Promotion of Adivasi Culture

Promotion of Adivasi Culture

The Adivasis or ethnic communities of Bangladesh demonstrate unique cultures, traditions, knowledge and much more. Their diverse cultures, languages and traditions contribute profusely to make Bangladesh a culturally rich country. Eleven ethnic communities in the southeast [Chittagong Hill Tracts]; Santal, Oraon, Munda, Malo, Mahato, Koch, Rajbangshi in the north; the Garos and Hajongs in the north-central plains; Monipuri, Khasi, Patra and tea garden communities in the northeast; and Rakhaings in the coastal districts of Cox's Bazar, Barguna and Patuakhali districts have distinct features in their cultural life.

Bangladesh can surely take pride in its diverse cultural life with such distinct ethnic communities. Their languages and cultures also enrich the language and cultural life of the majority people the Bengalis.

The boundaries of cultural life go far beyond stage performance of dances, songs and drama. Language, knowledge, thought, belief, tradition, technology, behavior, rights, festivals—all these are parts of the cultural life of a human community. The protection of cultures cannot be limited to mere efforts for the protection of dances, songs and drama. If a community's right to land, local resources, education and practice of traditions in their own language, and use of knowledge and local technologies are not secure, efforts for protection of culture become meaningless.

Adivasis belonging to different corners of Bangladesh are disadvantaged and marginal peoples today. In many instances, they have lost their identities and languages. This has severe consequences in their social, political, economic and cultural life in many instances. They have become defenseless, excluded and are compelled to assimilate with the majority.

It is a tough struggle to provide political protection to the Adivasi life and culture. While the state attention and policies are much needed for the protection of the Adivasis, increased human communication of the cultural majority with these cultural minorities is imperative. If the common masses have greater understanding of the Adivasi cultural diversity, they can play a role in influencing the state attention in the favor of the Adivasis.

With this in mind the Society for Environment and Human Development (SEHD), which has been working closely with the Adivasis since its inception, initiated a program [from April 2004] with the support of Christian Aid for the promotion of Adivasi culture. At the core of the cultural programs are the cultural groups representing different Adivasi communities. Although the project came to an end in June 2009 SEHD has continued to promote the cultural riches of the ethnic communities of Bangladesh. In five years SEHD has organized as many as 25 cultural groups that have participated in 36 district level cultural exchange programs, five Adivasi cultural festivals in Dhaka (2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, and 2009) and numerous meetings and workshops. The cultural groups involved students, teachers, jumias, farmers, tea workers and the cultural activists.

The cultural exchange programs and the festivals brought thousands of members of different Adivasi communities together and provided them with an outstanding opportunity to interact with the majority community. The media response to the cultural festivals was enormous that has undoubtedly increased the visibility of the Adivasis in Bangladesh.

The program did not stay limited to highlighting the Adivasi culture. Serious discussions, analyses and critics consistently highlighted the constitutional rights of Adivasis, the question of their self-rule, the significance of their knowledge and technologies, human rights, customary land rights, etc. People of different walks of life and disciplines have come to a consensus that the culture of different Adivasi communities need to be firmly established in their own settings; their languages need to be protected; their traditional rights need to be recognized by the state; and above all they need political protection.

The cultural programs also resulted in two books: (i) Bangladesher Khudra Jatishattar Sangskriti (Bangla) and (ii) Culture of Adivasis in Bangladesh (English) that put together facts, analyses, thinking and ideas that emerged during the five years of the cultural programs. These books are like windows to the culture of Adivasis in Bangladesh through which we see the different faces of the Adivasi cultures and can say “CULTURAL DIVERSITY IS OUR PRIDE”.