'Landlessness, poverty issues amongst tribals'

New Delhi, May 15: Reeling under the onslaught of ''insensitive'' developmental policies, tribal life and culture can be saved from extinction through a policy initiative by the government, leading anthropologists and experts have contended.

''Landlessness and poverty amongst tribals are big issues, and a policy decision should be taken by the government if the tribals and their culture is to be preserved,'' said Prof B K Roy Burman, an eminent anthropologist and expert on the North East.

He was delivering the keynote address on Sunday at a seminar on 'Folk Festivals and Ecological Wisdom', jointly organised by The Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts (IGNCA) and Indian Confederation of Indigenous and Tribal Peoples (ICITP) here.

''If we have to save tribals from a social deviation, their problems should be taken up at the macro level,'' Prof Burman said.

Outlining a more sensitive role on part of the government, he said globalisation and capitalisation cannot be avoided but they should be planned and executed in such a way that natural habitat of these tribals is not devastated.

''The tribal culture and heritage is at risk as the development programmes initiated by the government are becoming a serious threat to their existence and survival,'' he said.

Dr K K Chakravarty, Member Secretary, IGNCA, said, ''The adivasis have been migrating to metros leaving their centuries-old heritage behind, and the need of the hour is to compile their history. We should collect and record the wisdom of the tribals and Adivasis.'' He said their histories should be written by people within the community rather than by scholars from Delhi. There should be glossaries and dictionaries of symbols and meanings in various adivasi communities, including their food and lifestyles, gods and goddesses.

Representatives of Ho, Asur, Kharia, Munda, Oraon, Chik Baraik and Santhal tribes also participated in the seminar.

The seminar was followed by a cultural event where tribal dances were performed.

UNI