Thread by @prashanthns

Made Gowda from the Solega Adivasi community recalls the global struggle for land of indigenous peoples and the close relationships with nature that many other communities have lost and connects this special relationship to climate change #WorldIndigenousDay

Shares that Covid19 is a real threat to Adivasi as well; adding to a long list of problems that they already face; “let’s protect our language, symbols and our culture”…let’s retain our pride in Adivasi culture he says

Without ಸಂಘಟನೆ and solidarity we are weak; we need to stand up for our interests and take our entire community with us; nit clutch at individual opportunities but look for opportunities that lift communities he says

We need roads, piped water, telephone and technology in our hamlets too…don’t ask us to come out if forests; give us these “where we live, not where others want us to live”

Struggle for community rights in Bandipur; wider acknowledgement of historical injustices must happen from NTCA while they pursue tiger conservation;

He brings up quality of education at tribal residential schools and need for trained teachers; shares that GoK move to rename their adivasi schools after symbols of other communities instead of adivasi symbols as a mistake

Mentions the southern karnatka eg of healthy forests and tigers where Adivasi communities live; their track record of conservation even before modern post-colonial laws

Struggle for basic amenities in Adivasi villages; links these to constitutional guarantees of freedoms; encourages fellow Adivasis to embrace covid19 vaccination too as their right

Now remembering Birsa Mundas struggles against the British occupation of Adivasi lands; gives a call for securing their rights in his name…

Basavaraju fills the room with tbr Solega call for gathering ಕಗ್ಗ ಕರೆ; loud calls of Solega pride fill the room; many of their podu events begin with this call

I share thoughts on health as a right along with forest rights and the need to also claim covid19 vaccine as a right; many of the leaders gathered have already received their first dose which is amazing!

Tanya Seahadri speaks about the need to foreground gender within their struggles; not to forget that mainstream ideas are often corrupting and hence not to embrace the “mainstream” uncritically and engage certifiably with gender

ಕೂಗೋ ಕೂಗೋ ಮಾದೇವನಾ

Another leader Jadeswamy speaks about tbr disproportionate way in which “crimes by Adivasi” is often interpreted as opposed to crimes by other communities; requests for fairness in implementation of wildlife laws and to engage Adivasi meaningfully in conservation

Jadeswamy Talks of the need for solidarity across 12 adivasi communities in southern karnataka; Susheela representing the Koraga Adivasi peoples also present and reiterates need for adivasi solidarity

ಮಣ್ಣಾ ತೆಗೆ ತೆಗೆ ಮಣ್ಣಕ್ಕಿ ಮಾವ
Lovely Solega song celebrating the Swallows (bird)

ನಾಗಮ್ಮ Solega leader from Gundlupet shared the struggles of Solega from her region;”we still don’t have very basic facilities at our homes” calls for alliance with the Jenukuruba peoples as they’re also struggling

Lovely speech by ಕಾರನ ಕೇತೇ ಗೌಡ from ಮುತ್ತುಗದ ಗದ್ದೆ “we need to experience freedoms at community level, at village level, at household level and as individuals” (cf. preamble if constitution which he hasn’t read!)

Ends with the ಗೋರುಕನ song of the Solega people sung and performed by ಪುಸುಮಾಲೆ ಸೋಲಿಗ ಕಲಾ ತಂಡ from ಎರಕನಗದ್ದೆ

Maadesh, adivasi leader from ಹೊಸ ಪೋಡು who works with keystone foundation shares thoughts on the need to conceptualise “what is mainstream” by the Solega themselves rather than allow it to be defined by the "mainstream”

He continues on the need for the Solega people to become more politically aware and assertive

ಹೋಗೋಣ ಬನ್ನಿ ಸಾಗೋಣ ಬನ್ನಿ ಗುಡಿಬೆಟ್ಟದೆರೆಗೆ
“Lets go secure our hills and forests” is how she interprets this call…

Susheela remembers a song of the ಕೊರಗ adivasi people of Udupi

C Mahadeva, president of the ಜಿಲ್ಲಾ ಬುಡಕಟ್ಟು ಗಿರಿಜನ ಅಭಿವೃದ್ಧಿ ಸಂಘ calls for meaningful and respectful engagement by media in covering Adivasi ends with Jai Birsa Munda

Basavaraju and team perform his now locally famous ಕೊರೊನ ಮಾರಿ song and dance; this song is now very popular & effective in community engagement in Adivasi covid vaccination
“ಎಲ್ಲ ಮಾಯಾ ನಾಳೆ ನೀವೂ ಮಾಯಾ"

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