The education questions of Adivasis are far more contested than anything else in the Indian education system. We can trace this from the representation of Adivasi in politics of curriculum, pedagogy and assessment, and so on, to policy making. Apart from that, their representation in our Textbook clearly shows that our Dominant society or the so-called mainstream society needs to educate themselves, that “who are Adivasis?”
We look at Adivasi from a social location where we are. Where our idea, thinking, and rationality are deep-rooted with Colonial and Brahmanical notions. Throughout our academic journey, from schools to universities, we look at Adivasi as backward, disadvantaged, illiterate, savage etc. Which are very much stereotypical and derogatory.
Such findings indicate that it is the orthodoxy and long-standing social system of the Adivasi that prevents them from being accommodated in the educational institution.
This is how our teacher taught us in front of those Adivasi students who shared the same classroom with us, and at the same time, we’re expecting their empowerment and social mobility. Whether it is school textbooks, public narratives or academia, the Adivasis are always reduced to the identity of “Primitive” but the Adivasis are as much as competitive and assertive as a modern society that is yet to be realised by so-called mainstream or dominant society.
The Adivasi are not a homogeneous community, they hold their distinct identity, language, culture, belief system and epistemology which varies from community to community and geographical location. For a legitimate recognition of the Adivasi community, we must recognize their art, music, literature, and history as a part of our school curriculum and teach in educational institutions.
Representation Of Adivasis From Ancient Literature To Today’s School Textbooks: A Historicization
Historically, the Brahmin-who have a monopoly over education and knowledge production always wrote about Adivasi-the original inhabitants of this land as Demon, Asuras, Rakshasa, Barbaric and many more, which can be traced back from ancient Hindu texts the Upanishad, Ramayana, Mahabharata, Manu smriti, etc. The demonization of Adivasi was started by the Aryans in the Vedic period.
The writings indicate that the Demonization of Adivasi begins when the struggle between Aryans and Non-Aryans takes place and the Aryans try to prove that the Adivasi are inferior to them and portray them in their text in a very negative way. This is also believed and practised by our society in various religious and cultural forms today. Manu, in his writings, describes forest dwellers and tribes as barbarous and sub-humans. Later on, the Aryans established their dominion on Adivasi and kept pushing them into the deep forest and treating them as sub-humans. (Kumar, 2014)
According to Kumar, the Aryans also describe the Adivasi are dark in complexion, they speak a strange language without having a grammar, eat meat and drink alcohol. They also distinguish them for not practising Vedic rituals.
Also, Romila Thapar mentions how the tribes, black-skinned and snub-nosed, with strange languages, practising black magic, and not making the requisite sacrifices, were compared to demons, being treacherous and dwelling in fortified enclosures (Thapar, 1978). As a result, these characteristics were continually portrayed as abnormal and demonic. The dominance of tribes and tribal rulers was seen as the triumph of good over evil in these narratives.
In the present time, in central India the Adivasi have different skin complexions, they speak a different indigenous language and practise different rituals, customs and traditions which are distinguished from Hindu caste society. Their differences from the dominant Hindu society portray them as inferior rather than unique. They are also considered uncivilised because their religious belief is based on animism. For years, they have had a close relationship with the forest, mountain, wildlife, land and water body from which they have developed their epistemology and religious beliefs and live a harmonious life
In the colonial period, The British, who are self-proclaimed civilised people, wrote about many tribal communities as “Criminal tribes” because these Adivasi were fighting against the British and feudal landlords for their “JAL, JUNGLE, JAMEEN”. Even the colonial civilising mission also portrayed Adivasi as Uncivilised and converted them into Christian and today also the process of Sanskritisation plays the same role in the name of assimilation of Adivasi into the Hindu caste society.
Today, Our dominant class education system also played a crucial role in this process. Although the Adivasi in India today hold a distinct identity, worldview, and epistemology from the so-called mainstream society, they have failed to get a legitimate recognition as an autonomous society. As a result, they are excluded from their rights, land, opinion, voice, and intellectual property rights
Our Brahmanical capitalist rationality keeps dehumanising them in many forms, which can be addressed by taking a baby step from the school curriculum by representing positively in a true sense who Adivasi really are? Also, By acknowledging their true identity as an autonomous society which is different from caste society.
How Adivasis Should Be Represented
In the school textbook, Adivasis hold a very narrow definition which digs the foundation of their marginalisation. Adivasis are not a homogeneous community. If we look into the various characteristics, they are classified on the basis of their territorial distribution, linguistic affiliation, physical and racial characteristics, occupation and economy, religious belief and cultural contact.
The National curriculum framework, 2005 position paper on social science proposes in the epistemological frame that the main focus will be on contemporary India so that the learner will get into a deeper understanding of social and economic challenges facing the nation, but when it comes to Adivasis society the reality is shown to be in the past tense.
The Adivasis have also undergone a continuous evolution in terms of their social-political assertion, and their world-view has also changed, which needs to be said as well. The normalisation of dominant caste culture as pan-Indian culture disguises the minority culture, for which the Adivasi’s generation-old culture suffers the most. Adivasi’s children are negatively affected by this and develop an inferiority complex towards their own society as a result.
The Adivasis have also undergone a continuous evolution in terms of their social-political assertion, and their world-view has also changed.
When the textbook talks about the idea of development, Adivasis are held accountable for anti-development and portrayed as “Naxal or Maoist”, whereas their idea of development needs to be seen as legitimised. As a result of refusing to accept capitalism’s idea of development, displacement is easily connected to backwardness.
From the primary stage, when children have been introduced to the chapter diversity the representation of an Adivasis is not seen, but they practice a different religious faith and identity from the dominant caste society. When religion is an integral part of the Indian society, Adivasis practice different religions than the mainstream society (Hindu, Christian, Muslim, Buddhist, etc) which needs to be added in the diversity chapter.
There are also social evils and blind beliefs practised in dominant caste society as well, so there are multiple aspects of Adivasis society, but a number of positive and progressive practices are practised by Adivasis such as non-hierarchy equalitarian society, premarital sex, etc, which can be incorporated into the curriculum.
Apart from that, According to NCF, 2005, the epistemic shift proposed in contemporary India will be discussed from the perspective of Adivasi, Dalit and other disfranchised populations but the Adivasis perspective is yet to be considered to legitimize the idea to see the world. History of Adivasi such as the Chuar rebellion, Chakma revolts, Shantal Hul, Kondh Rebellion, Kol Uprising, and Shingpo attack need to be written as glorifying the history of Adivasi rather than term them in a negative colonial lens.
In contemporary India, modernization and development are always seen from the capitalist and Brahmanical viewpoints, which Adivasi say has never been important. Adivasi social and political assertions are always depicted negatively. School textbooks should promote the importance of identity and language in the formation and upgrade of any society.
Cultural assimilation should promote the idea that all identities, languages, and faiths should be treated equally and with respect. Throughout the textbook, the dominant class cultural practices should be held accountable for perpetuating and validating their practices, instead of blaming Adivasis for their fate.
Conclusion
We are only seeing a fraction of the extent to which biases are rooted deep within our conceptualizations of narratives and events, which are then propagated by something as systematic as formal education. We must simultaneously acknowledge that while textbooks must be reformulated to truly represent the diversity of the population they serve, this is just the first step in a long process of change.
References:
- Kumar, V. (2014, October). Tribal, Rejecting Demonic Tales. Forward Press, VI (10).
- Thapar, R. (1978). Ancient Indian Social History, Some Interpretation. New Delhi, Delhi: Orient Longman Private Limited.
- Hasnain, N. (2007). Tribal India. India: New Royal Book Company.
- Xaxa, A. (2022). Being Adivasi: Existence, Entitlements, Exclusion. India: Penguin Books India PVT, Limited.(2020, August 9).
- How Adivasi languages are at threat by dominant cultures and states’ apathy. Adivasi Resurgence. https://adivasiresurgence.com/2020/08/09/how-adivasi-languages-are-at-threat-by-dominant-cultures-and-states-apathy/
- http://www.ticijournals.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/Social-WorkLectures-on-Curriculum-and-Pedagogy.pdf
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