Fellows to work towards preservation and documentation of tribal art, culture, music
Jamshedpur, Nov 20: Samvaad – one of the largest platforms on tribal identity in India, enabled by Tata Steel Foundation – ended on a high note today. During the day, a total of 10 tribal changemakers were selected to further their research through the Samvaad Fellowship of 2023. Over 30,000 people have attended the five-day cultural conclave in Gopal Maidan, Jamshedpur.
Samvaad Fellowship, an initiative to nurture changemakers from different tribes of India who have shown tangible outcomes that has manifested in the form of books, collectives and moved a step closer to the distant goal of the preservation and promotion of tribal culture. This year, the jury has had a five-day discussion and workshop to confer the Samvaad Fellowship to 10 candidates.
Samvaad Fellows 2023 include: Redeemson S Pakwa, from the Pnar community, Khasi tribe of Meghalaya, will conduct a research-based study on the Ka-Chad Kutsnem music, of the Pnar community of his state. Madhavi Uike Meravi, from the Gond tribe of Madhya Pradesh, who has presented a research paper on – The Impact of Outside Influence on Cultural Lifestyle of the Tribals in their Traditional Habitats at the Tribal Research Institute, Raipur. She wants to document the folk tales of Gond Tribal Communities for producing Children’s Literature. Saka Mashangva, is a folk artist who has been performing all over India for the past 15 years. He wants to document Tingteila, a traditional musical instrument of the Tangkhul tribe of Manipur which is almost extinct.
Santosh Pawra, from the Bhil tribe of Maharashtra is a social activist who wishes to preserve and promote the folk lores of Bhil tribe. W Wanglin, from the Konyak Nagas tribe of Nagaland, has completed his M.Phil from Jawaharlal Nehru University, Delhi. He wants to document and promote Indigenous sports of the Konyak Nagas. Banshailang Mukhim, from the Khasi tribe, Meghalaya, is a folk musician by profession and founder of Shlem, an Institute that specializes in folk music. He wants to preserve and promote the khasi wind musical instrument, Tangmuri. Binit Barla, from the Munda tribe of Jharkhand, wants to work on the development of staff notation of the Mundari songs originating in the Chotanagpur region. Dr Sibdas Baskey, from the Santal tribe of Bengal, wants to work on the identification, documentation, and digitization of the medicinal plants in West Bengal.
Pansy A Jami, from the Lotha Naga tribe of Nagaland wants to document the use and benefits of fermented foods and Madhusmita Majhi, from the Gond tribe, dwelling in Odisha, wants to promote Gondi proverbs to preserve her culture for future generations.