adivasi Women Warriors Question Caste and Gender Oppression Sujatha Surepally | Read the entire report with more photos >> (Impressions from the first National Dalit and Adivasi Women’s Congress held on February 15-16, 2013, at Tata Institute of Social … Continue reading

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Encouraging centuries-old life-skills of Irulas: Eking out a living outside forests – Tamil Nadu

APARNA KARTHIKEYAN, The Hindu, 11-12-12 Janaki Lenin’s book [My Husband and Other Animals], a compilation of her popular column in The Hindu MetroPlus, offers insights into her husband Rom Whitaker’s fascination for animals, particularly snakes  When he came to Madras, Rom … Continue reading

Posted in Assimilation, Ecology and environment, Economy and development, Literature and bibliographies, Misconceptions, Modernity, Names and communities, Nature and wildlife, Organizations, Press snippets, Rural poverty, Women | Tagged | Comments Off

Slideshow | Celebrating the Adibasi Baha Parab Flower festival 2013 – West Bengal

Photos: courtesy Boro Baski, Ghosaldanga Bishnubati Adibasi Trust © 2013 About three thousand people from several villages took part in this year’s Santal flower festival celebrations. The Ashadullapur Gramin Silpa & Sastha Bidhan Kendra, the crafts training centre founded by Sanyasi Lohar … Continue reading

Posted in Adivasi, Crafts and visual arts, Cultural heritage, Economy and development, Games and leisure time, Homes and utensils, Languages and linguistic heritage, Names and communities, Organizations, Photos and slideshows, Quotes, Revival of traditions, Seasons and festivals, Tagore and rural culture, Tribal elders, Women, Worship and rituals | Tagged | Comments Off

Indigenous communities’ decisions on traditional lands and habitats to be respected, based on information provided in a language accessible to them: Supreme Court ruling a great victory for indigenous rights – Odisha (Orissa)

Amnesty International, 18 April 2013 India: Landmark Supreme Court ruling a great victory for indigenous rights Today’s ruling by India’s Supreme Court that the Indigenous (Adivasi) communities will have the final decision on plans for a bauxite mine by a subsidiary … Continue reading

Posted in Accountability, Adivasi, Democracy, Ecology and environment, Economy and development, Forest Rights Act (FRA), Government of India, Languages and linguistic heritage, Maps, Names and communities, Organizations, Photos and slideshows, Press snippets, Quotes, Rights of Indigenous Peoples, Women | Tagged | Comments Off

Video | Trailer to “Have you seen the arana?” – Kerala

“The stories of ancestors and their discoveries give the film a mystical quality and work like a poetic refrain” – Review by Bikas Mishra >>

Posted in Ecology and environment, Economy and development, Health and nutrition, Maps, Modernity, Networking, Quotes, Storytelling, Video resources - external, Western Ghats - tribal heritage & ecology, Women | Comments Off

Tip | Watch an educational video on ecowalkthetalk.com: Appreciating and sustaining India’s biodiversity

To view video contents on ecology and more, select a topic under Multimedia Biodiversity Development Sustainable agriculture and more … Eco WALK the Talk is a non-profit environmental website with an Asia focus. We cover eco news and insights, offer green … Continue reading

Posted in Customs, Ecology and environment, Economy and development, Education and literacy, Globalization, Health and nutrition, Media portrayal, Misconceptions, Modernity, Nature and wildlife, Quotes, Revival of traditions, Rights of Indigenous Peoples, Rural poverty, Tips, Video resources - external, Women | Comments Off

Adivaani Trust: Kolkata-based publishing house for Adivasi literature – West Bengal

Call for Support: Adivaani—Publishing the Adivasi Voice Adivaani is a new publishing house from Kolkata, which describes itself as a response to the  endangered Adivasi cultural and historical heritage. For long, mainstre am publishing in India has neglected the documentation and publication … Continue reading

Posted in Adivasi, Childhood and children, Community facilities, Cultural heritage, Customs, De- and re-tribalisation, Education and literacy, History, Languages and linguistic heritage, Literature - fiction, Literature and bibliographies, Names and communities, Organizations, Resources, Revival of traditions, Rights of Indigenous Peoples, Storytelling, Women, Worship and rituals | Tagged , , | Comments Off

Documentation of tribal music of India by Bhasha and Adivasi Academy, Tejgadh – Gujarat

Times of India, Nov 6, 2011 VADODARA: Now, you will be able to peep into the life of tribals and even hum some of their songs. The Bhasha Research and Publication Centre (BRPC), which has taken up a project for … Continue reading

Posted in Literature and bibliographies, Modernity, Museum collections - India, Music and dance, Musicology, Names and communities, Performing arts, Press snippets, Resources, Seasons and festivals, Women | Tagged , | Comments Off

National Food Security Bill (National Food Security Bill Act), 2013 – Govt. of India

Excerpt from the “revised version, as tabled in Parliament, 22 March 2013″ It extends to the whole of India [...] Schedule III (See section 39) (1) “Revitalisation of Agriculture” – (a) agrarian reforms through measures for securing interest of small and marginal farmers; … Continue reading

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Storytelling and local history in tribal school curriculum: Gudalur region (Nilgiri) – Tamil Nadu

March 27th, 2013  [...] A few of us have been busy over the last few weeks. We are trying to find ways to share stories of our local history with other in our school and family. For many years, the … Continue reading

Posted in Adivasi, Childhood and children, Cultural heritage, Education and literacy, History, Modernity, Names and communities, Photos and slideshows, Quotes, Rural poverty, Storytelling, Tribal elders, Websites by tribal communities, Women | Tagged , , , , | Comments Off

Adivasi Mahila Vikas Mandal: NGO for Tribal women’s welfare – New Delhi

Contact Adivasi Mahila Vikas Mandal 151/2 neb sarai New Delhi 110068 M +91 9999747696 & +91 9560838198 tribalwomen2009@gmail.com Source: message from Adivasi Mahila Vikas Mandal (6-4-13) Activities: Tribal & Indegeneous Tribal women Welfare Source: Adivasi Mahila vikas Mandal Address : http://www.ngoportal.org/ngo-database-4726-Adivasi+Mahila+vikas+Mandal.html Date … Continue reading

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Shivaratri celebrations by the Kota community in the Nilgiri mountains – Tamil Nadu

View a video and two slideshows taken during Shivaratri, the main annual festival celebtrated by the Kota community Video | Kota women’s dance Video | Kota dance Slideshow | Kota dance and music Slideshow | Kota game More videos, slideshows and background information provided … Continue reading

Posted in Anthropology, Childhood and children, Cultural heritage, Customs, Dress and ornaments, Games and leisure time, Literature and bibliographies, Maps, Music and dance, Names and communities, Photos and slideshows, Seasons and festivals, Tribal elders, Video contents, Women, Worship and rituals | Tagged | Comments Off

A significant cultural moment among the Bodos: The literary rebirth of a compelling character in Indira Goswami’s novel “The Bronze Sword of Thengphakhri Tehsildar” – Assam

ARUNI KASHYAP, The Hindu, March 2, 2013 Indira Goswami’s novel on the legendary Bodo heroine Thengphakhri was not just about the life of a forgotten heroine, but also an attempt to reignite interest in an under-represented region of Assam’s history. I … Continue reading

Posted in Colonial policies, Cultural heritage, De- and re-tribalisation, History, Literature - fiction, Media portrayal, Misconceptions, Names and communities, Photos and slideshows, Press snippets, Storytelling, Tribal elders, Women | Tagged | Comments Off

Tip | Tribal culture worldwide: Search newint.org

To read the regular newint.org blog on developments in India by Mari Marcel Thekaekara (e.g. Adivasi culture, environmental issues and women’s rights) and others (i.e. tribal culture worldwide), search here: http://newint.org/themes/society/indigenous-peoples/>> Related posts Democracy Mari Thekaekara (on this website) Misconceptions Modernity Tribal culture worldwide … Continue reading

Posted in Accountability, Colonial policies, Democracy, Ecology and environment, Economy and development, Education and literacy, Globalization, Health and nutrition, History, Media portrayal, Misconceptions, Modernity, Organizations, Revival of traditions, Rights of Indigenous Peoples, Rural poverty, Tips, Tribal culture worldwide, Tribal identity, Women | Comments Off

Adivaani “the Adivasi voice”: A publishing house for India’s indigenous population – West Bengal

June 12, 2012 Who is adivaani Ruby Hembrom I believe not everyone is meant to do just one thing in life, I certainly am not. My 8 years of work experience in the Legal field, the Service Industry, the Social Development … Continue reading

Posted in Adivasi, Childhood and children, History, Languages and linguistic heritage, Literature and bibliographies, Media portrayal, Names and communities, Networking, Quotes, Storytelling, Women | Tagged | Comments Off

“I feel that you are a part of me and I will never forget you”: Tribal elder in a travel account by historian Runoko Rashidi – Looking at India through African Eyes

LOOKING AT INDIA THROUGH AFRICAN EYES: A TRAVEL PERSPECTIVE BY RUNOKO RASHIDI* As I am now in the process of completing the finishing touches on a French language collection of my essays on the African presence in Asia I find … Continue reading

Posted in Customs, History, Quotes, Rights of Indigenous Peoples, Rural poverty, Social conventions, Storytelling, Tribal culture worldwide, Tribal elders, Women | Comments Off

Tribal children instill change in their communities: overcoming domestic violence and oppression of women – Tamil Nadu

SARAH ELIZABETH WEBB, The Hindu, February 16, 2013 I have been patient — tolerant even — of the constant threat of sexual harassment that comes with travelling as a Western Woman. I anticipated it and took precautions by dressing conservatively and … Continue reading

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