Tribal Tales
Tribal Tales
Tribal Tales
DEBASTUTI TALUKDAR
MAY, 2023
INTRODUCTION
India, a multicultural land with a rich cultural legacy, has a richness of literary archives that has been
passed down through generations of indigenous tribes. Throughout the Indian Union, there are various
tribal communities, that come in both small and large numbers, living in groups that are cohesive and
organically unified, who speak their own languages or dialects, and have their own traditions and
cultures. The myths, stories, songs, poetry, and other types of storytelling practised by Indian tribes
are part of their oral traditions. These tales serve as a means of cultural identity preservation and
education by illuminating the distinctive practises, beliefs, and ideals of each tribe.
In oral, as well as visual forms of representation, tribal artists seem to interpret verbal or pictorial
space as demarcated by an extremely flexible ‘frame.’ Tribal artwork and interior spaces can blend
together as if they are one; the same can be seen in tribal epics, which can start with a banal everyday
occurrence. And there is no conscious attempt to follow a sequence within the narrative or the painted
picture. In the tribal Ramayana, an unexpected apparition from a Mahabharat episode suddenly
appears. As if literature were painted words and painting were a song of images, the syntax of
language and the grammar of painting are somewhat similar.
The extensive oral traditions of the tribes and indigenous peoples in India are the source of the
country's literary traditions. These oral traditions, often referred to as folklores, are ageless and
unanchored since they freely move from generation to generation, country to country, and genre to
genre. Folklore is a part of oral tradition in the majority of non-Western countries; it is typically
spoken out load, which enables the dramatization of the events, while also allowing to portrayal of
various characters in different voices, tones and expressions. The oral standard was created to
distinguish folklore from written or literary works.
These verses, which are sometimes expressed as songs or chants, are a reflection of the close
relationship between the natural environment and tribal life. But because they were oral, many of
these masterpieces have been lost. The songs that follow provide a little insight into the vast collection
of folk music that expresses tribal people's cultures.
A Munda song
The Munda tribe live in parts Jharkhand, West Bengal, Assam, Tripura, Madhya Pradesh, and Orissa
in the Indian subcontinent. The Munda have numerous rites and ceremonies related to marriage, birth,
and death. This particular Munda song emphasises their deep relationship with nature and is sung
during the birth of a son or daughter. Cattle leave for the pastures in the morning and come back to
their barns in the evening. When a daughter is born, the cowshed is said to be full with cows, and
when a male is born, it is empty. The daughter is valued higher than the son, which is the result of the
dominant position that women play in Munda society's numerous economic, social, and ritualistic
activities.
An Adi Song
Oh my beloved one
If you lost your health due to ill luck
The word "Adi," refers to all hill tribes in the region of the Brahmaputra valley but is prevalent in the
East and West Siang districts of Arunachal Pradesh, and encompasses a variety of groups. Dependent
on nature for many of their needs, they believe that equilibrium in nature must always be preserved.
The song mentioned here is a mantra that is chanted in Miri Agom in order to entice the spirit of good
health back to the body of an ill person. According to the Adi, a person becomes unwell when the
spirit of health leaves the body as a result of a shock it may experience. The sick person's maternal
uncle conducts a rite during which the verses are repeated.
In India, researchers have not given folklore the same kind of attention as they have given to written
texts, despite the fact that the bulk of the population is still illiterate. Important historical and other
sociopolitical characteristics of many Indian societies, especially adivasis, are not adequately captured
in written documents.
These communities have been marginalised by the forces of urbanisation, print culture, and
commerce, along with their languages and literary cultures. While some efforts have been made to
collect and preserve tribal languages and their literatures, without more concerted efforts made
quickly, we run the risk of losing a significant portion of our history and rich literary heritage.
One of the best solutions to this issue lies in our modified notion of literature. We must accept that
literature can have both written and audible forms. It is imperative that we gather and preserve
indigenous literature for future generations. It is also important to note that the writing of the Adivasis
is neither a recent "movement" or trend in literature; most people have simply been ignorant towards
its existence.