Day 2 of Samvaad focuses on the first ever showcase of tribal musical album by Rhythms of the Earth

Audiences regaled with mesmerising cultural performances by tribal groups across country, besides conversations on tribal identity

Jamshedpur: the second day of Samvaad witnessed the showcase of the first ever album of tribal music at Gopal Maidan. Curated as a collection of 12 songs by 52 artists from tribal communities across India, the show formed was put up in collaboration with Swarathma.

Mesmerising cultural performances from indigenous communities of Kerala, Himachal Pradesh, Odisha, Chhattisgarh and Manipur stole the show on Day-2 of Samvaad 2022-a Tribal Conclave enabled by the Tata Steel Foundation.

Sourav Roy, CEO, Tata Steel Foundation said, “The journey of Samvaad is an amalgamation of various traits of tribal identity coming together and charting their individual journeys for tribal people who are at its core. Rhythms of the Earth being the musical component, we are privileged that 52 participants have found their calling in preserving and promoting their music, and the showcase of the album today is one significant step in that direction”.

The evening rolled on with the exhibition of Vattakkali, a dance performed during happy occasions by Paniya tribe (also known as Paniyar and Panyan) of Kerala concentrated in Wayanad district.

Piti dance by Bodh tribe from Himachal Pradesh was the next attraction in the evening at Gopal Maidan. Bodh is an ethnic group belonging to beautiful and arid, snow-capped mountain valley provinces of Lahaul/Swangla in Himachal Pradesh. They follow Buddhism. Piti dance is normally performed as part of their celebrations of Losar (Bodh New Year), marriages, birth ceremonies etc.

Another performance of Birli dance by Dhurwa tribe from neighbouring Odisha also attracted the audiences who gathered in very good numbers to witness the annual event. This dance form is normally performed by the tribe post harvesting season when their houses are filled with food and happiness.

Dandani Madia, a sub-caste of the Gond tribe from Chattisgarh performed Gaur dance which is exhibited during marriages, festivals and Jatras. The tribe is mainly concentrated in southern districts of Chattisgarh (Bastar, Dantewada, Sukma, Bijapur, Narayanpur, Kanker and Kondgaon).

Maram War Dance by Maram Naga Tribe of Manipur was the next attraction. The ancestors of Maram Nagas were great warriors, where headhunting was very famous and considered as heroic, the fame and prestige of a person was regarded very highly basing on the number of heads hunted. This particular war dance is usually performed during the victorious occasions with much vigour and jubilant state.

Discussions on topics like ‘relevance of tribal art in the contemporary world’ while Samvaad Fellowship participants di threadbare discussions around ‘understanding the use of digital media in conserving cultural heritage’.

Samvaad, a one-of-its kind pan-India tribal conclave organised by Tata Steel Foundation unfolded on November 15 with paying homage to Bir Birsa Munda, India’s most widely revered tribal icon. The inaugural function witnessed the reverberating beats of 501 nagadas and unveiling of the Jawa amid much fanfare.

Samvaad, a Signature Programme on Tribal Identity, is in its 9th edition this year, scheduled between November 15 to 19. Reconvening offline after the pandemic years, Samvaad 2022 is hosting over 2000 people representing about 200 tribes, including 27 Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups (PVTGs) from 23 states and 4 Union Territories.

Day-3 Highlights @Gopal Maidan, Bistupur

Tribal Art & Handicrafts (9:30 AM-12:30 PM & 6:00 PM-9:00 PM)

Tribal Healing Practices (9:30AM-1:00 PM & 3:00 PM-9:00 PM)

Tribal Cuisine (6:00 PM-9:00 PM)

Cultural Celebrations (6:00 PM-9:00 PM)