Adivasis' tools in museum

Tools and instruments that the Adivasis use in day- to-day life have an antique value that needs to be preserved for the posterity. 

Some of these items  that the Adivasis had collected and put on view at the recently concluded ‘Giri Ustav’ at Utnoor will be kept in the tribal museum being constructed at Jodeghat in Kerameri where Kumram Bheem died to fight with Nizam forces in the 1940s.

The state government has sanctioned Rs 25 crores to develop the Jodeghat as a tourist spot with the memorial, tribal museum, and open auditorium.     

The just concluded Giri Ustav helped the officials in collecting the tools, instruments of Adivasis, which reflect their tradition, and culture displayed at Giri Ustav by the Adivasis came from across the district.

The Giri Ustav, organized by the Integrated Tribal Development Agency (ITDA), Utnoor , in collaboration with the Telangana Tourism, enabled officials to collect the tools, instruments, and ornaments of the Adivasis.

Some trends, such as the wearing of modern clothes by the tribals were of more recent vintage and out of their own interest, cultural experts said and did not reflect their real traditions or practices of yore.

They felt that there was a need for screening the present Adivasi culture, based on the original traditions and customs, before documenting them.          

The Gonds, Thoti, Pardhan, Erukala, Naikpod, Koya, Kolam, Mannewar, Lambada and other tribal groups exhibited their culture and tradition and performed their dances and displayed many instruments and tools that they had been using on the special occasions since their forefathers’ time.

Some had become extinct through sheer disuse, with modern equipment having replaced them, and the younger generations, having no idea how to use some of the ancient implements, had stored them away.

Adivasi leader Sidam Arju of Adilabad said that the display of these tools and other articles of daily use in this manner was a good way for the new generation of Adivasis to get acquainted with their own rich past.

Few cultural and traditions aspects of some Adivasi groups have influenced with people of plain areas and they have changed a lot and influenced with Hindu religion on Adivasis especially Andh group.

‘Their dressing style and some cultural aspects were new assimilated from Hindu non- tribals’, he observed and cultural experts should be very careful while identifying the real culture of Adivasis before they exhibit in the tribal museum.

He said Adivasi have their own 'Adi Dharma' such as ‘Pandi Parikupari Lingo’, ‘Raithad Jango’ and will not come under Hindu religion.