Journals
Indigenous Philosophies of the Himalayan Communities
Vol. III, No. 2 | December 2012
Contents
Salesian Journal of Humanities and Social Sciences, Vol. III, No. 2 (December 2012)
Indigenous Philosophies of the Himalayan Communities
ISSN: 0976-1861
Section: Contents
CONTENTS
Salesian Journal of Humanities & Social Sciences, Vol. III, No. 2 (December 2012)
ISSN: 0976-1861 | Page No: iii-iv | Section: Contents
INDIGENOUS PHILOSOPHIES OF THE HIMALAYAN COMMUNITIES
| ISSN 0976-1861 | December 2012 | Vol. III, No. 2 |
CONTENTS
Editorial Introduction: Positioning the Indigenous Philosophies of the Himalayas George Thadathil | v |
Articles Indigenous Philosophies of the Himalayan Communities Mahendra P. Lama | 1 |
One or Many: Pluralistic Identities vis-à-vis Enforced Uniformity George Plathottam | 8 |
Dogri Folk Ballad: Signifier of Social and Cultural Ethos of Dogras Lalit Magotra | 19 |
Dogra Culture: Knowledge and Beliefs Shashi Pathania | 23 |
The Philosophy of the Lepcha Religion: A Critical Study Peter Lingdamo | 30 |
Ethnic Awareness among the Lepchas of Darjeeling Hills Alina Pradhan | 36 |
Indigenous Lepchas: Philosophy of Life and Worldview Dennis Lepcha | 46 |
Sakyu-Rumfaat of the Lepchas: A Philosophical Reading into their Naamtho-Naamthar-s Samuel Dingrongmoo Lepcha | 53 |
Christian Mission and the Himalayan Communities of Pedong Francis Arukakkal Varkey | 64 |
The Indigenous People of Arunachal Pradesh Thomas Vattoth | 72 |
Tribal Philosophy: Concepts, Issues and Methods Xavier P. Mao | 89 |
The Philosophy of Life among the Tani Group of Tribes of Himalayas Jogendra Nath | 98 |
Philosophy, History and Religio-Cultural Transitions of the Tamang Tribe in the Darjeeling Hills Terence Mukhia | 103 |
Indigenous Knowledge for Community Based Development Pushpa Joseph | 114 |
Understanding Tribal Societies Sujata Miri | 124 |
Book Reviews William Irwin Thompson, The Time Falling Bodies Take To Light: Mythology, Sexuality, and the Origins of Culture (1981) By George Thadathil | 132 |
Betty De Shong Meador, Uncursing the Dark: Treasures from the Underworld (1994) By Priyanka Das | 135 |
Felix Padel, Sacrificing People: Invasions of a Tribal Landscape (new and updated version with a new foreword by Hugh Broody) (2009) By Kasturi Ghosh | 138 |
George J. Sefa Dei, Indigenous Philosophies and Critical Education: A Reader (2011) By Nilima Moktan | 141 |
Editorial
Positioning the Indigenous Philosophies of the Himalayas
George Thadathil
DOI: 10.51818/SJHSS.03.2012.v-xvii
Cite:
Section: Editorial
Editorial
Articles
Indigenous Philosophies of the Himalayan Communities
Mahendra P. Lama
DOI: 10.51818/SJHSS.03.2012.1-7
Cite:
Section: Article
Abstract
Salesian Journal of Humanities and Social Sciences, Vol. III, No. 2 (December 2012)
ISSN: 0976-1861 | DOI: 10.51818/SJHSS.03.2012.1-7 | Page: 01-07,
Indigenous Philosophies of the Himalayan Communities | Section: Articles
Indigenous Philosophies of the Himalayan Communities
Mahendra P. Lama, the founding Vice Chancellor of the Sikkim University, was earlier the Professor of South Asian Economies and the Chairman of the Centre for South, Central, South East Asia and South West Pacific Studies, School of International Studies, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi. He also served as the Chief Economic Adviser to the Chief Minister of Sikkim for seven years since 2002. He completed his MA and PhD from Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi. Central to his intellectual pursuits is development and cooperation in South and South East Asia. He has published on issues related to cooperation and integration in South Asia, besides authoring and editing 15 books on the issues of human security, migration, refugees, trade, investment and energy cooperation.
Abstract
The people of the Himalayan region and their socio-cultural milieu have served as the most critical source of modern civilisations in this part of the world. They have in fact been the harbinger of sustainable development and ecological conservation too. However, as the Himalayas double as international borders and strategic boundaries, the region and the people were exposed to large scale military and geo-political actions. The philosophies of the indigenous people are very ingenuously located in their settlement pattern, food habits, love for nature, social actions and their own cultural cauldron.One of the most fascinating aspects of the philosophy of mountain people has been the place of volunteerism in their social life.The villages remained a lively unit as people remained highly integrated and emotionally bonded. However, all these qualities of community living are now undergoing erosion. The villagers too would like to have an urban pattern of life where individualism is the most dashing feature. This has several implications for traditionally well-knit societies in the mountain regions.
Keywords: Himalayan region, Indigenous philosophy, Culture
License : Salesian Journal of Humanities & Social Sciences is licensed under Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International
One or Many: Pluralistic Identities vis-a-vis Enforced Uniformity
George Plathottam
DOI: 10.51818/SJHSS.03.2012.8-18
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Section: Article
Abstract
Salesian Journal of Humanities and Social Sciences, Vol. III, No. 2 (December 2012)
ISSN: 0976-1861 | DOI: 10.51818/SJHSS.03.2012.8-18 | Page: 08-18,
One or Many: Pluralistic Identities vis-a-vis Enforced Uniformity | Section: Articles
One or Many: Pluralistic Identities vis-a-vis Enforced Uniformity
George Plathottam is currently the Director of National Institute of Social Communications, Research and Training (NISCORT), Delhi. He holds a PhD in Communications from North Eastern Hill University, Shillong and has three Masters Degrees in Theology, Sociology and Journalism and Mass Communications. He has served as DireAbstractctor of the Mass Media Department in St. Anthony's College, Shillong, and the President of Indian Catholic Press Association (ICPA). He is a member of the international committee of consulters on communications of the Salesian Society, and has authored several books and articles on media. He has also served as the Secretary of the CBCI-OSC.
Abstract
North East India, though geographically, is at the borders of the Himalayas where one might get the impression that the Himalayan identity seem to be merging into larger cultures and communities, one cannot escape the fact that the region shares so many common features as well as challenges with the rest of the people of the Himalayan region. Across the world, many of the smaller indigenous cultures and their religious and worldviews were under threat from the dominant cultures. And India is no exception. The world, beyond doubt, is a pluralistic place. And to deny the human being the plurality that is so integral to his or her existence is to negate his or her very being itself. A refusal to accept the diversity and difference—whether they are individuals or organised groups—are impoverishing themselves and the rest of the world. Cultures and communities, just as individuals, deserve the freedom to be open and pluralistic. The Himalayas exemplify what India represents—a mosaic of cultures, worldviews, philosophies, languages, ethnic identities and much more. The totalitarian ideologies that overrun Europe from the early part of the 20th century has resulted in catastrophes abound. It should be the collective resolve of all of us including academicians, philosophers, civil society groups, political parties, the media, and all the more the common people to read the writing on the wall, and to strive for a pluralistic and diverse India. There are numerous ways in which a dominant section of people and their ideology challenges and threatens the survival of the smaller communities. The kind of ideology, which advocates religious, cultural, and ethnic domination, rooted in the ideology of one nation, one culture, and one religion could very well lead to serious threats to the minorities and their rights, which in turn poses a serious threat to our nation's survival itself.
Keywords: Pluralism, Identities, Minorities, Hindutva, Totalitarian
License : Salesian Journal of Humanities & Social Sciences is licensed under Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International
Dogri Folk Ballad: Signifier of Social and Cultural Ethos of Dogras
Lalit Magotra
DOI: 10.51818/SJHSS.03.2012.19-22
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Section: Article
Abstract
Salesian Journal of Humanities and Social Sciences, Vol. III, No. 2 (December 2012)
ISSN: 0976-1861 | DOI: 10.51818/SJHSS.03.2012.19-22 | Page: 19-22,
Dogri Folk Ballad: Signifier of Social and Cultural Ethos of Dogras | Section: Articles
Dogri Folk Ballad: Signifier of Social and Cultural Ethos of Dogras
Lalit Magotra, a prominent Dogri writer, was a Professor of Physics at the University of Jammu. He is presently the President, Dogri Sanstha, Jammu and has been associated with the movement for Dogri's recognition as a scheduled language. He is a recipient of the SahityaAkademi Award for his collection of Dogri essays titled Cheten Diyan Galiyan in 2011. He has four books to his credit in Dogri.
Abstract
Civil societies across time and space have adopted certain values and ideals upon which it sustains and thrives. These values and ideals, having a universal appeal, for some inexplicable reasons, persist in spite of the apparent impression of their being at discount. However, history is also witness that these ideals have come in conflict with the interests of the ambitious and powerful people in the society who have tried to subvert these basic principles, so essential for the wellbeing of society, for their personal gains. It is also true that there are exceptionally fearless and upright individuals who have risen from time to time to uphold these high ideals and moral values, at the peril of even their own lives. In the difficult and trying times, these legends and their tales become sources of inspiration for the next generations and help keep these principles and ideals alive. The 'Baars' and 'Karaks'—the two categories of folk ballad that are very popular in Dogri—narrate the valour and courage exhibited by warrior heroes, and the sagas of the supreme sacrifices made by individuals who laid down their lives for a moral or social cause.
Keywords: Dogras, Culture, Ballads, Baars, Karaks, Dareses, Gardees
License : Salesian Journal of Humanities & Social Sciences is licensed under Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International
Dogra Culture: Knowledge and Beliefs
Shashi Pathania
DOI: 10.51818/SJHSS.03.2012.23-29
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Section: Article
Abstract
Salesian Journal of Humanities and Social Sciences, Vol. III, No. 2 (December 2012)
ISSN: 0976-1861 | DOI: 10.51818/SJHSS.03.2012.23-29 | Page: 23-29,
Dogra Culture: Knowledge and Beliefs | Section: Articles
Dogra Culture: Knowledge and Beliefs
Shashi Pathania is a Professor of Dogri at the University of Jammu. An eminent short story writer, poet and critic, she has twenty three years of research experience extensively covering Grammar, Linguistics, Translation, Literature and Folklore. She has two books to her credit; Dogri Sahitya ChYug-Chetna (collection of 11 articles on literary criticism, 2000) and NamenYug De Waris (Dogri translation of a collection of Punjabi short stories published by Sahitya Akademi, New Delhi). She has also served as the Member, Advisory Board of Dogri Language, Sahitya Akademi, New Delhi, and the Executive Committee of Dogri Sanstha, Jammu.
Abstract
'Duggar Pradesh' or the land of the Dogras is the native land of renowned warriors and artists. Politically, this region is called the Jammu division of Jammu and Kashmir. Culture has played a significant role in human evolution, and every society has its own particular culture or socio-cultural system. The Dogra culture is a secular one, comprising of various castes and tribes. It is very interesting to note that a good number of beliefs, concerning every sphere of life, can be seen in Dogra folklore. These beliefs denote a practical form of knowledge regarding society, interpersonal relationship, parenting, agriculture, business, trade, service, weather, seasons, health, medicines and so on. In the present paper an attempt has been made to discuss the knowledge depicted in the folk beliefs prevalent in the Dogra society. For convenient sake only the beliefs related to agriculture and health are analysed here.
Keywords: Dogras, Culture, Folklore, Agriculture, Health
License : Salesian Journal of Humanities & Social Sciences is licensed under Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International
The Philosophy of the Lepcha Religion: A Critical Study
Peter Lingdamo
DOI: 10.51818/SJHSS.03.2012.30-35
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Section: Article
Abstract
Salesian Journal of Humanities and Social Sciences, Vol. III, No. 2 (December 2012)
ISSN: 0976-1861 | DOI: 10.51818/SJHSS.03.2012.30-35 | Page: 30-35,
The Philosophy of the Lepcha Religion: A Critical Study | Section: Articles
The Philosophy of the Lepcha Religion: A Critical Study
Peter Lingdamo is currently Principal, St. Robert's Higher Secondary School, Darjeeling and formerly, Principal, St. George's Higher Secondary School, Pedong. He is pursuing his research on Lepcha philosophy at the Department of Philosophy, North Bengal University.
Abstract
The Lepcha community by the very nature of its existence explains the presence of God in their life. Religion plays a very important role in the lives of the Lepchas, so much so that there is no life separated from their religion. From birth to the tomb and to the Heavenly abode, religion plays an important role in the life of the Lepchas. The Lepchas, call themselves as the Rong-kup or Rum-Kup; meaning they are the very 'Children of God'. The Lepchas pray together with Bongthing or with Mun, and they are the mediator between God and the only liberator of the Lepchas souls after death. According to the religion of the Lepchas, the life of human being is characterised by danger, agony and suffering. This permanent miserable state of human beings, characterised by hopelessness, weakness and innumerable sufferings has its origin in the supernatural world, and consequently it can only be remedied by action on the part of the same supernatural world. Therefore, the Lepchas approach the benevolent supernatural beings and invoke the protective gods during the cultic performances. Though many thinkers and researchers have termed the Lepcha religion as an animistic religion, in reality, the Lepcha religion is like any other, one that recognises the creator in the creation.
Keywords: Lepcha, Religion, Animism, Philosophy, Bongthing, Mun
License : Salesian Journal of Humanities & Social Sciences is licensed under Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International
Ethnic Awareness Among the Lepchas of Darjeeling Hills
Alina Pradhan
DOI: 10.51818/SJHSS.03.2012.36-45
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Section: Article
Abstract
Salesian Journal of Humanities and Social Sciences, Vol. III, No. 2 (December 2012)
ISSN: 0976-1861 | DOI: 10.51818/SJHSS.03.2012.36-45 | Page: 36-45,
Ethnic Awareness Among the Lepchas of Darjeeling Hills | Section: Articles
Ethnic Awareness Among the Lepchas of Darjeeling Hills
Alina Pradhan is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Political Science in Darjeeling Government College. She has obtained her MA, MPhil and Doctoral degrees from Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi. Her areas of interest include the study of Ethnic groups and Cultures in South Asia, women and children, and the role and contribution of women in peace and conflict resolution.
Abstract
The Lepchas are considered to be the most ancient of all communities, the original inhabitants of Darjeeling and Sikkim, having a rich and varied culture and tradition. They believe that they are the descendants of Fudong Thing (the first male) and Nuzong Nyu (the first female) and strongly believe that they are the very primeval people of the world and whose origin is as old as the Himalayas. Scholars have described the Lepchas as a 'dying race' or a 'vanishing tribe'. The rate of growth of population among the Lepchas is less than one percent. Modernisation has brought about drastic changes in the socio-religious life of the Lepchas. The Lepcha elites are trying to bring about a revival of their community, utilizing culture as their main tool. Though the Lepchas have remained socially, politically and economically backward, today they are becoming conscious of their identity and asserting their rightful place in the society. Under the leadership of the Indigenous Lepcha Tribal Association (ILTA), the Lepchas are eager to carve their separate identity, are called upon to preserve, conserve and maintain their cultural heritage and language, and to protect their land around which their culture and identity are linked and interwoven.
Keywords: Lepcha, Ethnic identity, Indigenous people, Indigenous Lepcha Tribal Association (ILTA)
License : Salesian Journal of Humanities & Social Sciences is licensed under Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International
Indigenous Lepchas: Philosophy of Life and Worldview
Dennis Lepcha
DOI: 10.51818/SJHSS.03.2012.46-52
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Section: Article
Abstract
Salesian Journal of Humanities and Social Sciences, Vol. III, No. 2 (December 2012)
ISSN: 0976-1861 | DOI: 10.51818/SJHSS.03.2012.46-52 | Page: 46-52,
Indigenous Lepchas: Philosophy of Life and Worldview | Section: Articles
Indigenous Lepchas: Philosophy of Life and Worldview
Dennis Lepcha is an Assistant Teacher at St. Robert's Higher Secondary School, Darjeeling. He is a Member and Advisor of the Indigenous Lepcha Tribal Association. He holds an MPhil Degree in Political Science. He is well-versed in Lepcha language and three of his translations have been published so far. He has also presented papers at national seminars and published articles in reputed journals and magazines, besides contributing to local newspapers.
Abstract
The Lepchas, an indigenous race of the Darjeeling district of West Bengal, Sikkim, and Illam Himalayas of Nepal, were once a ruling race, equal in power and status to many contemporary rulers of other races and countries. The Lepchas believe that they are among the very primeval people of the world whose origin is as old as the very Himalayas. They have a distinct language, literature, culture, custom, tradition, myths, sagas, legends, religion, almanac, festivals, civilization, history, and a way of life and living. The Lepchas are very close to nature and in particular land. They believe that this world is given to them by God to protect, to take care and to enjoy its fruits. Hence the whole knowledge system is drawn from God. Their philosophy of life is centred on God. In a nutshell, we can say, 'live and let live' is the philosophy of the Lepchas. However, of late, owing to the influence of various religions like Buddhism, Christianity, Hinduism and Islam, their indigenous concept of God is changing. The influence of modern education and globalization and its allied aspects on the younger generation has also contributed to this change, as well as their worldview.
Keywords: Lepcha, Indigenous culture, Language, Philosophy, Worldview
License : Salesian Journal of Humanities & Social Sciences is licensed under Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International
SAKYU-RUMFAT of the Lepchas: A Philosophical Reading into their NAAMTHO-NAAMTHAR-S
Samuel Dingrongmoo Lepcha
DOI: 10.51818/SJHSS.03.2012.53-63
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Section: Article
Abstract
Salesian Journal of Humanities and Social Sciences, Vol. III, No. 2 (December 2012)
ISSN: 0976-1861 | DOI: 10.51818/SJHSS.03.2012.53-63 | Page: 53-63,
SAKYU-RUMFAT of the Lepchas: A Philosophical Reading into their NAAMTHO-NAAMTHAR-S | Section: Articles
SAKYU-RUMFAT of the Lepchas: A Philosophical Reading into their NAAMTHO-NAAMTHAR-S
Samuel Dingrongmoo Lepcha is a Roman Catholic priest who hails from Kalimpong, Darjeeling. He was the former Dean of Philosophy at Morning Star College, Barrackpore, Kolkata. He has also served as the Principal of St. Augustine's School, Kalimpong. He has presented papers at national seminars and has published papers in reputed journals. He is a member of Association of Christian Philosophers of India. An authority in Lepcha language and culture, he is currently pursuing his doctoral studies in Namotho Namthar(s) (original texts of the Lepchas) at the University of Madras.
Abstract
Philosophising from the indigenous context—an attempt to reflect over the wisdom(s) of the indigenous people—has always met with scepticism and severe criticism, especially in an intellectual world that has been dominated by western philosophies. However, these critics seem to forget that each community carries an inherent capacity to nurture, nourish and philosophise on its indigenous wisdom. From this standpoint, thus, it is not only possible to philosophise from the indigenous context of the Lepchas, but one should invariably begin philosophising from the existential questions of this community in order to complement the larger Himalayan philosophical queries. The
philosophical traditions of the indigenous Lepchas may have started with the ordinary experiences of life, in their interactions with the unfathomable depths of the nature; through their interaction with the nature, they reach or try to reach the Ultimate. In the Lepcha worldview, nature, god and the humans meet and co-mingle on a same level. Seen through Sakyu-Rumfaat, the primeval philosophy of the Lepchas could be considered.
Keywords: Lepcha, Indigenous philosophy, Sakyu-Rumfaat, Naamtho-Naamthaars, Eco-sophy
License : Salesian Journal of Humanities & Social Sciences is licensed under Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International
Christian Mission and the Himalayan Communities of Pedong
Francis Arukakkal Varkey
DOI: 10.51818/SJHSS.03.2012.64-71
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Section: Article
Abstract
Salesian Journal of Humanities and Social Sciences, Vol. III, No. 2 (December 2012)
ISSN: 0976-1861 | DOI: 10.51818/SJHSS.03.2012.64-71 | Page: 64-71,
Christian Mission and the Himalayan Communities of Pedong | Section: Articles
Christian Mission and the Himalayan Communities of Pedong
Francis Arukakkal Varkey is currently teaching History and Education at North Bengal St.Xavier's College, Rajganj, Jalpaiguri, West Bengal. He was awarded PhD by the University of North Bengal in 2008 for his research on "Impact of Catholic Missionaries on the Inhabitants of Darjeeling and Sikkim: A Historical Perspective." He also taught at Loyola College of Education, Namchi, Sikkim for over a decade.
Abstract
The Priests of Missions Estrangeres de Paris (MEP) arrived in Pedong, Eastern Himalayas in 1882 and they engaged with a small population consisting of different castes and tribes. Their promotion of holistic education from 1882 to 1937 and its impact on the indigenous inhabitants is traced in this study. Through extensive interviews of individuals and participant-observation of local communities an impartial assessment has been attempted. Data obtained from primary sources such as personal diaries, letters, legal deeds, photographs, archival documents and secondary sources including news bulletins, jubilee souvenirs and periodicals of MEP fathers were analytically and critically examined. A summary of findings is categorised under six heads: (1) Education (2) Healthcare Programmes (3) Agricultural Technology (4) Unification of various Castes and Tribes (5) Introduction of new Faith and its receptivity, and (6) Formation of a new Class.
Keywords: Missions Estrangeres de Paris, Pedong, Holistic education
License : Salesian Journal of Humanities & Social Sciences is licensed under Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International
The Indigenous People of Arunachal Pradesh
Thomas Vattoth
DOI: 10.51818/SJHSS.03.2012.72-88
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Section: Article
Abstract
Salesian Journal of Humanities and Social Sciences, Vol. III, No. 2 (December 2012)
ISSN: 0976-1861 | DOI: 10.51818/SJHSS.03.2012.72-88 | Page: 72-88,
The Indigenous People of Arunachal Pradesh | Section: Articles
The Indigenous People of Arunachal Pradesh
Thomas Vattoth is a member of the Salesian Society of Don Bosco. He did a course in Social Communication from Lyons, France in 1978, and in photography from Turin, Italy in 1979. He has served as the Secretary of the Social Communication to the North-East Bishops’ Conference. He has worked extensively among the Wancho tribe in Arunachal Pradesh and has authored the book, The Wanchos in Transition (2008).
Abstract
Arunachal Pradesh is the largest of all the North-eastern states. Though the state possesses 31.94 percent of the area, it has only 2.81 percent of population of the region, with a density of 13 per square kilometre. Scientific studies have proved that Arunachal Pradesh had prehistoric settlements. A large number of tribes inhabit the hills and plains of northeast India. The British, by 1842, has established their suzerainty over the entire province. In 1954, with the promulgation of the North East Frontier (Administration) Regulation, a full-fledged administration for the entire area, under the title of 'North East Frontier Agency' or 'NEFA' came into existence for the first time. In 1971, the government of India passed the North-East Areas (Re-organisation) Act, separating Meghalaya, Mizoram and NEFA from Assam. After many years, NEFA became Arunachal Pradesh, became a Union Territory and, on 20 January 1987, emerged as the 24th state of the Indian Republic. The people, varied as they are in their customs and manners, food and dress, languages and dialects, dances and songs, in the way of building houses, in their beliefs and superstitions, belong to the Mongoloid or Paleo-Mongoloid or Indo-Mongoloid race. There are 24 major tribes and 86 subtribes, some say even 110 sub-tribes, living in the state. The Wanchos, comparatively the biggest tribe, inhabit the eastern part of Tirap district. The people of this region, in their various stages of initiation into the 21st century, are just emerging from their age old traditions, customs and manners, into a new world.
Keywords: North-East India, Arunachal Pradesh, Indigenous people, Tribes, Wanchos
License : Salesian Journal of Humanities & Social Sciences is licensed under Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International
Tribal Philosophy: Concepts, Issues and Methods
Xavier P. Mao
DOI: 10.51818/SJHSS.03.2012.89-97
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Section: Article
Abstract
Salesian Journal of Humanities and Social Sciences, Vol. III, No. 2 (December 2012)
ISSN: 0976-1861 | DOI: 10.51818/SJHSS.03.2012.89-97 | Page: 89-97,
Tribal Philosophy: Concepts, Issues and Methods | Section: Articles
Tribal Philosophy: Concepts, Issues and Methods
Xavier P. Mao is an Associate Professor at the Department of Philosophy, North-Eastern Hill University, NEHU, Shillong. He is the current President of the North East Philosophy Association. He has also authored a book titled Virtue and Morality (2011).
Abstract
Attempts to ascertain the philosophies of various tribes and indigenous people are gaining currency, of late. In the contemporary discourse, the expression tribe and tribal stand for a group of people and their culture who inhabit a relatively inaccessible area and whose language, literature, culture and technology are different from that of the mainstream. This new found interest in tribal philosophy is partly due to the curiosity of the mainstream and partly due to the assertiveness of some scholars, particularly the tribal themselves. Tribal religions, myths, legends, folklores, folktales, proverbs etc. have been emphasised as the source materials of tribal philosophy. The method used in the study of tribal philosophy is to construct the worldview of tribals by relying on these source materials. And to understand the worldview of the tribes, one needs to understand the concept of worldview itself. In most cases, religion and worldview of people go hand in hand. Thus the issue of worldview undergoing change as a result of massive religious affiliational transitions over the past century and the role that a recovery of traditional worldview could play for an alternative future are also discussed.
Keywords: Tribal, Worldview, Myth, Freedom, Morality, Nagas
License : Salesian Journal of Humanities & Social Sciences is licensed under Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International
The Philosophy of Life Among the Tani Group of Tribes of Himalayas
Jogendra Nath
DOI: 10.51818/SJHSS.03.2012.98-102
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Section: Article
Abstract
Salesian Journal of Humanities and Social Sciences, Vol. III, No. 2 (December 2012)
ISSN: 0976-1861 | DOI: 10.51818/SJHSS.03.2012.98-102 | Page: 98-102,
The Philosophy of Life Among the Tani Group of Tribes of Himalayas | Section: Articles
The Philosophy of Life Among the Tani Group of Tribes of Himalayas
Jogendra Nath took his Masters in English from University of Guwahati in 1965, and earned his PhD in English Literature from Dibrugarh University. He has to his credit five books on different tribes of North-East, and a good number of research papers and articles. His area of research is Social Anthropology.
Abstract
The Tani group of tribes, consisting of the Apatanis, Nishis, Hill Miris, Galongs, Adis, Tagins, Ramos, Poilobos Misings etc., inhabits the south Himalayas. They are called Tani group of tribes because of their belief that they all are the progenies of a common father called Tani or Doni.These tribes have the common mythology with local variations, common language (Tibeto-Burman) with local variations, and common culture, again with local variations. Their philosophy of life is based on two interrelated premises: 1) the creation of the universe including living and non-living beings and (2) the guiding force of their life. The Tanis believes that the creation of the universe took the evolutionary course from 'nothingness' called Keyum in their language. In the Tani worldview, there is no place for any god, especially a Supreme God, who created the world and takes care of it. So there is no scope for praying to any such supernatural being in that society. They are rather concerned with nature and the immediate surroundings in which they live. In such a situation what one can expect in the name of philosophy is the simple thought for the well being of humans. They simply believe one is to live on the earth strictly adhering to the social customs.
Keywords: Tani Tribes, Worldview, Mythology, Philosophy
License : Salesian Journal of Humanities & Social Sciences is licensed under Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International
Philosophy, History and Religio-cultural Transitions of the Tamang Tribe in the Darjeeling Hills
Terence Mukhia
DOI: 10.51818/SJHSS.03.2012.103-113
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Section: Article
Abstract
Salesian Journal of Humanities and Social Sciences, Vol. III, No. 2 (December 2012)
ISSN: 0976-1861 | DOI: 10.51818/SJHSS.03.2012.103-113 | Page: 103-113,
Philosophy, History and Religio-cultural Transitions of the Tamang Tribe in the Darjeeling Hills | Section: Articles
Philosophy, History and Religio-cultural Transitions of the Tamang Tribe in the Darjeeling Hills
Terence Mukhia is the Campus in-charge and Assistant Professor in Salesian College, Sonada. He is pursuing his PhD from the Assam Don Bosco University, Guwahati. A writer, editor, poet and translator, he is working in close collaboration with local, state and national literary societies. He has three publications including a monograph on Agamsingh Giri published by Sahitya Akademi, New Delhi. He is also the President of the Sonada United Minority Christian Welfare Society and Secretary of Sonada Catholic Association. He has presented papers in national and international seminars.
Abstract
Ascertaining the philosophy of the tribes from the standpoint of the mainstream is always fraught with certain fundamental difficulties, and the case of the tribes of Darjeeling hills is no different. The fluidity of the oral tradition prevalent among the tribes is a major area of concern. Lack of written records is another problem. Despite such difficulties, this paper attempts to present the Tamang worldview, their dharma, ethics, culture, etc. in a philosophical way. Today the Tamang community is in a transitional period. They have become very much conscious of their root, culture and identity. The present religious pursuit of the Tamangs is a mixture of Bon dharma and Tibetan Buddhism (Lamaism). They are feeling the need of going back to their root, culture and thus maintain their distinct identity. Definitely, a unique type of philosophy is emerging, which needs to be acknowledged.
Keywords: Tribal philosophy, Tamangs, Bon dharma, Lamaism
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Indigenous Knowledge for Community Based Development
Pushpa Joseph
DOI: 10.51818/SJHSS.03.2012.114-123
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Section: Article
Abstract
Salesian Journal of Humanities and Social Sciences, Vol. III, No. 2 (December 2012)
ISSN: 0976-1861 | DOI: 10.51818/SJHSS.03.2012.114-123 | Page: 114-123,
Indigenous Knowledge for Community Based Development | Section: Articles
Indigenous Knowledge for Community Based Development
Pushpa Joseph teaches at the department of Christian Studies, University of Madras. She is a feminist theologian with a specialisation in Indian feminist hermeneutical methodologies. Her research interests are in the area of women's issues in society and religion, bioethics, HIV/AIDS. She is the author of Feminist Hermeneutics: A Contextual Reconstruction (Darjeeling, 2010) and other books like Indian Religions (Chennai, 2003) and The Old Testament (Chennai, 2004) which she edited and authored as text books for the University of Madras. She has co-edited Re-imagining Marriage and Family in Asia: Asian Christian Women's Perspectives (SIRD, Malaysia, 2008) and is presently working on a volume entitled Feminist Readings: Essays on Contemporary Issues.
Abstract
Indigenous knowledge is the unique, traditional, local knowledge existing within and developed around the specific conditions of men and women indigenous to a particular geographic area. Community-based development is considered to be an innovative institutional response for meeting the seemingly conflicting goals of poverty reduction and biodiversity education. A significant element of community based development is drawing on the traditional ecological knowledge. Such knowledge held by local people is viable in the management of local resources. This paper argues that indigenous knowledge, which is survival-oriented, contributes to community based development as a significant foundation for sustainable living. With a focus on local knowledge, relying on tribal forms, it articulates the holistic foundations of indigenous knowledge, which is based on a worldview of interconnectedness thus creating open systems. It stipulates the personal and practical characteristics of indigenous agricultural knowledge vis-a-vis scientific dominant knowledge systems and highlights how such open systems contribute to community based development thus ensuring poverty reduction and biodiversity preservation.
Keywords: Indigenous knowledge, Community development, Sustainable living, Biodiversity
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Understanding Tribal Societies
Sujata Miri
DOI: 10.51818/SJHSS.03.2012.124-131
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Section: Article
Abstract
Salesian Journal of Humanities and Social Sciences, Vol. III, No. 2 (December 2012)
ISSN: 0976-1861 | DOI: 10.51818/SJHSS.03.2012.124-131 | Page: 124-131,
Understanding Tribal Societies | Section: Articles
Understanding Tribal Societies
Sujata Miri taught Philosophy at Lady Sri Ram College, New Delhi and North-Eastern Hill University, Shillong, where she was Head of the Department of Philosophy and Dean of the School of Humanities and Education. Sujata Miri has been a member of Indian Council of Philosophical Research (1989-1992, 2006-'09, and 2009-'12). Her books include, Religion and Society: North-East India; An Introduction to the Study of Tribal Religions and The Khasi Milieu; The Khasi World View: A Conceptual Exploration; Communism in Assam: A Civilizational Approach; Rationality and Tribal Thought (Ed); Stories and Legends of the Liangmai Nagas; and Suffering, published by IIAS, Shimla. Sujata has also published two novels Days and Nights and The Broken Circle besides many articles in professional journals. She is a painter of repute with a Book of Paintings on Themes from the North-East. She retired from University service in 2005 and has since settled down in New Delhi.
Abstract
Philosophically understanding and not just explaining forms of life, which we frequently, unthinkingly designate as indigenous or tribal, needs serious effort. What makes it even more complex is the absence of a written intellectual tradition. However, this should not falsely lead us to the conclusion that they lacked a complex system of rules of behaviour, of rights and duties. With the advent of postmodernism, the absolutist and universalist claims have been challenged, and we have started taking cultures other than our own more seriously. The tribal culture represents a vision which sees god, wo/man and nature as inextricably linked. "It is the same 'I' which reverberates in 'all'". In general, the tribal worldviews emphasise the sameness (qualitative) of wo/man, god and nature. It is this that we need to acknowledge for the sake of the whole world. The story of the fight between two mountain gods vividly illustrates the tribal theme of the unity of the great community of beings - human, god, trees, mountains and so on.
Keywords: Tribal worldview, Indigenous culture, Khasis
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Book Reviews
William Irwin Thompson, The Time Falling Bodies Take to Light: Mythology, Sexuality, and the Origins of Culture
George Thadathil
DOI: 10.51818/SJHSS.03.2012.132-134
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Section: Book Reviews
Book Review
Salesian Journal of Humanities and Social Sciences, Vol. III, No. 2 (December 2012)
ISSN: 0976-1861 |DOI: 10.51818/SJHSS.03.2012.132-134 | Page: 132-134,
The Time Falling Bodies Take to Light: Mythology, Sexuality, and the Origins of Culture | Section: Book Review
William Irwin Thompson, The Time Falling Bodies Take to Light: Mythology, Sexuality, and the Origins of Culture, (New York: St. Martin's Press, 1981), 280, Lindisfarne Series Book, $14.95, ISBN 0-312-80512-8.
George Thadathil is the Principal of Salesian College Sonada and Siliguri. He is the author of Vision from the Margin (2007) and has edited and co-edited number of books besides contributing to a number of journals and edited volumes on Philosophy, Literature and Social Sciences.
In this book, published nearly thirty years ago, the author William Irwin Thompson explores the nature of myth and human consciousness, a life time project he continues to develop. He emphasizes the persuasive power of myth to create and inform culture, and weaves the human ability to create life with and communicate through symbols based on male and female forms of power.
The concerns raised in the present volume began with Thompson's second book, At the Edge of History - an erudite plea for a mythological view of the contemporary world. In order to carry forward his vision, Thompson became the founder director of the Lindisfarne Association, ''a contemplative education community devoted to the study and realisation of a new planetary culture.'' He has written numerous articles, as well as four other books...
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Betty De Shong Meador, Uncursing the Dark: Treasures from the Underworld
Priyanka Das
DOI: 10.51818/SJHSS.03.2012.135-137
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Section: Book Reviews
Book Review
Salesian Journal of Humanities and Social Sciences, Vol. III, No. 2 (December 2012)
ISSN: 0976-1861 |DOI: 10.51818/SJHSS.03.2012.135-137 | Page: 135-137,
Uncursing the Dark: Treasures from the Underworld | Section: Book Review
Betty De Shong Meador, Uncursing the Dark: Treasures from the Underworld, (United States of America: Chiron Publications, 1994), 166, $15.95, ISBN 0-933029-65-9.
Priyanka Das is a lecturer in the Department of English, Salesian College, Siliguri. She is associated with the editing of the Salsesian Journal of Humanities & Social Sciences.
The work under review has received much acclaim as it is an attempt to give expression to the archetype of the feminine. The essays in this book bear the recordable evidence of being written over a period of twenty-years and each one in its own way subscribes to the archetypal psychology. The author of the text being a Jungian analyst defines archetypes as innate potential patterns which like a constellation gets into a person's psyche forming a recognizable pattern and powerfully shape that person's way of being and perceiving the world. The archetypes are connected to human instinct and are inborn potential patterns just as is instinct. The way instincts draw our attention and shape our behaviour similarly archetype is the expression of instinct by which we comprehend meaning "through the emotions that the instinctual drive mobilises and fantasies that instinct triggers." As per Jung the archetype, "might suitably be described as the instinct's perception of itself or as the self-portrait of the instinct." The author of the text very well explains this drawing the example of a little girl in her own femaleness who might very well see the woman, not the man, in the moon. Similarly, she also states that not every little girl is caught in the web called the archetype of feminine but this pattern of femaleness might very well dominate the way she approaches the world...
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Felix Padel, Sacrificing People: Invasions of a Tribal Landscape
Kasturi Ghosh
DOI: 10.51818/SJHSS.03.2012.138-140
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Section: Book Reviews
Book Review
Salesian Journal of Humanities and Social Sciences, Vol. III, No. 2 (December 2012)
ISSN: 0976-1861 |DOI: 10.51818/SJHSS.03.2012.138-140 | Page: 138-140,
Sacrificing People: Invasions of a Tribal Landscape (new and updated version with a new foreword by Hugh Broody), | Section: Book Review
Felix Padel, Sacrificing People: Invasions of a Tribal Landscape (new and updated version with a new foreword by Hugh Broody), (New Delhi: Orient Blackswan, 2009), xxxvii + 465, Paperback Edition 2011, Rs. 495.00, ISBN: 978-81-250-4189-4.
Kasturi Ghosh is an Assistant Professor of English at Salesian College, Siliguri Campus. She holds MA and MPhil degrees in the subject from Jadavpur University, Kolkata. Her areas of interest include gothic literature, religion, religion and visual art and cultural studies.
Sacrificing People: Invasions of a Tribal Landscape is a new and updated version of another book by Padel, which was an adaptation of his doctoral thesis completed in the year 1987, titled The Sacrifice of Human Beings: British Rule and the Konds of Orissa, published by Oxford University Press in 1995. The author decided to rewrite this book after fifteen years in the light of the Konds having come into a new relevance locally in Orissa and nationally in India owing to their invasion by the mining companies, who swamped their mountains to mine the best and the largest deposits of Bauxite available in India, or even the world. In fact, the British conquest of the Konds, under the pretext of
civilising them, was really for the control over the mineral rich topography of eastern India. The central thesis of the present book is not only a narrative critique of the conquest of these tribal landscapes and their inhabitants, who the author points out are hardly known to the world for anything else other than their ancient practice of human sacrifice as a fertility ritual popularised by Frazer in The Golden Bough, but also a severe indictment of their conquest by the British in the name of suppressing human sacrifice. And in order to understand their present predicament, we need to keep track of these two aspects. The author explains in the preface that he seeks to understand the politics of a new age war, i.e., the "war on terror" which is full of the same contradictions that this book brings forth; and he is looking to answer questions like "Who is an innocent victim? When is taking of human life justified? Who claims the right to take human life? Who is sacrificing whom?" (p.xix). He adds, "anyone who wishes to penetrate the surface of the war on terror needs to face the shadow side of the society we live in....what this means is: understanding human sacrifice." ...
License : Salesian Journal of Humanities & Social Sciences is licensed under Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International
Ed. George J. Sefa Dei, Indigenous Philosophies and Critical Education: A Reader
Nilima Moktan
DOI: 10.51818/SJHSS.03.2012.141-145
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Section: Book Reviews
Book Review
Salesian Journal of Humanities and Social Sciences, Vol. III, No. 2 (December 2012)
ISSN: 0976-1861 |DOI: 10.51818/SJHSS.03.2012.141-145 | Page: 141-145,
Indigenous Philosophies and Critical Education: A Reader (Foreword by Akwasi Asabere-Ameyaw) | Section: Book Review
Ed. George J. Sefa Dei, Indigenous Philosophies and Critical Education: A Reader (Foreword by Akwasi Asabere-Ameyaw), (New York: Peter Lang, 2011), Paperback Edition 2011, pp. xvi+476, CDN$ 55.30, ISBN: 978-1-4331-0814-3.
Nilima Moktan is an Assistant Professor at the Department of Education, Salesian College, Siliguri Campus. She is pursuing her PhD on ‘Emotional Intelligence’ from the Vishva - Bharati University, Santiniketan, West Bengal.
The book is a collection of essays which brings out the importance of indigenous knowledge than a mere 'contest of marginals'. The Essays in the book challenge the imperial procedures and tries to find the meaning of indigenous in relation to traditions: folk, local knowledge, cultural struggles for identity; and their representation and legitimation throughout the world. The book covers a wide geographical area and attempts to deal with Indigenous philosophies exhaustively...
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