This picture is from a calendar brought out by ANTRI, Tribal Research Institute, Andaman and Nicobar Administration as a part of project called “Ang Katha”. Many thoughts come into my mind. Few I can express few I cannot.
“Ang” means Jarawas as this calendar proclaims. “Katha” means story.
Jarawa or Ang is one of the 5 PTG-
Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Group found in Andaman Nicobar Islands. Others
are Great Andmanese, Onges, Sentinelese, and Shompens.
Why they are called Great Andamanese
why not only Andamanese??
These tribal groups are known to
inhabit these islands since centuries. When the British thought to establish a
penal settlement on these Islands these tribal groups resisted, Jarawas also.
These Jarawas were hostile to anyone from outside, Even to other tribal groups
also. They retained their hunting life in Forests. After Independence
Government enforced & promulgated PAT- Protection of Aboriginal Tribes
Regulation(1956) that strictly prohibits entry of non-tribals into the forests
declared as Jarwa Reserve areas. Now the Jarawas are not so hostile but remain
vulnerable.
Over the years they have also undergone
changes, due to efforts and support of the Administration.
In 1997 on my first trip to North
Andaman that has the route passing through the forest area where Jarawa tribes
used to wander. Few security personnel used to sit in Bus and all vehicles moved
into a convoy.
At the Middle Strait jetty a group of
Jarawa boys used to gather. People there tried to talk to them with the help of
a boy interpreter. These boys were engaged by AAJVS Andaman Adim Janjati Vikas
Samity.
Later while talking to him, I came to
know that he was a son of Policeman. While posted in forest areas sometime
children of policemen interacted with children of Jarawas and started
communicating and thus he learnt their language.
Once, a team of professors from NIEPA
Delhi visited Baratang. Few Jarawa boys were there and they very aggressive in
their behaviour. They asked for the bananas which were kept in a basket inside
the jeep. The lady, who came from Delhi sitting inside the jeep started crying
with horror. But not now, due to the change in their attitude towards outside
society Jarawas are coming forward to avail Medical facilities when they face
any emergency. As these cards indicate Jarawas children have started
learning fast in their classroom.
Looking at these pictures I thought how
creative these Jarawa children are? For centuries they never had any medium of
expression- to draw? (as we know either paper or stone inscriptions or other).
Thus when they were provided with pen, colours and paper, whole lot of art with
imagination came to life. As, is evident from these pictures. You will agree on
the high quality of observation power these children have. They live in Nature
thus they interact with nature 24X7 and ignoring any little thing means death
in wild. They have to be alert all the time. And moreover the ability to
translate their imagination on a new medium which their ancestor never knew is
also one aspect, I should admire and appreciate.
As
far as this project is concerned it has offered ample opportunity to fly into
the realms of creativity & imagination to the boys and girls of Jawara
tribe. With the pen and colours their
imagination had no bounds.
Drawings were with many intricate patterns, which could have
never come without sharp observation. Even normal children cannot draw such a
good drawing of sea turtle. Sea turtle,
its back, the legs-used for swimming which are like fins are drawn so
carefully. The patterns on the back are so well drawn. The boar like figure also had several patterns
on its body. How come these children have drawn it in colours?
Most amazing is this turtle with all seven colours! I mean it must be a work of small kid. That child has drawn the patterns. Fins were also drawn with lot of imagination. The use of colours may offer something for anthropologists to study further?
This picture above is of much mature or perfect observation unlike previous turtle that was like from some fairy tale. Here we see the high scale of imagination and Fine details. All are drawn perfectly. The scales on fish and its body are perfectly shaped. That indicates the level of alertness.
The
turtle is drawn from both sides I think. The back with pattern is perfect. But
the underneath side of turtle is also drawn with same perfection. Or is it that
both are drawn for their back sides?
Here some kind of a map of an area or whole chart of
activities is drawn. Or few things in enclosed structure?
The wild boar, Fish, Crocodile all are
drawn with details. Or is it the way they keep their “prey” after capture? Or
some boy was drawing a map of an area where child has seen these animals? The
triangle and double lines and that line with pattern do indicate something? May
be it is a road? Or a canal of water?Most imaginative is the deer. On the left
top corner is it a FISH? Or some kind of instrument used for hunting? A
boomerang? Anthropologists will be having difficult time to decipher it? On right is much more mature picture. The
fish and sting ray?
This
type of project will also document the flora and fauna with which Jarawa people
interact in their habitat.
And
we know ART is an unending and continuing process. I found these picture very
good thus shared.
Thanx
to ANTRI.
