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- Convenor:
-
James Howard
(NomadIT)
- Location:
- 302
- Start time:
- 15 May, 2014 at
Time zone: Asia/Tokyo
- Session slots:
- 2
Short Abstract:
In the era of globalization, indigenous people and their cultures are at very critical point of time. They are facing threats from all corners. They are facing identity crisis as well as the threats of survival .
Long Abstract:
In the era of globalization, indigenous people and their cultures are at very critical point of time. They are facing threats from all corners. The indigenous people facing identity crisis as well as the threats of survival .The identity of the indigenous peoples of India consists of their geographical, historical, ethnological, and linguistic and other features, which give them their distinct characters, distinguish them from the other peoples of the country.
These features become really important when people grow conscious about them, identify with them, want to maintain them as a set of characteristics that distinguishes them from others. The history of the indigenous peoples has been the history of their constant struggle for existence as a different cultural identity. In India, the indigenous people have been categorized in different way and have been termed as Scheduled Tribe which constitutes 8.2 % of the total population. However, there are many more ethnic groups that would qualify for Scheduled Tribe status but are not officially recognized. Such ethnic groups are as high as 635 in numbers in India. Many of those are struggling for their identity and to include themselves in the list of scheduled tribes. At one hand, they are struggling for their identity and on the other they are struggling foe their livelihood and survival.
Accepted papers:
Session 1Vijay Prakash Sharma (National Institute of Rural Development)
Paper short abstract:
Indigenous people are the worst sufferers of industial revolution. They have been pushed to the wall and are struggling for their existence and identity. Globalization brought other sets of problems for their cultural survival.
Paper long abstract:
But as matter stands today globalization is creating new threats to Indigenous cultures, security in both rich and poor country alike.. Poor people and poor countries risk being push to the margin in this proprietary regime controlling the world's knowledge. The underdeveloped poorest regions and the oppressed classes and nationalities tend to suffer most and experience absolute economic decline and deterioration in their economic levels and further unequal exchange of their produces. The laid off unskilled workers are forced into the service sector where wages and benefits are low, but turnover is high. This has contributed to the widening economic gap between skilled and unskilled workers.The Indigenous people of India are a case in point to illustrate the consequences of globalisation.
Ajai Pratap Singh (Lucknow University)
Paper short abstract:
The paper examines the socio-cultural profiles and change among the scheduled tribes of Uttarakhand state of India, namely Jaunsari,Bhotia, Bhoksa, Tharu and Raji, alongwith factors responsible for such change.
Paper long abstract:
The Uttarakhand state of India was created on 09th November 2000 by bifurcating the erstwhile Uttar Pradesh state. This state is inhabitted by five scheduled tribes, namely Jaunsari, Bhotia, Bhoksa,Tharu and Raji, who were declared as 'scheduled tribe' in 1967. The paper analyses their distinct socio-cultural profiles,such as, fraternal or adelphic polyandry of the Jaunsari,transhumance of the Bhotia,land alienation of the Bhoksa,woman dominance of the patrilineal Tharu and 'invisible trading' of the Raji. The paper incorporates various factors of change, which are transforming their socio-cultural life in view of technological advancement and modernization.It is concludrd in the paper that all these five scheduled tribes are passing through transitional phase and are likely to lose their indigenous culture in course of time. There is an urgent need to protect their indigenous culture.
Pallawi Sinha (University of Cambridge)
Paper short abstract:
This qualitative study adapts enthnomethodology towards listening to indigenous peoples' interests and priorities with regards to education through the innovative means of participatory, audio-visual and spatial tools, and to establish this marginalised voice towards its self-determination.
Paper long abstract:
The indigenous peoples constitute 8.2 % of India's population, over 84 million people but their history reveals a constant struggle for existence, their identity, and against oppression. Generally perceived similarities in their way of life and oppressed position has led to their constitutional categorisation as scheduled tribes or adivasis but this differs from area to area thus excluding several groups. A heterogeneous group with over 200 distinct peoples speaking more than 100 dialects, they vary greatly in ethnicity and culture. Thus India's postcolonial mechanisms, homogenisation of culturally-rich indigenous communities and knowledge, topical educational hegemony and dilemmas, and future citizenship contextualise my study with the indigenous Sabar community of Jharkhand. In particular, the study attempts to listen to indigenous interests, priorities, values and concepts with regards to education through innovative participatory, audio-visual and spatial tools designed to establish their voice. Thus this paper shall discuss critically the integration of indigenous practices and knowledge within India's postcolonial educational imperative; the intrinsic relationship between arts, environment and community; and the ethics, in practice. It deconstructs ethnomethodology to substantiate its methodological relevance, ascertaining the community's own path to self-determination and managing outsider-insider disparities. Furthermore, it identifies how such methods empower the marginalised by enabling multimodal expressions and access to data that other methods may not elicit. The paper concludes the urgency for development of sustainable educational systems authentic to India, which empowers future citizenship. It directs a third space in education to reflect future pedagogic action, of difference not domination, of localisation not assimilation.
Anupama Srivastava (Lucknow University)
Paper short abstract:
The Tharu community has been exposed to the surrounding urban areas and the schemes of the government which has impacted their life. The present study is an attempt to explore the impacts of development on the society and to understand how far tourism has been or not been the reason for these.
Paper long abstract:
According to the peak global tourism industry organization, World Tourism and Travel Council (WTTC), tourism is now the world's largest industry in terms of economic output, capital investment, taxation contribution and employment; and tourism has also become an integral part of indigenous communities.Over the last decade many changes have occurred in Tharu community. The old traditional ways have undergone major transformations. On the other hand U.P. tourism and the forest department have joined hands to promote Dudhwa National Park for tourism, and also for the development of the Tharu tribe living in the forest area. The tourist inflow to this area has also increased.This has resulted into a growing interaction between the tharus and the visitors.
T.Sai Chandra Mouli (Osmania University)
Paper short abstract:
Indian cultural heritage comprises not only hoary tradition but also rich tribal culture handed down by tribal groups living in forests on mountains and hills. Savaras like all tribals have innate intelligence and scientific approach to life.
Paper long abstract:
Indian cultural heritage comprises not only hoary tradition but also rich tribal culture handed down by tribal groups living in forests on mountains and hills. The thirty five tribal groups living in the state of Andhra Pradesh have got their own distinct cultures.Some of them have their own dialects. The social structure of tribals is based on exogamous clan system.Some of the groups like Gond, Koya, Kolam etc have phratry system. The clans of tribals are totemic in nature.They pay special reverence towards these totemic objects. They follow various methods in acquiring their mates like marriage by mutual love and elopement, marriage by capture , marriage by service and marriage by negotiations.Tribals preserved their cultural identity through a code of conduct .They have their own laws based on faiths, values, traditions and world view of each tribe and their social heritage.
Savara language is highly evolved and they have different words for different variesties of relationships.Languages like English and many Indian languages seem to be inadequate in comparison to savara language, for the wonderful way in which their communication and expression are developed. Savaras like all tribals have innate intelligence and scientific approach to life. What they need is not our sympathy but a helping hand.
Divya Teja Pasupuleti (University of Hyderabad) Konala Sangeeth (Huedew Entertainment)
Paper short abstract:
The current topic is about toy makers of Kondapally, Andhra Pradesh, India who once lost demand for their toys resulting in an acute financial crisis and subsequently, the art form became endangered.
Paper long abstract:
At Kondapally, a village in Andhra Pradesh which is well known for the wooden toy makers, we observe people belonging to various castes and even religions practicing the traditional art form of toy making. Initially the art of toy making was brought into this region by a group of people who are called Nakashis belonging to a scheduled caste. Over time, the art of toy making became endangered and Government took measures to preserve the art form by inviting carpenters and people belonging to several other castes of higher and lower statuses to learn the art and practice it as a profession. . It is a scene where the indigenous toy makers with the advent of the Government programmes for the preservation of art form lost their identity as the founder group of the art itself. For the benefits that are being offered by the Government, we even see the people belonging to the castes of the higher social status to claim themselves as belonging to this founder group scheduled caste . This overlap of claims even further escalated the loss of identity of the indigenous people. Added to this, today there is a lot of competition from the Chinese toy makers and several other imported toys which have entered the indigenous markets as a result of globalisation.In the light of the events going on at this place, the discussion about the identity crisis being faced by the indigenous people and the situations thus prevailing are of focus for the current paper under proposal.
Keya Pandey (University of Lucknow)
Paper short abstract:
Uttar Pradesh has a rich tradition of songs and dance. The tribal population of the state indulge themselves in a lot of traditional performances and enjoy their leisure time singing and dancing. The songs and dances form an important event of the number of fairs and festivals that are held in Uttar Pradesh.
Paper long abstract:
The performing arts of Uttar Pradesh are wholly traditional and are not influenced by outside traditions and cultures. They are authentic of the tribal tradition and culture of the people residing in the state. These performances still bear the charm and essence of the old tradition. Karma Dance, Uttar Pradesh is mainly performed by the people who belong to the Gond tribe and also by some other tribes living in the same region. At the onset and the end of the rainy seasons the Karma Dance is performed. Although the full swing of the Karma Dance in Uttar Pradesh in India can be experienced in the month of August. The dance symbolizes the start of spring. The dance is mainly performed around the trees set in the villages.Men and women both enthusiastically take part in this dance. The men and the women perform in various ways and the whole performance looks awesome. The men in the troupe leap forward whereas the women in the troupe bend low to the ground. The performers move their feet to and fro in perfect rhythm. Karma Dance of Uttar Pradesh is common to many ethnic groups of India. It is said that the Karma Dance,Uttar Pradesh is the oldest tribal dance among all tribal dances.