“Last year Reitberg Museum donation got a donation of 92 instruments by a German graphic designer and amateur musician out of which 44 were banams. The flute was considered the most important Santal traditional instrument and still evokes feelings of nostalgia for many Santal.
Moreover, this particular instrument has now become, in some contexts, a stand-alone instrument, and a group of professional banam players, using the epithet of ‘Banam Raja’, have contributed to Banam’s survival and popularity. The collector had never travelled to India and had bought it from dealers. – National Commission for Scheduled Tribes, “Who are Scheduled Tribes?”: Clarifications by the National Commission for Scheduled Tribes – Government of India, Audio – resources on the foundation website, Audio | Santali Traditional and Fusion Songs: Ghosaldanga Bishnubati Adibasi Trust – West Bengal, Ethical considerations for students of Indian journalism: Proper coverage of “deprivation”, Photos and slideshows – resources on the foundation website, Journalism without Fear or Favour, The Committee to Protect Journalists & United Nations, ePub – resources on the foundation website, Asian Ethnology: Special issue on tribal culture in India, Folio (The Hindu): Special issue on Adivasi culture, Folklore and Folkloristics: Special issue on Capacity Building for Tribal students in Tripura, Irish Journal of Anthropology: Special issue on Adivasi identity, PARI Rural people speak about their lives: photos, narratives, film & audio, Video – resources on the foundation website, Video | Documentary made and edited by Adivasi students in Gudalur – Tamil Nadu, Video | Khasi music – the resilience of a tradition in an age of globalization, Video | World of Warli by Tamarind Tree – Maharashtra, Video | South Gujarat tribal music documentation (2): Ghangali played for Kansari katha (story telling), Video | Suggi Habba celebration by the Halakki people – Karnataka, Video | Historian Romila Thapar: “The past is very delicate”, Video | Mallika Sarabhai on storytelling for a cause, Video | Scientist MS Swaminathan on learning from Adivasi customs, TEDxGurugram | Kalyan Akkipeddi on ProtoVillages to eliminate poverty, Video | UN Human Rights Council’s Rapporteur on the rights of indigenous peoples, ! The Santali dance and music is tuned with the nature of occasion whether it is social or ceremonial. It is viewed as a symbols of love and seduction. “Many Santhal instruments are becoming rare if not extinct, and are today being replaced by officially-sponsored mainstream instruments like the harmonium, tabla, synthesiser etc. The Santal songs also have similar variety like there dance, the Santali word for song is “Sereng”. However, we have a request for those who can afford to subscribe: please do. Santhal music has a distinct intonation pattern, rhythmic structure and metrical mould as well as autonomous aesthetic, performative and transmission principles. It’s a support for truth and fairness in journalism. Of course, as this exhibition itself shows, we cannot minimize the value of academic contributions in this field, by the social scientists, folklorists, socio-linguists, ethnomusicologists etc, both of our country and from abroad. Santal dance and music traditionally revolved around Santal religious celebrations. • Archer, W. G. The Hill of Flutes: Life, Love, and Poetry in Tribal India: A Portrait of the Santals. For reasons best known to the, the Ministry of Textiles, didn’t sanction the exhibition. New York and London, 2000, pp. Generally singing is accompanied with dancing but there are some songs which do not include dancing. Subscribe to The Hindu now and get unlimited access. The Tamak has a hemispherical shape, with a wider circumference and played by two drum sticks. To search Indian magazines, web portals and other sources safely, click here >>, Tribal Cultural Heritage in India Foundation, Resources for the classroom: Learning from and about tribal communities, A View of Higher Education in India by Prof. Ganesh Devy, Children’s educational video channel – Gudalur, Ekalavya (Eklavya, Eklabya) & EMR schools, Language in education and linguistic heritage, Slideshow | Through Children’s Eyes in Gudalur Tamil Nadu, Video | Tribal education must be rooted in the people’s own land, language and culture, Adivasi, Tribals & Denotified tribes – Classifications, Books on tribal culture and related resources, Constitution, Government & Particularly vulnerable tribal groups, India’s 28 States and 8 Union Territories, India is a secular state: Its constitution is committed to the unique demography, history and culture of each state and union territory, India’s support for UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, Learning from each other and telling stories, What are the Rights of Scheduled Tribes? But not surprisingly, the rich music tradition is on a decline with its variety of instruments becoming rare if not extinct altogether. Three highlights of the exhibition are banam — a bowed monochord and the only Santhal instrument to be categorised as a chordophone, tamak, a cup-shaped drum made with an iron shell and buffalo skin, worn around the neck using a leather strap and played with two sticks and chadar badar, the community’s unique puppetry tradition. To locate the Museum of Santal Culture in Bishnubati village (near Santiniketan) on the map seen below, open by clicking on the left button: Tribal Cultural Heritage in India Foundation, Resources for the classroom: Learning from and about tribal communities, A View of Higher Education in India by Prof. Ganesh Devy, Children’s educational video channel – Gudalur, Ekalavya (Eklavya, Eklabya) & EMR schools, Language in education and linguistic heritage, Slideshow | Through Children’s Eyes in Gudalur Tamil Nadu, Video | Tribal education must be rooted in the people’s own land, language and culture, Adivasi, Tribals & Denotified tribes – Classifications, Books on tribal culture and related resources, Constitution, Government & Particularly vulnerable tribal groups, India’s 28 States and 8 Union Territories, India is a secular state: Its constitution is committed to the unique demography, history and culture of each state and union territory, India’s support for UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, Learning from each other and telling stories, What are the Rights of Scheduled Tribes?