THE NIYAMGIRI STORY -

CHALLENGING THE IDEA OF GROWTH WITHOUT LIMITS?

1. Identify and discuss the different forms or aspects of heritage of this tribal community
in this case. Is there a difference in the way heritage has been understood by the
community as compared to what we have studied about different categories of
heritage in class?
The tribal community in this case ‘The Dongria Kondh’ is formulated very systematically
and closely and it is respectfully followed by its inhabitants. The Dongria Kondh was
formulated from the influence of natural surrounding by its inhabitants, there was no contact
between other people and them. This initiated the emergence of sub groups and groups which
are known as clans and communities. Each group and their sub groups have practice of their
own and they perform them, both individually and collectively. This contributes to the
heritage of the tribal Dongria Kondh. They are lingual and they don't have any written
language. They pass thier learning from one generation to other generation through verbal
lessons. It includes passing on their experiences, practices, learnings and culture etc. It
ensures their culture and heritage exits and pass from one generation to other. There are also
certain rules according to which they interact and extract natural resources. This also a part of
their heritage. With in-class learning heritage was looked was looked as related only to past.
The main focus of the teaching was also on how the culture and practices were formed and
passed on. The current implementation and its current importance and impact is not given
enough thought. Technology overshadowed it. Our understanding and understanding of these
communities like Dongria Kondh are very different. Their learning is combined with their
culture but our learning is only classroom limited.

2. What method/s was/is used by the elders to pass on their cultural heritage to their younger
generation?
Niyamgiri hills fields and forests are the grounds of education of the youngsters and youth of
Dongria Kondh. A special system of exclusive dormitories for youth, is adopted by Dongria
Kondh to pass on thier ancient and cultural values in thier youth and adolescents. In the social
belt of India this system of youth dormitories was once in existence. In order to gain insight
to the sensible and philosophical aspects of life and to be surrounded by the nature the young
boys and girls who are widow would leave their parents' house during evening and they
would stay in dormitories in villages where they were taught by their elder about their
culture, political economy, society , customs, traditions, marriages and territory. The
dormitories for ladies and boys were named daaska hada/dhangadi basa and dhangda basa
respectively, in Niyamgiri. The culture of Dongria Kondh is is being shunned by outsiders
becuse they look them rather questionably.

3. What are your views on ‘mainstreaming’ of the tribal communities carried out by the
government?
The mainstreaming of the tribal communities carried out by the government is not a very
good step. As the political parties and government for their own personal benefit ignores the
development and progress these places require. These political parties are generally under the
influence of rich people who want natural resources for their projects and government in view
of their greed for money and a strong vote bank make them land and resources available to
them which hinders with the development as promised by the government. All this has
resulted in the negligence of these communities who rely on natural resources only, for their
survival and also formed their communities around it. The lives of these communities have
always been intervened by the government in order to mine natural resources. These
communities have been promised by the government modern lifestyle if they give up on their
ancestral land and hand them over to the government but such promises never turn into
actions and these communities lose their land to other. This mainstreaming by the
government takes away the heritage land of these communities and also affect the
environment adversely.

4. What according to you is the impact of initiatives of Dongria Kondh Development Agency
on the culture and ecology of that region?
The Dongria Kondh Development Agency impacted the ecology and culture of the region
adversely. The hidden motive of the agency was to utilise all the natural resources of that
region for monetary purpose and not for people’s benefit. Outsiders were appointed as the
representatives of the community and not their own community members by the government.
These outsiders do not have any connection with the community and they don't know
anything about the community. Both government and these representatives were only looking
for their personal benefits. The agency actions are similar to that of British when they ruled
over India and exploited us.

5. What is the impact of their ‘intangible heritage’ – sacred rituals on the natural heritage of
the region?
A holy principle that the tribals retain and believe in regulates and governs their activities,
behaviour, actions and life. A policy that everything in their realm belongs to Niyamraja is
what their belief system centres around. The Earth goddess is their most significant divinity.
The biological reserves around them are thought to have souls and these natural forces are
what they have to coexist and collaborate with in order to survive. It is their principle that the
biological reserves need to be preserved so that their life will be nurtured by them. The
scientific support behind their policies is unbeknownst to them but are a part of their
traditions like preservation of trunks of trees and plants (assists in curbing soil erosion) and
deterrence of deforestation on cliffs tops(prevent avalanches and regulates wind speed) and
conservation of water bodies from their holy places of birth and deliver drinking water

6. What are some of their traditional governance techniques to protect the natural ecosystem?
How effective do you think they are?
The Niyamgiri hills are believed to be the territory of the Dongria community and are owned
by them. The territory is divided into sets of two inhabited and governed by the clans residing
in that region. The main goal of the administration is to conserve these areas and their
biological reserves from exploitation. The use of contemporary techniques of agriculture is
not encouraged by these tribal communities and aids like roads or vehicles are not acquainted
with them. The impact of outside parties increases the necessity to be additionally powerful
and unified for the security of their territory. The external schemes of mining have been
dismissed by them concurrently. To conserve their surroundings and biological ecosystem
their administrative strategies have been more effective than the remainder of the recent
congregations.

7. Both – traditional governance systems of tribal communities and the legislations of

government aim to ‘protect’ the forests. What is the difference in both the approaches?
The interest of both traditional governance systems of tribal communities and the legislations
of government are different. The governance systems of tribal communities wanted to
preserve and protect the forests like thier own. Just like a house protects the people that lives
in it. The tribal community also protected the forest like thier own as it was their home.
Whereas the legislations of government protect forests only for business and like one protect
its factory. Their efforts to preserve forest are very limited and it's just a means to gain what
they need from it. Government only protects the forest so that they never get drained out of
their resources.

8. Do you think that the tribal communities are just being ‘anti-development’? Why or why
not?
No, I don’t think so that the tribal communities are being ‘anti-development’. The tribal
community do not like interference of others in their community so basically the tribal
community is not-antidevelopment but they are anti-interference. Although we have been
taught through modern education that development can only take place with the help of
advanced technology where role of machine is more than that of human being. But in true
sense development is not limited to technology but is about a positive change in oneself and
self-development. The tribal feel government is changing their day-to-day lifestyle by
bringing changes which are not necessary. The tribal are developing their practices even
without technology and they are doing it better than the communities who have access to
technology. So the tribal believe in anti-interference and they are not anti-development’

9. Do you think younger generation need to necessarily continue their traditional way of life?
According to me it should be decided by the younger generation themselves. The Dongria
Kondh Development Agency also provided modern facilities and constructed schools but the
youth was not able to cope up with them. The sudden implementation of modern technology
will have adverse effects both on the youth and the provider of the technology itself as these
tribal has been accustomed to their traditional methods since decades. It will bring a change
to their lifestyle. As they have always lived by embracing and learning from their culture,
customs, practices and traditions. Technology involvement will harm the forest and its natural
resources along with the tribe.

10.Is it really a struggle of choosing between heritage and development? Or there a problem
with the current definition and model of ‘development’?
Heritage can be conserved along with development. Heritage should be conserved along with
development the work and development should be navigated around heritage and there
should not be any kind of struggle between choosing any of them as both should be done side
by side. The heritage should be developed in a new way and it negatives should be overcome.
Heritage should be conserved as it help us to learn about our past and also about cultures and
traditions which use to prevail at that time. So modern technology should be used to conserve
heritage.

11. What is then their version of development? Share your critical views on that.
Development according to me is by preserving heritage and work projects around it in order
to embrace it and not to transform it completely. A fee can be charged for visiting the
heritage or a museum can also be built around it which will help in financial aid also. The
area around it should be developed in such a manner that it does not harm the heritage or the
environment.

12. We kept talking about preserving the heritage in our class discussions. What are your
suggestions as a heritage manager – what should continue or can discontinue? What kind of
interventions would you suggest for the same?
As a heritage manager i would suggest to the development of the area along with the
preservation of the heritage of the place. All the information about the people, their traditions
and customs should also be preserved and visitors can learn about it from them. Development
should be done along with heritage and not by ignoring it or at natures cost.
.