The Adivasi Connection: Preserving Forests and Cultural Heritage

Introduction to Adivasi Culture and Forests

Host: Ram Ram, Pappu Kaka.

Pappu Kaka: Ram Ram.

Host: Pappu Kaka, you are very welcome to our program. As you often join our program, you share many things about our Adivasi culture and keeping it alive. So today, the topic of our conversation in the program is that the Adivasi culture, as we see, has always been connected to nature. In this context, what benefits can they get from these forests, and what is their significance?

Pappu Kaka: Thank you very much, Anjali ji. And a big Ram Ram to all our brothers and sisters listening to our program. Now, when we talk about Adivasi culture, the forest is very important for us. It is important because the Adivasi society has been connected with the forest for years. Those who are connected with the forest, the reason is that our land, the benefits we get from the forest, the Adivasi society can take full advantage of it. The reason for this is that any living creature lives in the forest. So our forefathers used to live their lives in the forest. So what I mean to say is that our society, the Adivasi, this society is connected to this tradition. That our tradition is, that which Adivasi land, water, forest, these animals, these things together are called our group. Which is connected through it. So I want to say on this occasion that the forest, for us, for the animals, and for our health, these three or four things are the main ones, for which it is very beneficial. For example, if I talk about health, then we get medicinal herbs from the forest. So medicinal herbs, for our life, in the olden days, there were no hospitals, nobody knew about them. And nobody used to go to the hospital. Whatever illness occurred, they would use medicinal herbs to end their illness. So how wonderful it was, neither did it cost money, nor were they dependent on the market, nor were they dependent on the hospital. So this culture of ours, why should we forget it? And we should save this thing. And as time goes by, we should keep using these medicines so that at least our culture, our tradition, does not end. And our coming generation should also be given information about this.

The Importance of Conservation

Host: Yes, Pappu Kaka, as you explained in a very good way, how our Adivasi culture is traditionally connected to water, forest, land, and animals. And all these things, we need to understand and we need to conserve them. And the coming generation also needs to be connected to this. So, as you have told many good things, in this context, I would like to know from you what we can do to conserve these things.

Pappu Kaka: Look, these things, what usually happens is that our community, if we don't go into the community and talk about these things, and if we don't tell the community about these things, then this of ours will slowly, slowly, this thing that you are talking about, of conservation, it is getting finished. So, so that it does not end, to save it, for this, we have our organizations that have been formed, our self-help groups that have been formed, our elderly people, the intelligent people of the society, we should contact them, talk to them, and the coming generation, they should also be given complete information about this. So that at least we can save this thing. This is what I have to say on this occasion.

Host: Yes. So what is its importance going forward, what do you have to say about that?

Pappu Kaka: Going forward, the thing is that all our brothers and sisters, as many as are the respected people of our society, I have a special request to them that as many of you are listening to my words, we should all together, especially if we do not pay attention to this matter, it will slowly end. So what I mean to say is that we should all get together, from time to time, according to social customs and rituals, we should meet, so that at least at the society level, we can meet and discuss these things in our society with more and more people and give them information so that at least we can conserve it. This is what I have to say on this occasion.

Host: Yes. So, Pappu Kaka, you have explained many good things, so how can we connect the youth of today with all these things?

Pappu Kaka: See, what is happening slowly is that our youth generation, Anjali ji, these people are slowly finishing these things. Anjali ji, what I mean to say is that our young brothers, what is happening is that they are slowly moving away from these things. What will happen tomorrow is that with the advent of mobiles, TVs, and these machines of ours, they have gotten attached to them. And they are not paying attention to these things. Because they spend their entire time on it. But they are not ready to take our old things. So my point on this matter is that for all our young companions, in every village, our elderly people should have a meeting with the youth. At least there should be a meeting, and there should be a dialogue among themselves. If there is a dialogue, then our self-governance, as it is, will remain as it is. And if there is no dialogue, then slowly these people, the new generation that is coming, they are moving away from this thing. So on this occasion, I want to say that, friends, we should all get together, in every village, at least 8 or 10 people should meet and then we should talk, that friends, you do this work, which our protection, our generation, our culture was, it is slowly finishing. If you don't save this thing, then understand that the coming time will be very bad for us. We can tell them this, so that at least the youth also realize that yes, what Kaka is saying is true, what Dada is saying, what our Baba is saying, that in reality, we should do this work. And we should unite and for this work, in the whole village or neighborhood or panchayat, everyone should sit together and have a discussion. So that a newness can come back to it and our old tradition, our culture, does not end and we can save it. This is what I have to say on this occasion.

A Song for the People

Host: Yes, Pappu Kaka, as you have told many good things. So, as many things have been discussed and you come on the program and sing a song every time, so today also, through a lovely song, give a message to our brothers and sisters from the program.

Pappu Kaka: You have said a very good thing. On this occasion, it is true, Anjali ji, that people must be thinking that Kaka has come, so he will sing a small song. So let's sing a song.

(Sings a song)

Jangal bachao ne jeevan sudharo, kem huta ho nindara maJangal bachao, jeevan sudharo, kem huta ho nindara ma

Janvar pashu ne laabh milega, kem huta ho nindara maJanvar pashu ne laabh milega, kem huta ho nindara ma

Apdi parampara lai ne jago, kem huta ho nindara maApdi parampara lai ne jago, kem huta ho nindara ma

Jago re mara kisan bhaiyo, kem huta ho nindara maJago re mara kisan bhaiyo, kem huta ho nindara ma

Aavva wali pidhi ne jagao, kem huta ho nindara maAavva wali pidhi ne jagao, kem huta ho nindara ma

Jangal bachao, jeevan sudharo, kem huta ho nindara maJangal bachao, jeevan sudharo, kem huta ho nindara ma

Host: As Pappu Kaka, you have given a very good message through this program to our brothers and sisters, so that they will save the forests and along with that, will also try to conserve our culture. So Pappu Kaka, thank you for joining our program and giving us such good information.

Pappu Kaka: Jai Gurudev.