Environmental concerns, indigenous knowledge, dissent and governance issues among the indigenous/tribespeople.
Panel SE21 at conference IUAES2013 World Congress: Evolving humanity, emerging worlds.
Issues of governance, cultural heritage, traditional knowledge, and biological resources are survival issues. Tribes/Adivasis of India have remained marginalised and excluded. Tribespeople need to be protected by strong laws to ensure forest and land rights, and claims for self-rule.
Long Abstract:
Issues of governance and survival of indigenous populations/ tribespeople are being addressed more rigorously now. Indeed, the protection of indigenous cultural heritage, traditional knowledge, and biological resources are fundamental to human survival issue. Tribes of India have remained marginalised and excluded as they could not avail the fruits of development and growth as was expected. Indeed the tribespeople, also known as Adivasis, have been historically marginalised and oppressed by the dominant communities, linguistically and culturally. India has now shown some concerns for the issues involved. Tribespeople need to be protected by strong laws and related mechanisms that exclusively address biocultural resource protection.
One of the approaches to understand these issues could be to perceive the discourse of indigenous people, indigeneity theme and adivasi consciousness vis-à-vis forest and land rights, citizenship rights, in order to debate the growing anxieties of the tribes and their claims for self-rule, devolution of power, autonomy issues, protective discrimination, and empowerment. Practical approaches need to use environmental concerns and issues of eco-activism and eco-feminism. The acknowledgement by the Constitution of India of indigenous languages and scripts may be seen as recognition of indigenous assertion. The construction through narrative, village theatre and other cultural expressions, has become part of the subtle process of reinvention of tradition. Tribal and indigenous peoples are now trying to preserve pristine culture and literature as a strategy of empowerment.
Indigenous people in India are articulating indigeneity argument fighting poverty, biodiversity protection and folklore practices. They face displacement, biological decline and cultural-assimilation. New Forest Act, 2006 claims to accommodate demands for self-rule, but implementation is hampered.
Paper long abstract:
Throughout Asia the state policies have been designed to 'assimilate' indigenous people into the national society. Elevation of indigenous rights as an international concern has made Asian/ Indian tribes/indigenous people to push for rights, local autonomy and even secession, such as in Nagaland. Tribes of India, regarded as Adivasi (original inhabitants) in peninsular India are articulating indigeneity argument in their struggles by addressing the issues of poverty reduction, indigenous knowledge, biodiversity and forest ecosystem protection, Intellectual Property rights and natural resources Practices. India's indigenous tribes range from world's most 'un-contacted' communities, like the Sentinelese, while some are advanced. The close association between Indigenous peoples, their environment, and indigenous knowledge and the threats faced by them are part of a global concern. Demise of indigenous languages, folklore and religion, faith- conversion, are other concerns. Though India is signatory to many global agreements, yet it discards some ILO Conventions and also very term 'indigenous peoples', insisting that all Indians are indigenous. Over eighty per cent of tribes, mostly below the poverty line, are subjected to large scale displacement and biological decline, in some cases. After centuries of administrative oppressions, cultural-assimilation and market penetration, a new forest law (Forests Rights Act of India, 2006) aims to accommodate demands for self-rule and people's councils are empowered to control forest land, small water bodies, minor forest products and rights on mining use of natural resources. Implementing the new law is a concern as some regions in India have obstructed the execution.
The paper discusses the indigenous discourse on sacred landscape in western Orissa as an effective tool for political, environmental and cultural resistance.
It highlights Gandhamardan Surekhya Andulan - the Gandha Mardhan Protection Movement as the example of a successful eco-resistance against bauxite mining and industrialisation fought in the mid 80ies by Adivasi Paiko, Binjal and Soara communities in the Bora Sambar region of western Orissa which is vital until today.
Paper long abstract:
The Gandhamardan Surekhya Andulan - the Gandha Mardhan Protection Movement (Gandha=medicine; mardhan= mountains) of western Orissa demonstrates how an indigenous discourse on sacred landscape has become a meaningful tool for environment protection, political resistance and a significant symbol of regional and ethnic identity. The struggle for conservation of the forest and the mountains represents a cultural symbol of local resistance against ecological and cultural destruction through ruthless industrialisation. Until today the successful Gandha Mardhan Movement means not only the conservation of the forest but also political agency and cultural survival of the indigenous population of the region. The saved landscape mirrors the local struggle for eco-justice and cultural identity fought by local communities in western Orissa.
Third generation rights in contrast to first and second generation rights, based on ‘fraternity’ and they do not deal with ‘rights of individual’. They can be realized by the combined efforts of all social actors: individuals, states, public and private associations, and the international community. This paper will examine ‘folk music’ as a form of third generation human rights: to link the cultural practices and social activities surrounding the human act of music making, music as a form of cultural property to assert identity that can be controlled or owned.
In the context of Assam, due to the political manipulation by the colonial power, densely populated Rajbonshi territories were bifurcated to create Assam and Bengal. After the territorial split, the Rajbonshis living in both the states lost their language, culture as well as their civilizational roots. Renowned folk singer, late Pratima Barua Pandey emerged at a juncture from Western Assam when the Koch Rajbonshis had to encounter a phase of crisis. Her songs became the instruments of effective intervention to usher in a path of hope for those people who desperately needed a direction for possible redemption of their socio cultural identity. The repertoire of her songs covered all aspects of Koch Rajbonshi community and created a state of emancipation by legitimizing folk music vis a vis the identity of a marginalized community which will be explored in this paper. Role of folk music as a vehicle for building new forms of political community will be highlighted.
Paper long abstract:
Third generation rights in contrast to first and second generation rights, based on 'fraternity' and they do not deal with 'rights of individual'. They can be realized by the combined efforts of all social actors: individuals, states, public and private associations, and the international community. This paper will examine 'folk music' as a form of third generation human rights: to link the cultural practices and social activities surrounding the human act of music making, music as a form of cultural property to assert identity that can be controlled or owned.
In the context of Assam, due to the political manipulation by the colonial power, densely populated Rajbonshi territories were bifurcated to create Assam and Bengal. After the territorial split, the Rajbonshis living in both the states lost their language, culture as well as their civilizational roots. Renowned folk singer, late Pratima Barua Pandey emerged at a juncture from Western Assam when the Koch Rajbonshis had to encounter a phase of crisis. Her songs became the instruments of effective intervention to usher in a path of hope for those people who desperately needed a direction for possible redemption of their socio cultural identity.
In Assam mask is an integral object of the satras, the Vaishnavite monasteries. It is an indigenous craft with significance in the socio- cultural life of the people of Assam.
Paper long abstract:
In Assam there is a rich heritage of mask making. The mask makers of Assam have shown great resourcefulness in selecting and combining the available materials, bamboos, cane, clay, cloth, pith plant ( Aeschynomene indica), wood, etc.,. Morphological features of the mask are derived from natural forms. In Assam mask is an integral object of satras wherein many demon, serpent, incarnation of Lord Vishnu are knitted and portrayed in dances and dramas. Vaishnavite masks are made of woven bamboo splits covered with cotton cloth and clay, so that they remain light in comparison to their size. Generally the morphological features of masks are derived from natural form. Masks which possess human features are known as anthropomorphic and those with animal features are known as theriomorphic. In the satras of Majuli both anthropomorphic and the theriomorphic masks are made, though some are combined ones. Occasionally pliant masks are used in performing arts of the satras of Majuli. Majuli is a river island, where there are 22 satras among whom four (Alengi Narasimha Satra, Bihimpur Satra, Chamaguri Satra and Natun Chamaguri Satra) have praiseworthy tradition of mask making. The available mask of the Satras of Majuli are good examples of this tradition which continuing from the ancient past to the present period. This paper attempts to give an appraisal of the continuity and change of mask making tradition of Nature Chamaguri satra of Majuli.
Diversified indigenous agricultural practices of Naga tribespeople are threatened by mono-culture for commercialization. Yet, the farmers are continuing to practice traditional agriculture indicating its hidden strengths and innovations. This paper attempts to document indigenous knowledge for further applications and replications.
Paper long abstract:
A prominent feature of indigenous agricultural practices amongst Naga tribespeople in North-East India is its high degree of agro-biodiversity. Traditional agriculture, an indigenous form of farming is the result of the co-evolution of local, social and environmental systems. It exhibits a high level of ecological rationale expressed through the intensive use of local knowledge and natural resources, including the management of agro-biodiversity in the form of diversified agricultural systems. Farming families, in order to sustain their livelihood, adopt and maintain diverse forms of agricultural practices, mainly (i) terrace rice cultivation (TRC), (ii) shifting (jhum) cultivation, (iii) home garden and (iv) firewood reserve forests, simultaneously. The greatest challenge to understand how indigenous farmers maintain, preserve and manage biodiversity is to recognize the complexity of their production systems. Today, it is widely accepted that indigenous knowledge is a powerful resource in its own right and complementary to knowledge available from western scientific sources. Therefore, in studying such systems, it is not possible to separate the study of agricultural biodiversity from the study of the culture that nurtures it.
The diversified indigenous agricultural practices of Naga tribespeople is threatened by the introduction of mono-culture for commercialization of selected marketable items displacing the normal indigenous crops that are cultivated for subsistence. Yet, the fact that farmers are continuing to practice traditional agriculture alongside adapting to modern agriculture indicates its hidden strengths and innovations. This paper is an attempt to understand the pressing necessity of documenting indigenous knowledge on agricultural practices amongst Naga tribespeople for further applications and replications.
Kalahandi if full of bauxite ore in its mountain region. Also these areas are inhabited by indigenous tribal people. With neoliberal policy state intends to mine those areas with the help of MNC but faces severe protest and resistance from the indigenous tribal people. This paper discusses the case of Lanjigarh in Orissa from the field data.
Paper long abstract:
Orissa is made to known to the national imagination through the discourse of poverty and malnourishment. In fact in the last few decades, it has become almost a synonym for 'Hunger' and 'Poverty'. The tribal region is rich in natural resources. Timber, mine ores, water streams, and other natural entities are qualified and documented, according to the possible value generating possibility.
So a mega project, the Vedanta Aluminium Company, which has ventured into mining, in collision with the state is on a spree to buy the natural resources. Their promise is to offer the conversion of Lanjigarh into London, by their very magic of private investment.
The struggle of the tribals is to protect their livelihood and habitat, For Adivasis, mountains are spiritual entities, at the apex of the natural order that sustains them. They are spiritually attached to their lands. The paper thus looks into different articulations of life styles by tribals who see it as their homeland, and also by the functionaries of the state and the MNCs who envision the possibilities of creating a dreamland for Adivasis by converting their socio economic life as merchants, factory workers and coolies with proper monetary systems for exchange. This paper also discusses the struggle by the Dongria Kondhs to protect their Lord of law that is Niyamgiri. This paper intends to compare pro company and anti company movement in the Lanjigarh area of Kalahandi in its final analysis.
In Assam mask is an integral object of the satras, the Vaishnavite monasteries. It is an indigenous craft with significance in the socio- cultural life of the people of Assam.
Paper long abstract:
In Assam there is a rich heritage of mask making. The mask makers of Assam have shown great resourcefulness in selecting and combining the available materials, bamboos, cane, clay, cloth, pith plant ( Aeschynomene indica), wood, etc.,. Morphological features of the mask are derived from natural forms. In Assam mask is an integral object of satras wherein many demon, serpent, incarnation of Lord Vishnu are knitted and portrayed in dances and dramas. Vaishnavite masks are made of woven bamboo splits covered with cotton cloth and clay, so that they remain light in comparison to their size. Generally the morphological features of masks are derived from natural form. Masks which possess human features are known as anthropomorphic and those with animal features are known as theriomorphic. In the satras of Majuli both anthropomorphic and the theriomorphic masks are made, though some are combined ones. Occasionally pliant masks are used in performing arts of the satras of Majuli. Majuli is a river island, where there are 22 satras among whom four (Alengi Narasimha Satra, Bihimpur Satra, Chamaguri Satra and Natun Chamaguri Satra) have praiseworthy tradition of mask making. The available mask of the Satras of Majuli are good examples of this tradition which continuing from the ancient past to the present period. This paper attempts to give an appraisal of the continuity and change of mask making tradition of Nature Chamaguri satra of Majuli.
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