Science is an everyday experience in Adivasi life. It is a science evolved from generations of wisdom and symbiosis with nature. Without the instinct of science, survival in an Adivasi context would defeat human existence. In the adivasi life, science exists in understanding the elements of the universe and adapting these in their agriculture, in connecting with the forests around them, in harnessing the diverse natural resources to meet their daily requirements. Science takes forms through social celebrations or superstitions, in cultural entertainment or sport, in dialogue with the spirits or in communion with the gods. One can experience science in their music or dance, with their headmen or guniyas (medicinal healers). There is astronomy, physics, medicine, mathematics. There is poetry, art, law and politics- all forms of science disguised through culture. Most of all there is a philosophy of life that surpasses material definitions.

Yet, the Adivasi child today is at cross-roads in education where their unique traditional knowledge receives little recognition from the mainstream society so much so that they themselves have lost the dignity of this knowledge. Innumerable forms of scientific practices and knowledge are dying today for lack of due recognition that it deserves. While the country is moving ahead with new forms of development and it is necessary for the young Adivasi generation to participate in these inclusive growth models, it is equally important that the country gives attention to strengthen and protect the invaluable wisdom of Adivasi ancestors. In the current context of global environment crisis and global negotiations on climate change, the need to consciously promote Adivasi traditional knowledge rests with government, educational institutions, science and research institutions and civil society organisations.

Strengthening this scientific knowledge can best be pursued through the involvement of Adivasi students and assisting them in not only understanding their ancestral wisdom, but in also making use of their access to mainstream knowledge and tools to improve on their traditional sciences and to help them grow with a consciousness of sustainable development. While a lot of this wisdom still continues to be alive in young Adivasi children, a need to sensitise and make it relevant to the mainstream children for whom science and environment are mainly confined to the text books. An interaction between the adivasi and urban children would be an enriching experience for both.

And therefore, emerged the concept of holding an Adivasi Children’s Science and Traditional Knowledge Congress.

Who we are:

Dhaatri is a Resource Centre for Women and Children working in Andhra Pradesh, in close association with Samata, an advocacy organisation for Adivasi rights. Our central focus is on strengthening adivasi knowledge and education. A conscious effort to enable adivasi children grow up with a respect for their traditional wisdom is the emphasis of the Balamitra Badis that are Adivasi community education centres supported by Dhaatri and local community based organisations. We work on education, curriculum development, research on Adivasi science and knowledge and undertake grassroots level training.

We are planning to organise an Adivasi Children’s Science and Traditional Knowledge Congress in Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh in February 2010.
The Congress is being jointly organised by Dhaatri and Samata, for adivasi students of government schools, NGO run schools from across different states that have a predominant adivasi population.

Aim of the Congress:

1. To make the tribal children conscious of their traditional knowledge and practices in their own communities as well as in other communities.
2. To make them aware of the importance and relevance of these practices and thereby, instil a sense of pride and confidence.
3. To encourage them to seek solutions for addressing present day problems using traditional knowledge and improving on it
4. To foster a sense of solidarity amongst children from various tribes / regions
5. To strengthen awareness of the scientific traditions and wisdom of adivasi communities among mainstream students and the public.

Proposed Format:
The Congress will be held over a period of 3 days. The participating schools will send a team of 6-8 children and 1-2 teachers/guides each. The children should be between 12-15 years of age. In the run up to the congress, each team will be asked to conduct a detailed survey to document as many traditional practices/technologies as possible. While these may pertain to any field, emphasis will be laid on subjects such as farming practices, soil and water conservation methods, biodiversity, diet and nutrition, traditional medicine, metallurgy, tools and implements, weather prediction etc. The team should also try to find out the history of the particular practice, its prevalence, changes if any in recent times and their impact. It is expected that each team would be able to present at least 8-10 such knowledge points. Each team is to prepare a detailed report as well as brief presentation (20 min) based on their survey. As far as possible, the teams should forward a summary of the report and presentations in advance (15 – 20 days). The teams should come prepared for giving a demonstration of these practices/technologies.

The Congress will be conducted through multiple activities like exhibitions, group presentations, group seminars, documentary films, sports and cultural events and interactive sessions with experts as well as students from mainstream/city schools. The schools will be encouraged to exhibit material, food/crops, medicines/plants, literature, visual media, models/maps, produce from the forests and villages, working models of tools, crafts, sports/hunting gear, designs of technology, textiles and any other material relating to traditional knowledge. The students should have considerable knowledge over their exhibits. The schools will also be asked to use theatre, folk arts and music to share their knowledge.

These activities are to ensure that the teams get opportunity to share their knowledge, have opportunities to learn, dialogue with other Adivasi students as well as others who attend the Congress, should be able to reflect on the experience and take back learnings from other tribes. All the sessions will be multi-lingual to the extent possible.

Guidelines for Teachers who will work with the students in Documentation of traditional knowledge (it is expected that teachers use their discretion to simplify the following subjects and help students prepare their presentations keeping in mind the age group of students and their level of understanding the subjects. The subjects mentioned are merely to provide a wider scope for participating schools to prepare their presentations.)

The presentations should be fully based on field data and documentation. The participating schools should plan their projects and presentations by having discussions/interviews with village/hamlet elders, traditional gurus, local healers, musicians, artists, community experts especially in consultation with grandmothers and women, and compile the knowledge and information gathered for proper presentation. Data collection will be a qualitative exercise. Once collected all data may be classified under different heads. The schools are therefore given two months of preparation to attend the Congress.

Some of the important topics that will be covered are: (these are given as examples to illustrate the focus of the Congress and the nature of documentation/presentations that will have to be prepared by the participants)

1. Agriculture/Food Security: In many tribal communities agriculture is the main occupation. The local community has been practicing farming for generations and has developed certain scientific methods based on their evolved practice. With the onset and popularization of modern day agriculture often these practices are underestimated and considered primitive. But lately it has been realized that many such practices are extremely valuable practices based on years of observations, experience and experimentation. These practices are often more adaptive to the local soil, water and climatic conditions. Such practices have a scientific base and can aid in maximizing the production and yield or solve the present day problem. Most often they are not only ecologically sound but also economically sustainable as the primary aim has been food security and sustenance.

These practices could range from land preparation to sowing and harvesting, cultural practices, diverse cropping patterns, seasons, local crop varieties, pest management practices, herbal pesticides, drying and threshing, storage of seeds and grains, preservation, processing, tools and equipments etc. The practices are also based on customary laws to ensure conservation and protection.

2. Water and soil conservation: Different indigenous methods of soil and water conservation have been practiced by different communities. The traditional watershed development techniques, efficient use of water resources, protection of springs, soil conservation and regeneration practices, water harvesting and storage structures, water management practices in your area can be documented.

3. Energy: The traditionally used sources of energy for cooking and lighting and also for other operations like transport, drying, threshing etc can be listed. Models of traditional stoves, chulhas can also be considered.

4. Ecological and biodiversity conservation practices: The adivasi communities have traditionally been contributing to maintaining ecological balance and conservation of biodiversity of the local area. Many tribal communities had their own social and legal systems of forest conservation to address the local habitat requirements. Participant schools can document their local biodiversity, local practices and institutions of conservation, how this biodiversity is linked to their domestic and cultural needs, changing trends and threats impacting traditional conservation practices, how local communities perceive these changes.

5. Traditional medicine: The tribal healing practitioners have often been observed to perform wonders with their locally prepared herbal medicines. Some of them are also specialists in certain plant species/ailments. They have evolved this knowledge through generations of practice combined with cultural beliefs and in most situations, are the only medical service providers. Growing lack of faith and misconceptions coupled with degenerating eco-systems and dwindling number of practitioners is creating a threat to this knowledge. Students can document these practices, interview healers and record the local knowledge, threats to this knowledge and how they can think of ways to revive/strengthen this knowledge.

6. Diet and Nutrition: Adivasi food habits are based on local food from their land and forests, which are seasonally available. Their diet is based on respect for food security depending on seasonal requirements, traditional cooking practices and recipes that provide nutrition, preservation of food and their understanding of the nutritive values of these food. Students are expected to work with women and grandmothers in documenting the diet and cooking practices.

7. Traditional Calculations: Adivasi communities have local knowledge of time and spatial measurements, astronomy that helps them plan their agriculture, land development and contour planning, food production, festivals, harnessing of other natural resources, and other daily usages of calculation like prediction of weather.

8. Metallurgy/weaving/fishing/house construction/hunting/pottery: Techniques for extraction of metals and their forging, use of metals for various purposes, weaving, dyeing, traditional occupations like pottery, the science of house construction based on local resources and environment, fishing practices-these are some traditional knowledge systems that can be explored and presented either in the form of models, physical demonstration of artisan work, hunting strategies, tools, laws are some of the unique knowledge that can be documented and shared.

9. Music, art, languages, folklore and history: Adivasi communities are most known for the wealth of poetry, music, traditional arts and folklore which are rich expressions of culturally unique societies. Most languages and histories and art forms are oral or visual in nature and learnt through practice and hereditary learning. Participating schools can document and present these art forms at the Congress through any traditional medium of expression, or document their languages and literature in written or pictorial forms.

10. Traditional Sports: Participants can bring with them/demonstrate at the Congress their traditional games and sports which are original to their tribes or region. Some of the traditional games are being forgotten with the introduction of modern sports like cricket. Many of the traditional games are designed in a manner that children develop sensory motor skills, sharpen their physical and mental faculties, develop creative skills for using the natural resources around, and provide an enormous recreation opportunity for children. The Congress will encourage the tribal students to show their skills and teach these games to other children who will be participating.

• Tentative Programme Schedule
• Confirmed Participants as of 10-02-2009