adivaani

adivaani is a platform that aims to support indigenous expression and assertion, based in Kolkata, India. It is a publishing, archiving and chronicling outfit of and by indigenous people of India's Adivasi Tribes.

History

In April 2012, Ruby Hembrom attended a four month publishing course,[1] and on being confronted by the absence, invisibility and erasure of Adivasi representation in the curriculum and discourse, a common feature in many spaces she had been at, the idea began there.[2][3][4]

adivaani was registered as a non-governmental organization on 19 July 2012,[5] and became operational, and have produced 19 books thus far, including to anthologies.[6]

adivaani is the first publishing outfit of and by indigenous people of India to publish in the English language,[7] Hembrom co-opted two others to collaborate with,[8][7] one of whom still remains with adivaani as a volunteer.

Meaning of adivaani

adivaani is a combination of Sanskrit word 'adi' meaning 'first', 'original', 'ancient' or 'earliest', and 'vaani' meaning 'voice'. adivaani translates to the 'first voices'.[9]

Work

adivaani aims to document and disseminate knowledge systems, tangible and intangible cultural facets of Adivasis in English and bi-lingual, creating a database of the authentic Adivasi voice, as recounted by them, using diverse multimedia channels, which can be accessible to indigenous people themselves.

Documentary

adivaani has made a documentary film on the making and playing of the Santhal lute and fiddle, the Banam.

First book release

adivaani's first two titles were released at the New Delhi World Book Fair, 2013: Gladson Dungdung's 'Whose Country is it anyway?' and, Ruby Hembrom and Boski Jain's 'We Come from the Geese'.

The theme of the book fair was 'Indigenous Voices: Mapping India's Folk and Tribal Literature'.[10]

References
  1. "Nominee NDTV L'Oreal Paris Women of Worth Awards. 2016". NDTV.
  2. Chakrabarti, Ajachi (March 21, 2013). "In their own words". Tehelka. Retrieved October 16, 2020.
  3. "adivaani: Documenting The Spirit Of The Adivasis". The Curious Reader. July 24, 2019. Retrieved October 16, 2020.
  4. Mishra, Garima (April 27, 2013). "Lending a Voice". The Indian Express. Retrieved October 16, 2020.
  5. Bhattacharya, Budhaditya (August 30, 2013). "A new voice". The Hindu. Retrieved October 16, 2020.
  6. Shah, Manasi (June 15, 2013). "Stories of the Santhals, by the Santhals". The Telegraph. Retrieved October 16, 2020.
  7. Yengkhom, Sumati (December 31, 2013). "Voice of the Santhals". The Times of India. Retrieved October 16, 2020.
  8. Sircar, Sushovan (May 18, 2013). "Adivasi imprints get into print". The Telegraph. Retrieved October 16, 2020.
  9. Mitra, Ipshita (September 6, 2019). "Ruby Hembrom: 'We never needed to write because we were living documents'". The Hindu BusinessLine. Retrieved October 16, 2020.
  10. Kotamraju, Priyanka (February 8, 2013). "It's time Adivasis spoke about their anguish". The Indian Express. Retrieved October 16, 2020.
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