State-Level Tribal Writers Meet Commences Showcasing Tribal Culture

Bhubaneswar: In a vibrant celebration of Odisha’s diverse tribal heritage, the Academy of Tribal Languages and Culture (ATLC), in association with the ST&SC Development, M&BCW Department, Government of Odisha, has inaugurated the four-day-long State-Level Tribal Writers Meet. The event, hosted at the SCSTRTI, brings together accomplished writers representing Santal, Bhumij, Munda, and Binjhal Tribal Communities.

The inauguration ceremony witnessed the presence of Roopa Roshan Sahoo, IAS, Commissioner-cum-Secretary of ST&SC Development, M&BCW Department, Government of Odisha, offering insightful perspectives on the event’s profound objectives.

The “Tribal Writers’ Meet” aims to foster direct interactions with tribal communities to deeply understand their culture, art, science, languages, and sociocultural values, as eloquently expressed through manuscripts created by tribal writers. This visionary project involves preserving indigenous knowledge, promoting tribal languages, documenting cultural heritage, and supporting tribal writers, leading to the publication of their literary creations.

Indramani Tripathy, IAS, Director, ST, and Member Secretary, ATLC, emphasized the government’s unwavering commitment to preserving and promoting Tribal Languages and Culture.

Samarendra Bhutia, Assistant Director of ATLC, provided valuable insights into the ongoing process of identifying tribal writers with manuscripts in their respective languages. The selection process is guided by criteria such as cultural significance, linguistic importance, and tribal knowledge embodiment. Manuscripts meeting these standards will be immortalized through printed publications, enriching accessible knowledge for future generations and researchers, he informed.

The government envisions numerous outcomes from this initiative, including language and cultural preservation, recognition of tribal writers, empowerment of tribal communities, research resource establishment, and tribal cultural heritage safeguarding.

Eminent writers from Santal, Bhumij, Munda, and Binjhal communities enthusiastically contributed their manuscripts for publication on the inaugural day. The ATLC will examine these manuscripts with language specialists’ expertise, presenting them to the world in printed books and digital formats.

Padmashree Dr. Damayanti Besra and Chaitanya Prasad Majhi, esteemed figures in education and writing, commended the government’s initiatives for tribal culture preservation and the judicious implementation of Multilingual Education in Tribal Languages.

“By recognizing tribal writers’ invaluable contributions and providing a platform to share their heritage, the government remains dedicated to enriching the state’s cultural mosaic, ensuring the tribal legacy resonates for generations.