Scheduled Tribe Youth in India and Their Institutions: A Study of Dhumkuria

Abstract

This study tries to connect with the subjugated knowledge practices of indigenous communities of India by attempting to comprehend and disseminate valuable information about one of their significant institutions called Dhumkuria. This is the name of youth dormitory of the Oraon tribal community of Jharkhand. It provided training in socio-cultural, politicoeconomic and religious grounds, along with mores of collective living. Dhumkuria encouraged learning by doing, as well as teaching while learning – to younger and from elder cohorts, simultaneously. Here, knowledge was mostly orally accumulated, education was an act of sharing skills and values for collective and harmonious living and pedagogy was dialogical and co-constructive. However, this practice was lost due to cultural changes, out-migration, impact of formal religious practices and then encouragement given by Colonial and Indian Government to formalised schools and colleges. Also, for intellectuals and knowledge brokers, working within positivistic framework, youth dormitories like Dhumkuria represented backwardness and promiscuousness. Such epistemic violence humiliated tribal communities and eroded several of their institutions and practices. Nevertheless, in the last few years there has been an attempt to resurrect pivotal tribal institutions. Hopefully, we can undo the wrong and change public perception and policies to encourage marginalised communities and their youth.