This is the third part of the three-part series on ‘asserting Adivasi identity through food, festivals, literature and culture‘ as a part of the Justicemakers’ Writer’s Training Program, run in partnership with Agami and Ashoka’s Law For All Initiative. The first and second parts can be found here and here.
__
In my previous articles, I talked about the problem of assimilation of the tribal societies into the mainstream. This leaves one with the question of how do we intend to correct this cultural and social injustice of homogenisation, which the Adivasis have been subjected to since independence.
The development of Adivasis has posed several questions in the development discourse. Since they were kept at the margins of the Indian society due to caste hierarchies and colonial policies, the makers of the new India followed the policy of gradual assimilation of the Adivasis into the mainstream.
This is very well reflected in former prime minister Jawaharlal Nehru’s policy of “panchsheel”. The idea of panchsheel possessed noble ideas about developing tribes according to their understanding, without any compulsions being imposed by outsiders.
The Nehruvian vision aimed at encouraging tribal languages in administration and “development through their own social and cultural institutions.” Through the planned economy model, this gradual integration of the Adivasis into the mainstream was adopted to deal with the economic backwardness of the Adivasi communities.
However, the Nehruvian vision of large-scale industrialization and temples of development turned out to be beneficial only to the non-Adivasi society. Since the Adivasi areas are rich in mineral resources, the state embarked on the path of exploiting their lands and relocating them to distant places. This affected their means of subsistence, identity, and culture.
Need For Institutional Reforms And Adivasi Self-Assertion
The mainstreaming of the Adivasis community was done via education. Adivasi students were made to imbibe the prevalent ideas of modernity and development by our schools, at the cost of neglecting our native languages and more.
The NEP (National Education Policy) of India, brought in the year 2020, was hailed as it contained a provision on pushing for multilingual learning with a focus on students’ native languages to prevent the marginalised communities from dropping out of school. However, there is a lack of clarity on its implementation, and is mandated only when feasible.
One is then left to think: how can we as Adivasis make our cultural distinctiveness known? Does the answer lie in basic self-assertion of one’s community or a more gradual and effective shift in the structures?
Pushpika Bara, a sub-editor at Adivasi Lives Matter, argued in favour of structural reforms for bringing a change in the way we look at Adivasi culture and identity. Bara believes that since the intensity of assertions and self-awareness are affected by the background structures of the society, the normalisation of Adivasi culture must be done through institutional transformations.
For instance, the feeling of shame and inhibitions can be redressed when grounds of acceptance are formulated on a societal level. Changes in educational pedagogies by including Adivasi literature and language can play an important part towards this end.
At the same time, the Adivasis as individuals need to come up and occupy the positions of the policy framers so that it reflects the grassroots and overall understanding of the Adivasi life and culture.
Engaging With The Lived Reality Of Adivasis
Sarojini Ekka, a Dr Ambedkar post doctoral fellow at the JNU (Jawaharlal Nehru University), emphasizes the importance of “preserving the lingual repositories of the Adivasi community which can only be done from our end”, for language holds the power of producing meaning and culture.
The arena of social media has also proved to be a source of empowerment for the Adivasi community. For instance, the advocacy platform Adivasi Lives Matter encourages Adivasi youngsters to create to new discourses through personal stories around indigenous knowledge, traditions and practices.
They want to make the mainstream know: “Yes, we exist!” And, this is how we shape our lives. The articles and reposts on the medicine systems, value of self-reliance, philosophy behind the community dances and maidat (the Adivasi spirit of volunteerism and co-operation), reflect on the unique characteristics of the Adivasi community.
Besides, various other platforms work to promote and encourage Adivasi voices, be it in India or around the globe. These forums include sites like The Tribal Intellectual Collective India, Terralingua Indigenous Youth Storytellers Circle, and more.
The tenets of these platforms are to engage with the lived experiences of Adivasi communities through webinars, academia, online publications, storytelling, etc.
I also believe that the Adivasi communities also need to work from within, and not get hegemonised by the dominant narratives of development and modernity.
Let’s Talk About Adivasi Experiences And Realities
The younger and future Adivasi generations must go back to their roots, and explore Adivasi literature (poems and prose) to deeply understand our distinct worldview. This is a must! To understand, analyse and record our experiences so that they are not lost in the pages of history—the history of distinct practices, marginalisation and exploitation.
Writing this I am reminded of my favorite lines by the Adivasi author Jacinta Kerketta, who beautifully describes the ravages of modern development on Adivasi lives:
“Bhaagte hue chhodkar apna ghar, puaal, mitti aur khapre, poochhte hai aksar,
O Shahar! Kya tum kabhi ujadte ho kisi vikaas ke naam par?”
Upon exploring Adivasi literature, I got to know not only the social-political and economic organisation and sufferings of Adivasis, but also the deep-rooted beliefs and philosophies of these distinct but diverse people.
The book “Complementarity of Human Life and Other Life Forms in Nature“, is a study of human obligations towards the environment with particular reference to the Oraon indigenous community of Chotanagpur.
Its author, Prem Xalxo, highlights the close relationship between Adivasis and nature, upon which we shape our lives. Besides, the works of authors like Virginia Xaxa, Joseph Barah and Abhay Xaxa revolve around the historical, political, and sociological aspects of the Adivasis of India.
As far as the rest of the society is concerned, let the Adivasis be given a choice of what path of development and cultural aspects they want to follow. For this to happen, the state must constantly engage in a dialogue and accept their distinct identity, rather than attempting to homogenise us in the name of modernity and nation-building.
The constant displacement from their native places affects Adivasi culture and our ways of living. Thus, we end up getting assimilated, and vanishing into the mainstream.
I am ending with the verses of a beautiful poem titled “Land needs Language needs Land” by Chloe Dragon Smith. It encapsulates what I have argued in favour of above:
“Our languages come from deep
Within the souls and unconditional
Loving of our ancestors-
To do soul learning
You must meet on soul terms.
So, you say you want Fluency?
Please,
Let us meet our languages.
Let us love our languages
Let us feel our languages.
Give us a fighting chance to get to know one another,
Before you send someone to instruct them to us.”