Representation of the Adivasis in Jacinta
Kerketta’s Angor
Karma
Kumar
PhD Research Scholar
Department of English,
Dr. Shyma Prasad Mukherjee University,
Ranchi, Jharkhand, India
Abstract:
This article deals with one of Kerketta’s
most significant poetry collection Angor
(2016). The current
article investigates the injustices that has been executed on Adivasi communities, as they are often
believed marginalized section of society. The poems of Jacinta represents many
contemporary issues faced by the Adivasis such as the loss of their cultural identity , the exploitation and
oppression of females, lack of proper treatment
and educational facilities , their
helplessness in protecting own land and the natural resources. The
purpose of this study is to call attention to the struggles of Adivasis through
the writings of Jacinta Kerketta; who belongs to the Oraon tribe of Jharkhand. The choice is also based on the
proposition that the poems selected have subjects that allow for a discussion
on issues relating to the degradation of natural surroundings, the impact of Sidhu Kanu revolt, the lives of
ordinary people and women's suffering. The article showcases the quivering
voices of the indigenous people, and it will also focus on the social
situations and impact of colonialism, scientific development and
industrialization on the lives of the indigenous culture and environment.
Keywords: Adivasis, Colonialism,
Industrialization, Oraon tribe, Sidhu Kanu revolt
Tribals in the Indian landmass are referred
to as ‘Adivasis’ (original inhabitants), a term that adds to
their cultural and political identity. It is often used interchangeably with
other terms like ‘indigenous’, ‘aboriginal’ and ‘native’, which connote
‘born’ at a certain place, and who have never migrated. Mahadev Toppo
gives a view about Adivasi philosophy :
“As an Adivasi myself , I feel that it is a
philosophy that respects and sustains the inter-relationship between earth ,
nature and humanity and sees it as one based on co-existence and
interdependence. Also , it is opposed to development that preys on humanity and
land and that is capitalist , consumerist , feudal , dominant and
discriminatory . This is the philosophy of the Adivasis.” ( https://www.forwardpress.in>mah)
But instead, the Adivasis are marginalized,
exploited and appropriated. These problems have been deconstructed in terms of
methodologies of colonialism. Toppo further describes the goal of Tribal
Literature:
“Literature is not only about entertainment.
It is also about recording the struggles of human life, their contradictions so
that the coming generations can make life better, more peaceful , full of love
and more dignified. The earth has enough water, forests and land for all of us
but the lust for profit, a business perspective has blinded us. This should be
stopped. Otherwise, nature will decide to repair its wounds itself with
catastrophic consequences for humans as the corona pandemic has shown. That is
why Adivasis advocate protecting and preserving earth, nature and using its
resources in a restrained and limited manner. The fact that Adivasis authors
have now stated talking not only about saving land, forests and water but also
saving their conscience , language, life, roots and sentiments shown that
Adivasi Literature is not only about entertainment. It encapsulates the
struggle of every person who wants to see this earth green, fertile and
healthy, who wants pure air, and water and wants to protect earth and nature.”
(2021 N pag)
Kerkettauses powerful, painful imageries to
give proof of the height of oppression that the Adivasis encounter. The
forefathers of Adivasis were aware and strong enough to fight against the
toughest situations. She highlights the contemporary evils of tribals as well.
Some are engrossed in drinking alcohol in the festival like Sarhul, Karam,
Dasai and Jatra which making them more weak. They remains silent and
helpless even after seeing injustices committed upon them. They are losing their own culture real bliss
of songs sung on such occasions. Adivasis are also responsible for their
devastation. The poet laments as she find no such courage and enthusiasm in the
new generations in the poem Lament in songs :
Bright and fresh as daybreak,
Our forefathers would awake
To brave the sun, hot and scorching.
Alas! Their new seed today edges away
Even from the shine of the morning. (63: 1-5)
The tribal texts represent the problems of
cultural appropriation and marginalization of the Adivasis. The fact that texts
written by Adivasi writers exist and they exist in English is comforting. The
language can help these texts reach a wider audience and challenge the ignorant
and inferiorizing gaze of the “mainstream” reader. Conservatism regarding the
choice of English by Adivasi writers is seen in a different way in a particular
instance of how the community (and essentially a section of the Adivasi
readers) reacted to it. It seems to designate that: a) English definitely helps
Adivasi narratives reach a broad audience, and b) this wider reach is the very
fear that even a section of an Adivasi tribe like Oraon had in this case. The
liking of this seems to be that Adivasi cultures should remain insulated and
isolated from the outer world and the fractures within should not be talked
about.
Adivasi writers more importantly shape their
texts according to their cultural principle and cosmologies. This helps in
constructing and establishing completely different aesthetics and further,
challenging the notions of ‘literature’ itself. As mentioned before, choice of
English as language helps texts written by Adivasi writers reach a wider
readership. This is not simply a profit oriented function, because, a) the
writers themselves are educated in English mediums and the language comes to
them “naturally”; and, b) reaching a wider, “mainstream” readership performs
the aforementioned political function, and vigorous analysis and research works
such as the thesis.
About the choice of English, it can still be
argued that it can facilitate appropriation into an alien culture by getting
trapped in the “mainstream” linguistic structure, but this is where stylistics
come in. The texts under study intervene in the “standard” code of English with
use of techniques like using words and sentences from local languages, and
often leaving them untranslated and unglossed. This is especially observed in
Kerketta's texts Angor. Anummeha Yadav, in an article written on
Kerketta, rightly observes that “the anger of Adivasis turns to poetry of
anguish and hope in a young woman’s hands ."
Jacinta Kerketta is an inspiring as well as
rebellious young Adivasi literary figure, born on 3rd August, 1983 at Khudpos
village of Manoharpur in the West Singhbhum District, Jharkhand. She was
awarded “Indigenous Voice of Asia Award" in 2014 for her report as Adivasi
local resistance movements. She demands respect to Adivasis as the people of
mainstream society are respected. Kerketta even refused to accept “The Aah Tak
Sahitya Jagriti Udyman Pratibha Samman”, a literary award given by the India
Today Group for the sake to protest against
the loss of honor and dignity of
people and poor children of central India and Manipur since they were targets of continuous attack. Mahadev Toppo, the actor and pioneer author
commented:
“Her poems effectively convey the pain, anguish and anger of the
indigenous tribal society. Additionally, Jacinta has sought to empathetically
understand the tribal women's plight through her poems."( There is no
Resevation in Literature 11)
Angoris a remarkable poetry collection of Jacinta
which means a piece of wood that continues to burn after a fire has no more
flames, published in Hindi - English by Adivaani, Kolkata. It consists of
Forty-One poems in total. Jacinta Kerketta belongs to the indigenous Adivasi
communities in India, subdued and neglected over hundred, may be thousands of
years. And she has been able to capture the painful past and the equally
painful present times of the Adivasi in her journalist, poetic and creative
writing. Publisher Johannes Laping writes;
" Jacinta's achievement lies in her lyrical accomplishment –
expressing of those burning pains and of the glow of hope through the metaphor
of the angor- embers." (Forward15)
One of the major themes of Angor is
the indigenous struggles of the people since many years. O, city!, The river,
the mountain, and the bazar, A madhua sprout on the grave, the weapons in my hand, Lament in songs, the river that was, the sun rising by the sea, A blood of tears, angor
presents Jacinta's deep concerns towards loss of tradition, hunger, politics, women's
suffering, deforestation, ordinary life, revolt etc .`Kerketta has first hand
observations how Adivasis are mistreated when they stand even to protect their
land as well as forest :
“My uncle and his mother were killed in a land dispute with a powerful
non-tribal family of Manoharpur. I watched in disbelief as the local news papers reported the killings blaming my
family for performing human sacrifice. They never even bothered to even report
our version. The entire village remained suspicious of outsiders for years
afterwards.”(( https//scroll.in>article>wh-an)
Kerketta
redevelop the rebellion of 1855 of
Adivasi leaders Sidhu Kanhu in
Santhal Pargana in her poems A rebellious slayed and The call of the Dombari Hill . She asserts
that concept in this work as "Right now, several young people who have got
educated are not interested in public issues, and the poorest are pressed for
survival"and observed that innovative method of defiance will appear when affected
villages are able to better assemble themselves. The imagination of Adivasi
poetry is not imaginable without the presence of nature, the exploitation of
nature being a source of suffering for the Adivasi. Consequently, urbanization,
industrialization and the developmental activities have a suspicious character
for the Adivasi.
Jacinta in her poemAn evening in the
villageobserveshow Adivasi women struggles to prepare foods. They generally
goes forest through mountains for collecting firewoods in the early morning and
return in the evening. They cook food in the earthen oven in the yard. The whole villagers sleep without a blanket
even in the cold season.Kerketta voices for the justice of Adivasis in her poem
entitled Bloodstained rivers.
Jacinta considers the
struggle of Adivasis are universal throughout the world. The tribals of India
express their deep concerns over the degradation of natural resources , the
attempt to preserve their water , jungle as well as land. She induced the attack
of man and machine in the forests in The Flowers of Saranda .
Humans are destroying and plundering the nature in the name of so called development . Jacinta
states in the Preface of the book Angor : “ From childhood there was
something like a piece of ember trapped somewhere inside me.” (Preface 9)
Jacinta
Kerkettaencourages a teenage
girl to loving motherliness
through a relationship of compassion between her and an old man. She urges for
a collective voice for getting freedom from long run patriarchy. The tribal
culture and tradition of Eastern Indian and North America are rich but
face daily threat that are repeated
difficulty of advancing goals and
capitalist fantasies. The titular poem Angor establishes the twin
possibilities of angor - the power to
burn and the power to share resources.
In cities , a piece of coal
Burns, burns…
And then is reduced to ash and cinders
In villages, an ember
Goes from one stove
To all other
And a fire in every household kindles.
(149:1-7)
Thus, Kerketta’s poems truly
represented the struggles to protect
their forest , water land , root culture , rich tradition, primary language
that is part and parcel of Adivasis. Her writings are “the most powerful form
of resistance”. In an interview conducted by Muralidharan, the poet asserts
that Jacinta’s said : “They have seen me grow; they have seen that my poetry
has taken me to places. Now they know what it means to express ourselves in the
mainstream. Our voices are beginning to be counted, and it is a huge change”.
Rueckert holds that if poetry is understood well (without any biased
stereotyping), “poems can be studied as models for energy flow, community
building and ecosystems”.
Work Cited
Bandhu, P., and T. Jacob. Encountering The
Adivasi Question. Amsterdam University Press, 2019.
Banerjee, Jasodhara. Jacinta Kerketta: Becoming
the Voice of Indigenous Communities.”Forbes India, Dec, 2022.
Chaturvedi, Namrata. “Poetess-Mother-Earth
Mother: Solidaritieas and Intersectionalities in select Native American and
Indian Adivasi Women’s Poetry. Journal of Adivasi and Indigenous Studies,
Vol.I, 2021. Published.
https://amp.scroll.in/article/808591/the-anger-of-adivasis-turns-to-poetry-of-anguish-and-hope-in-a-young-woman-s-hands
Kerketta, Jacinta. Angor. Kolkata: Adivaani, 2016. Print.
---. “In Conversation with Adivasi Poet
Jacinta Kerketta.”Groundxero.
2018.https://www.groundxero.in/2018/08/13/in-conversation-with-jacinta-kerketta/#:~:text=Jacinta%20Kerketta%20is%20a%20young,communities%2C%20along%20with%20their%20struggles.
Laping, Johannes.“Foreward.”Angor. Trans
by Bhumika Chawla-d’Souza,Vijay K. Chhabra and Fr. Cyprrian Ekka. Adivani:
Kolkata, 2016.
Toppo, Mahadev. “Mahadev Toppo: Adivasis are
not Anti development but against January11,2021.<https;//www.forwardpress.in/2021/01/Mahadev-toppo-adivasis-are-not-anti-development-but-against-development
-that -is-anti-life/>08.03.2021time17:37