PROJECT PROPOSAL
1. PROJECT TITLE: Empowering Adivasi community through Strengthening literary body of Adivasis for Sustainable development of Culture, literature and Language .
2. APPLICANT: Bosco Reach Out Don Bosco, Guwahati –1 Assam
3. GOAL: To up lift the Adivasi communities with special focus develop language culture and literature through Adivasi Sahitya Sabha and partnering organizations (Tribe base organizations)
. 4. OBJECTIVES: Strengthen the literary organizations through training and through creation of documentary support and studies. Creating base for identity, raising of positive self image through documentation and literature
A.1. Make State literary body Functional
A.3.Promoting Partner organization of Munda Sabha, Kurukh Sabha,Santhali Sahitya Sabha,Soura Sabha,Kharia Sabha,Gond Sabha .
B.1.Publisin news letter C.1.Book on "History of Adivasis in Assam" Published
C.2.Books (Tribal language) on folklore and short stories published
D.1.Litreture related to women perspective published
D.2.Strenthening women body E.1. Create trained youth leader The Partner Agents of Adivasi Sahitya Sabha:
1) The Munda Sabha 2) The Kurukh Sabha 3) The Khadia Sabha 4) The Soura Sabha 5) The Women’s organization – Adivasi Mahila Samity. 5. STRATEGY: 5.1. Strengthening and establishment of Adivasi Sahitya Sabha (ASS)
(a) Strengthen by enabling it to have grass root level units.
(b) Help in clarity of VMG. The Issues they would take up through activities such as: - i. Write articles on Adivasi issues in Newspapers and journals. ii. Print language primers and on Adivasi culture.
(a) Setting up of basic infrastructure: A functional office would be required to operate and implement the activities planned.
(b) Hold its general and executive body meetings and meetings to strategize its activities. Its scheduled meetings and seminar for strategizing its activities have been planned and would be organized with local contribution. 5.2. Strengthening of Partner organizations · The Munda Sabha:-the munda Sabha formed in the 2002. It has a state level body .Three district bodies. They mainly work in promoting mundari language and doing social reforms through creating awareness. · The Kurukh Sabha:- Kurukh Sabha is recently formed in the year 2005 . It has a State body but no district and regionals . · The Khadia Sabha:- Khadia Sabha formed in 1985 but it was dormant .through the insetive of Adivasi Sahitya Sabha it was re-strengthen and annual conference and other activity started. It has state level body but district bodies are not formed · The Soura Sabha;-It has state body as well as few district bodies. · The Goand Sabha:- It has only Lakhimpur District body. · Santhali Sahitya Sabha:- It is a better organized body it has state as well as district bodies. It has linkage with other state and has taken strong role in brining Santhali language in the 8th schedule of Indian Constitution. These sub tribe based organizations are to supported in the following points. (a) Ensure clarity of vision, mission, goal strategy and clear cut action plan. (b) Systematize its activities for greater competence in its operation.
(c) Strengthen it grass root level units through meetings, setting up of its office and regularizing its duties. The Issues they would take up through activities such as: - i. Promote identity of Adivasi by each tribe language and culture sense of identity and unity internally in the community. · Training on VMG, strategy PME, and other tools for efficiency in working, · Provide initial support for start up. 5.3. WOMEN’S BODY: Women body AAWAA was formed through the initiative of Adivasi Sahity Sabha and support of PAJHRA . It has State and 6 district bodies. (a) Establish and strengthen it at the grass root by developing leaders and their skills. The Issues they would take up through activities such as: - i. Political participation and participation in all activities through mass awareness and training of its leaders.
1. PROJECT ACTIVITIES PLANNED:
1) Preparation of resource materials on tradition, dress, language, culture, folklore, guidelines on securing ownership of land, materials on heroes & achievers etc.: In order to achieve the objective of creating self-image, lack of ambition and lack of identity resource materials would be of urgent necessity. Therefore, it is planned to entrusted persons to collect materials relating to the above issues. These materials would be used in the trainings, seminars, gatherings and other forums by ASS (Adivasi Sahitya Sabha) directly and by the agents mentioned earlier.
ABOUT ADIVASI SAHITYA SABHA:-
12th October 1998 Ad-hoc committee of Sadri Sahitya Sabha was formed on 12th October 1998 and Adivasi hostel Shillong.Mr. Wilfred Topno and Mr. Elias Lomga were elected as President and Secretary of SSS respectively. the meeting was organised by the core group of Adivasi Student Association of Assam and elite group of Adivasis attended the meeting all over the Assam and Meghalaya.
15th May 2002 Sadri Sahitya Sabha was renamed as Adivasi Sahitya Sabha (ASS) at Tezpur at its General Body Meeting of the organization.
The First State level Conference of Adivasi Sahitya Sabha 30th Jan to 1st Feb 2004 The First State level Conference of Adivasi Sahitya Sabha was held at Lakhimpur where the Constitution of the organization was passed. Mr. Wilfred Topno and Mr. Promod Sandiguria were elected as President and Secretary respectively of the organization. The conference was attended by delegates from different districts of Assam comprising of professors, teachers, social activists, social workers, youth leaders, women leaders and Adivasi thinkers. Seven resolutions were adopted in the conference among which the delegates also decided to change the name of Sadri language as Adivasiya. A cultural rally was organized on the last day of the conference where more than 2000 people had gathered. Policy on Language.
1. Adivasi Sahitya Sabha will promote the Adivasi laguages like Munda, Orang, Gond, Kharia, Santali and other through the patner Sabhas .
2. It will also Promote the common ligua franca Adivasiya (known as Sadri or Bagania Language) for greater unity and Idendity of Adivasi. (See Annexture –III)
3. Adivasi culture:- To promote Adivasi Culture Adivasi Sahitya Sabha will collaborate with the different Sahitya Sabhas like the Santali Sahitya Sabha, Munda Sabha, Kharia Sabha, Kurukh Sabha etc.
4. Education for AdivasisWhere ever possible Adivasis should receive education through his mother tongue e.g. Santhali, Mundari, Kurukh, Gond, etc. Other wise in a mixed community they may opt for Adivasiya as a medium of education or English medium is preferred as medium of instruction.
We support English medium school for our children because it will open up larger avenues of opportunities for our children. Educated Adivasi youths are advised to open English medium private school in Adivasi areas. They can collect needful fees from the parents of their students. If they give quality education to our children they can be self sufficient economically.
6.Annextures: · Constitution of Adivasi Sahitya Sabha (Annexture –
I) · Governing Board (Annexure-II) · Language Adivasiya (Annexure –III) · Some activities activities (Annexure –IV) Annexture –III Why Adivasiya? Munda, Orang, Gond, Kharia, Santali and other Adivasi tribes live together in the Tea Gardens and villages of Assam. Their languages differ greatly from each other’s language. To communicate with each other, they have produced a language in the course of time which is rich in Adivasi words and their feelings. The language is very much different from that of the Sadri language. To give a distinct identity to the Adivasi community of Assam, the Lakhimpur Conference decided to name the Sadri language as Adivasiya. Languages, over a period of time, undergo changes. Examples may be cited of American English which has given the American people their own language and identity and which is nothing but English. After the discover y of America, people from European countries like England, France, Dutch, Portugal etc. settled in America and intermingled with each other. In the course of time, they gave birth to American English which has its own identity. The Nagas of Nagaland speak Nagamese. The language is broken Assamese. But the people of Nagaland comprising of some 13 major tribes, speak Nagamese to communicate with each other. The Nagamese has its own identity of being the language of the Nagas. Thus it can be concluded that Adivasiya is the language of the Adivasis. It is not Sadri which is the language of the Sadans / Dikus (Outsiders). It is not Nagpuria either since we are Adivasis of Assam. The Adivasiya language of the Adivasis is very much different from similar language being spoken by their counterparts in other parts of India. It is therefore believed that Sadri cannot be adopted as the language of the Adivasis of Assam. Literature and Script Still Adivasi Sahitya Sabha has not decided the script of Adivasiya language. Adivasiya literature can be produce through any script i.e. Assamese, Devnagiri or Roman script. Adivasi Sahitya Sabha is open for discussion on the usage of the script for Adivasiya language so that more literature can be produced. We hope in future it will take the its own turn as what script will be used in the development or Adivasiya language but we feel Roman Script will be best for the development of Adivasiya language because it is user friendly. Some people say that the pronunciations doesn’t match with Roman script but the expert say that Roman script is used to write difficult language in the world and it has many phonetic expressions. This can be used for correct phonetic expression. We feel let the language take its own shape. We should not maintain water - tight compartment in accepting ideas.
