JAGO ADIVASI JAI ADIVASI
- Bro. Maxim D'Mello SJ

This Adivasi Festival  2009 brought together for the first time Adivasis from a few states outsisde Maharashtra – Andhra, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, and Gujarat, for a grand joint celebration. The Warli Adivasis of Talasari  taluka, Thane dt.,  Maharashtra,hosted the UTSAV,  as was decided at the last Adivasi gathering  in Ranchi.

For the past twenty years, the Warlis have been led to affect their own development. The Jesuit Fathers and Brothers organized for them coaching classes and seminars in the field of agriculture, local herbal remedies, writers’ workshops, legal affairs to oversee land and property matters in the face of despoliation by the government and the get-rich-quick entrepreneurs. The November 2009 celebration was an opportunity for the Warlis to show-case what they had learnt.

The celebration was planned and organized by the Warlis. The Jesuits provided support and facilities ( the Hall, classrooms to lodge the out-of-state guests and participants) and the Sisters animating the Mahila Mandal Self-Help Groups. It was a corporate and team effort. Leadership was provided by their own upcoming men and women. The Jesuits and the Sisters played a background, supportive role.

As the countdown to the opening day (28 November) approached, some diffidence and nervous tension was visible. It was Mr. Ramesh Kantela who took matters in hand crying out (like a voice in the desert?) “We CAN DO IT”!!!

The cry was taken up; energy returned, and the drums were tested and the Tarpa fine-tuned. The tarpa is like a vitamin pill to lift up the Warli spirit to rise and soar…The Utsav promised to be a grand affair!  Representatives of Advasis from Andhra, Tamil Nadu… would see for themselves what the Warli were doing towards self-improvement. Part of the success of this festival was surely due to the fact that four Warli members of SAPI, had attended the Brazil World Forum 2009 – they had returned with the firm conviction that the change in Adivasi land, was in the hands of the Adivasi himself.

Self- assertion is to be practised , not only learned about in seminars, etc. YES, WE CAN!!  -         they are learning how to call government and entrepreneurs to account, when these interfere with Adivasi the and exploit his land.

Who funded the Utsav? The locals! - … self–reliance in action! The SAPI team and the Mahila Mandals did a very commendable job, in the preparation and the running of the two-day programme. Self-reliance once again … they showed themselves to be quick learners. Kar Seva was very much in evidence under the leadership of the Mahila self-help groups. They cleaned up the venue (Gnanmata Sadan, Talasari), decorated the hall and the stage, ran a canteen and fed guests and participants.

November 28, the opening day, saw the venue fill up with guests and the general public. In traditional Warli style, the welcoming ceremony began with Arati and Kumkum, and sprinkling of  rice, at the entrance. The Deha (lamp), decorated with flowers was lit and each representative was introduced to the audience and given a rose of honour by SAPI members.

>The banner on the stage gave out an urgent call: JAGO ADIVASI, JAI ADIVASI  -  WAKE UP, O ADIVASI;  ALL HAIL, O ADIVASI!

The wake-up call was the brain child of the Gujarat Adivasi under the guidance of Fr. Stanny Jebamalai, S.J. This call is now being heard by the Adivasis all over the country. While we see around us destruction of Mother Nature, it is the Adivasi, natural caretaker of Mother Earth, who can come to our rescue. Thanks be to God that the Adivasis are waking up, striving to be master of themselves! They will prove to be our salvation.

For too long, the Adivasi once uncared for by colonial powers, is now neglected by being sidelined by our own government. There are inhuman minds in our midst, brainwashing the Adivasis into negative thinking. Why should the Adivasi in Independent India still be (deliberately?!)  kept backward  -  Why? Now, therefore, is the time for the Adivasi to WAKE UP! It is he alone, the Adivasi,  who can restore  in our country the sanity that has been thrown thrown away by  -  whom? -  letting the so- called vested interests (not only the government, exploiters, land grabbers…)  have a free hand, beyond the reach of the law of the land.

The following day, November 29, was dedicated to a cultural Fiesta. A grand affair, portraying the soul of the Adivasi. It carried the proud message: “This is me! I am proud to be Adivasi... I may be poor, despised; but I am rich, in ways the modern world neither understands nor appreciates.”

>On display was the colour, the sound… the art… their devotion the gods. Dance predominated the show. It was indeed an eye-opener to visitors who for the first time were witnessing the Adivasi world in action! The Warlis,  being the hosts,  appeared first on the stage to show-case their particular heritage. They began with the Tarpa dance, which is a prayer dance in honour of Mahadev, requesting him to send the rice goddess ( Kansari) to bless their rice fields.

Adivasi delegates then in turn made their contribution to the Festival. Bardipada Adivasis from Gujarat did their KAHALIA DANCE, expressing the full extent of their way of life. Mr Bhagu Gamit did the THALI DANCE, a narration in song and rhythmic beating of the drum, of their social, economic and political life-style. The Adivasis from Andhra called Gadabas, performed their much-appreciated dance. From Maharashtra came the Padwas from Shirpur district; they presented the wedding dance. And the message they conveyed was: We’re proud of ourselves…of our language and culture.

From for the south of the country, the Tamil Adivasi group called the Paliyar presented their cultural dances, accompanied by mellifluous trumpets and rhythmical drum beats. This contribution was so charming  that it drew enthusiastic applause from the very attentive audience. And from Kerala  the  Pariyars  danced their way into our hearts with their traditional dances and folk-songs. Official statistics enlist 36 Adivasi communities in Kerala.

Cultural forms are a perennial source of renewal energy. The WAKE-UP call the Adivasis heard at the UTSAV will embolden them to assert their birth right to belong to the human society. Their present situation in life is pathetic. A litany of evils visited upon them in the past and in post-independent India from within the country, is a slap in the face of Bharat Mata. Land alienation, atrocities against women, unwed mothers, a high rate of infant mortality, acute poverty, anti-tribal welfare schemes and development projects, displacement without rehabilitation,  anti-tribal interventions by political parties and bureaucratic bodies, illiteracy, exploitation by landlords…  all this and more (acutely in Kerala, a state well known as ‘God’s own country’!!!)  must be challenged by the general public. The Adivasi is gaining strength to do this himself.

And soon  -  two days was too short time for the  grand  Utsav  -  it was all over. Everyone, both participants and visitors, have taken  home with them this very important conviction: the Adivasi have an identity…they belong… They will no longer accept being foreigners in their own Matru Bhumi.