Amid the vast-green forests of Sundergarh, near the Orissa-Jharkhand border, a legend is told. After God had sculpted human beings, he left their inanimate statues beneath a Banyan tree. The latex of the tree dripped into the mouth of these statues, bringing them to life.
For the Kharia tribe of Baliposh village, Banyan trees are not merely a natural resource. They are considered the ‘jananis’ or creators of life.
“What does our land mean to us?” Eugene avers, “It means life. We have no culture without our land. It is our identity.” “But outsiders see it as a commodity,” he expresses his discontentment.
Twenty-nine-year-old Eugene Soreng is an indigenous activist. He founded the Instagram page, ‘Adivaasi Drishyam,’ which aims to raise awareness about indigenous cultures across the nation.
Eugene, as a member of the Kharia community, is classified as an Adivasi in India, a term used to recognise the nation’s indigenous population. According to estimates, although Adivasis constitute only about 8% of the population, they have historically accounted for fifty percent of those displaced due to development projects.
Eugene spent most of his life shuffling between his father’s village, Baliposh, and Mumbai.
Baliposh is one of the many homes of the Kharia tribe, an indigenous community which is concentrated in the Chota Nagpur region of India. Bounteous with mineral resources, the region has grown to become a popular hub for mining as well as industrial projects.
Eugene currently lives in a village panchayat in Orissa, but he fondly recollects the time spent in his father’s village.
He shares the significance of his clan-name, Soreng. “Soreng translates to stone in English.”
Eugene explains with a hearty laugh. “According to my tradition, I am forbidden from hurting the sentiments of a stone, and so can’t use it as a resource.” Interestingly, all the clan names of the Kharia community refer to a distinct natural element.
With a clear, mellifluous voice, Eugene sings a song in his native language. He translates the lyrics of the verse, “Oh life, why did you come to this world, where there’s so much pain and suffering. Our paddy is being eaten by insects, our cattle are dying of disease.” Eugene describes the song as one about “Kharia pain and suffering.”
“The culture and belief system of my tribe were built on what my ancestors saw, and what they saw was nature, water and forest.”
Eugene’s devotion to his culture is apparent in his narration of his cultural experiences. “Even our festivals are mostly related to our natural environment.” He proudly describes the festival of Sarul in his community. The festival, which occurs during Spring, celebrates the flowering of the Sal tree in his village.
“For Kharias, land is a living being. Everything on land is a living being, and should be respected,” Eugene says earnestly.
He recounts how several dance forms emerged due to agricultural activities performed by the people. “There is a dance for sowing seeds, and also for harvesting paddy,” Eugene says with a laugh. He proudly states, “Kharias have constantly been making meaning from the things around them.”
Sneha Mundari, a visual anthropologist, who is also a member of the Munda tribe in Orissa, outlines the philosophy of Animism prevalent in indigenous cultures. “Every natural element around us has a spirit which should be respected,” she says.
“In most indigenous communities, human and nature are not separate entities,” Sneha explains. She explains that despite the varied cultural beliefs and traditions amongst different indigenous communities, most tribes share a deep connection with their land and natural environment.
In recent times, the term ‘Ecological ethnicism’ is used to theorise the inter-relationship between indigenous communities and their immediate ecology. “Mining and dam-building disturb the balance between indigenous communities and their land,” says Sneha.
Eugene refers to traditional folklore to further clarify his tribe’s resistance to large-scale industrial projects. He describes the first destruction of the earth, according to the Kharia oral narrative. “Kharias were overhunting a lot of things. God was displeased by this and destroyed the earth.” The second destruction of the earth was supposedly caused by deforestation.
“This is why we believe in using resources in a sustainable way,” he asserts. “Land is not only the source of our livelihood, but also the basis of our knowledge system.”
In an era of environmental degradation and uncertainty, the indigenous voice offers a beacon of hope for a more sustainable and ecologically balanced future.