The Whispers: A Journal of Tribal Life, Literatures and Cultures

An interdisciplinary, multilingual, quarterly journal in Tribal Studies published by Sanskruti Kendra, Sundargarh. We accept submissions in English (Roman), Hindi (Devanagari), and Odia Scripts in nine languages i.e., English, Hindi, Odia, Sadri, Kenta, Oraon, Munda, Kisan, and Kharia. The first part comprises research articles and the second part is creative writings (Short Stories, Poems, translations or transcriptions from tribal literatures and cultural practices, short essays) related to tribals or other matters by tribals.

 

The Whispers aims to amplify the tribal literature and cultural practices. The journal seeks to bring to the fore the research done on the tribals and project emerging trends in tribal literature by providing a unique platform for both creativity and critical analysis.

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The fundamental idea of The Whispers is interdisciplinarity, that’s because Tribal Studies is by nature interdisciplinary. It also encourages authors and researchers to engage within and beyond humanities and the humanist sciences, as and wherever applicable. We encourage submissions in the form of original research articles, essays, poems, short stories, anecdotes, and experiences with a focus on issues related to tribal life, literature, and culture.

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Sanskruti Kendra: Tribal Cultural and Research Center

Sanskruti Kendra – The Tribal Cultural and Research Center was started by the Society of the Divine Word, India East Province (INE) in 2011 with a vision to serve the tribal people through cultural initiatives. A plot of land was acquired and basic infrastructure was set up for residence and activities. The facility for the activities included a multipurpose hall, a tribal library, research room, an outdoor stage, audio studio, video lab, tribal botanical garden and an orchard. There is also a vision to set up a full-fledged tribal museum in the campus on a site earmarked for it.

 

Sanskruti Kendra has the following set of aims and objectives for a meaningful service of the tribal people of the area:  

 

Aim: Protect, Preserve and Promote Tribal Culture

 

The Objectives: The objectives of Sanskruti Kendra i.e. the steps to be taken to achieve the aim of the Center are the following:

1. Document and preserve tribal heritage, i.e. cultural practices, folk lore, dance, songs and music, arts and crafts etc. in various media forms like – print, audio and video.

2. Set up a library and archives of tribal books and other printed or non-printed materials.

3. Bring out tribal print, audio and video productions and publications.

4. Set up a museum of tribal articles, art and artifacts.

5. Conduct research on tribal social and cultural themes.

6. Educate and train the people, especially the youth and children on tribal socio-cultural heritage through organized training programs.

7. Develop tribal language and literature through training, performances and production.

8. Conduct and organize tribal demonstrations, competitions, conferences and seminars, feasts, festivals and memorial days.

9. Organize and conduct tribal awareness and motivation programs in the center or in other places.

10. Conduct tribal cultural connectivity activities among various tribal groups and create harmonious unity among them.

11. Promote tribal games and sports through coaching, training, competitions and tournaments.

12. Take tribal troupes for national or international presentation, demonstration or competition.

13. Conduct and facilitate education and higher education of talented candidates on tribal disciplines.

14. Facilitate display and sale of tribal goods and articles in the center or in other places.

15. Facilitate tribal socio-economic development programs.

 

Activities presently going on in the Cultural Center: Presently activities being carried out in the Center are categorized under three specified heads: 1. Tribal Cultural Activities, 2. Tribal Cultural Research, 3. Tribal Documentation. 4. Tribal Literary and intellectual programs.

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Tribal Cultural Activities:

• Sanskruti Kendra organizes in the premises of the center or co-organizes tribal programs with various tribal groups annual tribal assemblies tribal groups– Oraon, Munda, Kisan and Khadia.

• The center conducts tribal dance festival with tribal song and dance competition. This is one of the crowd pulling activity, where over a thousand people attend.

• There are celebrations of memorial days of tribal heroes like – Birsa Munda Jayanti, Telenga Khadia Jayanti, Budhu Bhagat Jayanti etc.

• Tribal feasts and festivals – like, Cattles’ feast, New grain feast etc. are celebrated with the people. Dance festival and festival of individual tribes are conducted in the premise of Center.

 

Tribal Cultural Research:

1. Research on various tribal groups and some Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups (PVTG) are conducted through research tours, library studies, interviews with prominent tribal leaders etc. are conducted and the data base created.

2. Audio and Video documentation of dance and songs, customs and practices of various tribal groups are made in order to enrich the research.

3. Research on various aspects of the tribal reality, like – industrial menace, migrant laborers and domestic workers, human trafficking are done and data documented.

4. Song, dance and cultural quiz competitions for the tribal are also a part of the research activity where their documentation creates a rich resource.

 

Tribal Documentation:

Documentation of various aspects of tribal culture, like – birth, marriage and death related customs and practices, various rites and rituals etc. are documented in the form of manuscripts, print, audio, video, art and artifacts is an important activity of Sanskruti Kendra. Concerted efforts are made to search lost heritage and hidden materials and preserved in the suitable media forms. Some of these materials are brought out to the public domain in the form of print, audio or video productions; and the rest are preserved in the database of the Center. Tribal library and archives developed at Sanskruti Kendra also offers significant help in this regard.

 

Tribal Literary and Intellectual Programs:

Sanskruti Kendra initiates tribal literary and intellectual programs through some concrete activities. The Light House Program and Tribal Literary Festival are two main activities in this regard.

The Light House Program is a program the tribal intellectuals like college lecturers, university Professors, writers, poets, scholars, educated and interested people. They are assembled for conference and seminar to deliberate on various tribal matters. Research paper presentation, book release, poetry reading, discussion on various related topics, action plan etc. are the notable items in this program. Tribal Literary Festival is another significant event initiated by Sanskruti Kendra. Tribal students, educated mass and the intellectuals are invited in such a program where multi-lingual anthologies of poetry written by all tribal writers are released with fanfare and celebration. So far two anthologies have been brought out by Sanskruti Kendra – The First Step 2019 and Mohul Phool 2020.

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As a conclusion we can happily say this – Sanskruti Kendra has initiated some significant and constructive steps to protect, preserve and promote tribal culture in the area with visible results. Considering the immensity of the enterprise, these steps may look small, but these efforts are just the lead to the things to come; they only need sustained effort to achieve greater result so that the tribal community may be served better. 

 

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Dr.Fr. Ignatius Soreng SVD, Ph.D.

Director, Sanskruti Kendra

Sundargarh