Urvashi Sarkar

Sharmila Joshi

Text Editor

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Music
has an important role in the lives of the Adivasis of the Sundarbans.  Groups such as the Santal, Munda, Oraon and
Ho were brought to this region by the British in the 19th
 <a>
 </a>
 century. As indentured labourers, they cleared the forests and barricaded the
rivers.
 
 Their
descendants now speak Bengali after decades of living in West Bengal.  They use song and dance to try to preserve
the memory of their original languages such as Banua. Some have formed groups
like the Tiblighiri Adivasi Tushu Sampraday. Villagers and tourists look
forward to their performances, which provide the Adivasis with a source of
income and help them sustain their cultural heritage.
 
 
 The videos featured here were shot in May 2016.
 
 
 
 
 Co-director Arjun Mondal is a resident of
Rajat Jubilee village in Gosaba block. He catches and sells crabs for a living
and runs a non-governmental organisation.

Songs of the Sundarbans

સુંદરવનના ગીતો

ସୁନ୍ଦରବନର ସଙ୍ଗୀତ

सुंदरबन के गीत

সুন্দরবনের গান

সুন্দৰবনৰ গীতবোৰ

سندر بن کے گانے

Sundarbans

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Songs of the Sundarbans

The songs and dance by the Santal, Munda, Oraon and Ho preserve their languages and bring in an income

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