Philip Kumar S. J.
A fundamental question
My recent publication in Tamil (Ūrāli Pazhankuṭiyinar Vāzhviyal, 2022) is an ethnographic study on the Ūrāli community, among whom I had the opportunity to live and work for five years from 2014–2019. Majority of them inhabit the Sathyamangalam Forest Area, Erode District, Tamilnadu. After the book was launched, a good many people raised some questions regarding the book. But what struck me most was, ‘why did you write the book?’. In other words, ‘why did you want to tell their stories?’
The Reasons for Telling the Story of the Ūrālis:
A sign of overwhelming experience
As I lived and worked among the Ūrāli tribal communities, I had the chance of listening to their narration, witnessing their life, understanding their belief system and realizing their moral values. Once you are deeply inspired by something, you can’t but express it. Sharing a particular story very often is a sign of an overwhelming and profound presence of it in our mind and heart. Since the life style and culture of Ūrāli tribe are unique and inspiring, as I encountered, there is always a spontaneous urge to share them with others. It is my profound experience with Ūrāli tribe that motivated me, kind of compelled me to bring out the book — to proclaim their inspiring story.
Historical justice
In his book Panpātu Adāyāla Pōrāṭṭankal (2015, 5), Sivasubramaniyan says that “All along the history, the elite group has been suppressing and degrading the cultural expression of the downtrodden.” Karunananthan, in his book ‘What is history?’ (2012, 14) painfully states, “The history has been manipulated as an instrument of the oppressors so far.” The critical views of both the authors invite us to tell the ignored and suppressed stories of the oppressed and the marginalized. Telling their stories in a profound and affective way ought to be an inevitable part of any effort that aims to bring historical justice to the oppressed and the marginalized.
Self-Identity
The tribals in India, especially in Tamil Nadu, are ignored ethnic groups. Living on the periphery of the society, they are far away from asserting their identity. In this fast — changing world, our tribal people especially the youth, are suddenly exposed to the newer realities of life which confuse and disorient them. Getting rooted in their cultural identity would definitely safeguard them from many hazardous elements that is part and parcel of this rapidly changing world; it would make them stay strong to swim against the tide of dominant and materialistic realities that are systematically spread to create a common identity for the benefit of the powerful and elite. By taking our tribal people back to their stories, making them taste the unique aspects of their tribal heritage, facilitating them to drink from their own wells would definitely rebuild a strong and meaningful self-identity.
Dignity
Knowing one’s own story is crucial and central to develop a meaningful self-identity; likewise accepting those stories and acknowledging the treasures in them creates dignity. When our tribal students and youth happen to study or live with the mainstream society, most of the time they feel shy to reveal their identity as Tribals. It is because of the mainstream societies’ prejudices that tribals are not civilized, unclean, illiterate, lack in intelligence and technology etc. It is high time that both, the tribal and mainstream societies, discover and acknowledge the treasure of ancient wisdom, humanizing ethics and life-coping quality of the traibals. It would help our tribal people to acquire and assert their self-dignity and it would also pave the way for the mainstream society to develop a dignified perspective towards the tribal communities.
For the good of the mainstream society
Whenever the word tribal is mentioned, the mainstream society become all of a sudden sympathetic that these tribal are poor, unclean and illiterate and there is a need to empower them, uplift them, save them etc. But first and foremost, the so-called mainstream society has a lot to learn from the tribals. In the name of development and civilization the mainstream society has lost its spontaneity, its natural wisdom, its community morality etc. It has become more materialistic, individualistic, ambitious and success-driven competitive society. But whereas the tribal communities are even now very spontaneous, vibrate one with nature, respect the community needs, go with the flow of life and have an inborn understanding of the deeper elements of life. They have a sense of freedom and let their children grow in their own uniqueness. They never ever push their children into competition with others. Their needs are very few. Their approach towards life is very simple and profound. So narrating the stories of our tribals and presenting the life ethos of our tribal communities would definitely help the mainstream society to get a different and meaningful perspective towards life.
Liberative process
Joseph Blenkinsopp suggests that we cannot make the right decisions in the present and take the right direction into the future unless we understand our own past and that of the world in which we live. (From Adam to Abraham 1965, 17). Once upon a time our tribal communities were self-sufficient communities. They had lots of scope for a decent life as whole forest was in front of them providing their basic needs. Once the outsiders came and saw the fertile lands, they encroached their lands and settled down there. They took away 90% of tribal lands. They invaded the economic space of tribals and made tribals dependent on them for many things. Unfortunately, the Government also has been insensitive to the needs and sentiments of tribals as many of the government rules and schemes do not seem to understand the world view of the tribals. To get back their independence, their lands, their free space, their natural rights over their forests and to fight the invaders with greater confidence, they need stronger weapons. And history has shown that weapons from outside bring only destruction and not liberation. It is the need of the hour that our tribals need to find weapons from within. Revisiting, remembering and repeatedly telling the life stories of tribals would unfold and unearth many powerful weapons that could be used towards their liberation.
Conclusion
Two things could be highlighted to make the stories more authentic and liberative. One is about an attitude and the other is about a methodology. First: as a listener or an observer one ought to deconstruct many of his/her pre-constructed concepts. If I don’t go with this openness, the spontaneous interpretation and compartmentalization that take place while listening to their stories might spoil the spirit of the story. Secondly, it is good to use people’s own vocabularies while narrating or writing down their stories. In my book too, most of the places I have quoted their own statements as they were narrated. It serves two purposes: it provides the readers an experience of direct listening and it keeps up the authenticity and originality of the people’s stories. All of us could become a medium of passing the stories of the marginalized and the oppressed to the larger society and thus helping the marginalized and the oppressed to gain their rightful place.
(Philip Kumar G. is a Jesuit Priest of the Chennai province. He did his M.Sc. Mass Communication and Journalism, Madurai Kamaraj University, Madurai. 2015–2019, he was Director, PARAN, (a social action center) and Parish Priest, St. Antony the hermit church, Sathymangalam, Tamilnadu. From 2019-till now, he is the Director and founder, ARCALI (a social ministry for fisher folk), Paramankeni, Chengalpattu Dt., Tamilnadu. So far he has published three books. He could be contacted — philipkmr@gmail.com )
