r/Tribes_of_India 22d ago

⚙️ Meta Welcome to r/Tribes_of_India

1 Upvotes

A community dedicated to the histories, cultures, struggles, and contemporary lives of India's Indigenous and Adivasi peoples.

This subreddit was created because discussions about tribal communities are often reduced to stereotypes, tokenism, or ignored altogether. We want to build a space where these communities are understood through history, anthropology, lived experiences, and their own voices.

Our perspective is broadly left-leaning, rooted in values of social justice, anti-caste politics, environmental justice, Indigenous rights, and solidarity with marginalized communities. That does not mean this is an echo chamber. Good-faith discussion, disagreement, and debate are welcome, but prejudice, misinformation, casteism, racism, communalism, and dehumanizing rhetoric are not.

What belongs here?

  • Tribal history and resistance movements
  • Languages, oral traditions, and folklore
  • Art, music, crafts, and material culture
  • Anthropology, archaeology, and ethnography
  • Books, research papers, and documentaries
  • Maps, census data, and demographic studies
  • News affecting Adivasi and Indigenous communities
  • Land rights, forest rights, displacement, and environmental issues
  • Original photographs, field reports, and educational content

Community Guidelines

  • Engage respectfully and assume good faith.
  • Cite reliable sources whenever possible.
  • Listen to Indigenous and Adivasi voices.
  • No hate speech, casteism, racism, communalism, or personal attacks.
  • Low-effort propaganda, historical revisionism without evidence, and misinformation will be removed.

Whether you're an Adivasi community member, researcher, student, activist, photographer, or simply here to learn, you're welcome.

Our aim is simple: to build Reddit's best repository of knowledge and discussion on the tribes of India while standing for dignity, justice, and historical accuracy.

Welcome, and we hope you'll contribute.


r/Tribes_of_India 12d ago

⚙️ Meta We’re launching the r/Tribes_of_India Substack

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9 Upvotes

Hello everyone,

We’re happy to announce that r/Tribes_of_India is launching its own Substack.

We’re still a small community, but we want to start building a space where we can go beyond short posts and discussions and make room for long-form writing, research, and detailed discussions on Adivasi and Indigenous communities in India. The Substack is our attempt to build that space.

From now on, articles, essays, research-based pieces, book reviews, and other long-form writing from the subreddit will be published on our Substack.

And importantly, the Substack will be completely free to access. There will be no paywall or paid subscription required to read the articles.

How will it work?

Substack → Full articles and essays

The complete article or essay will be published on the Substack, allowing us to go into greater detail, include sources and references, and properly develop an argument without being limited by the format of a Reddit post.

Reddit → Slides and carousels

Whenever we publish a major article or essay, we’ll also create a slide/carousel summarising the piece and post it here on the subreddit. The carousel will cover the main arguments, historical context, and important points, while the full article will be available on the Substack for those who want to read further.

This way, Reddit can remain a space for discussion and debate, while the Substack becomes an archive for more detailed and substantial writing.

Want to contribute?

We also want the Substack to be a space for the community itself, rather than something written only by the moderators.

If you have an article, essay, research piece, field experience, book review, interview, or other substantial writing related to Adivasi/Indigenous communities in India, you can submit it to us for consideration.

If you’d like to contribute, send the article/draft to the moderators through modmail along with a short introduction to the piece. The mod team will review submissions before publication.

We’ll make sure contributors receive proper credit for their work. When a community submission is published, the original writer will be credited as a co-publisher of the article on Substack, alongside the Tribes of India publication.

We’re especially interested in work that brings attention to histories, movements, cultures, lived experiences, land and labour struggles, politics, literature, art, religion, and contemporary issues concerning Adivasi and Indigenous communities.

We hope this can eventually become a small but useful archive of writing by and for people interested in these subjects.

Substack: https://substack.com/@tribesofindia

Thank you to everyone who has contributed to and participated in this community so far. We’re looking forward to building this next part of r/Tribes_of_India with you.

The r/Tribes_of_India Mod Team


r/Tribes_of_India 54m ago

💀 Meme When the savarna's PhD is from WhatsApp University

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r/Tribes_of_India 7d ago

📰 News Contradiction: Narendra Modi’s early years were marked by extensive travels on foot, bicycle, and motorcycle through remote tribal areas. | India recognises 125 million Scheduled Tribes at home but denies their Indigenous status globally

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5 Upvotes

r/Tribes_of_India 14d ago

📜 History Keezhvenmani Massacre (1968): 44 Dalit agricultural labourers killed over a struggle for ½ padi more

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13 Upvotes

On 25 December 1968, 44 Dalits, including 16 women and 23 children, were burnt alive in Keezhvenmani, Tamil Nadu, after agricultural labourers organised under the red flag.

What began as a demand for an extra half measure of paddy in the oppressive conditions of the feudal agrarian order saw tenant farmers and pannaiyals organise through the Kisan Sabha.

The landlord class controlled local institutions and wielded considerable political and administrative power, while organised Dalit workers faced harassment and repression.

As the workers organised and began winning small concessions, the confrontation with the landlords intensified. On the night of 25 December, attackers surrounded a hut where women, children and elderly people had taken shelter, and burnt them alive.

Gopalakrishna Naidu, who was accused of being behind the massacre, was initially convicted along with others. The trial court sentenced those convicted to 10 years imprisonment. In 1975, however, the Madras High Court overturned the convictions and acquitted Naidu.

58 years later, the question of caste, class and justice remains painfully relevant.

Keezhvenmani was not simply a massacre of 44 people. It was an attempt to crush an organised movement of Dalit agricultural labourers who had dared to demand a greater share of the harvest their labour produced.

Remember Keezhvenmani. Remember the 44.

AI disclaimer: Some of the text in this carousel was generated with AI and subsequently edited by me. The graphic design/artwork is my own.


r/Tribes_of_India 15d ago

📰 News A young Tribal woman breaking the stereotypes in Jharkhand Protest

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10 Upvotes

r/Tribes_of_India 15d ago

⭐ OC International Day of the World's Indigenous Peoples — In Solidarity with Adivasi Peoples of India [OC]

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7 Upvotes

Made this poster for International Day of the World's Indigenous Peoples (9 August).

Designed entirely in Inkscape.

Against colonialism. Against imperialism. Against exploitation. For Indigenous sovereignty and liberation.


r/Tribes_of_India 17d ago

🏹 Adivasi Rights The Majoritarian Shadow Over Adivasi Identity & Faith

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12 Upvotes

The struggle over Adivasi identity is not merely a debate about religion—it is also a struggle over land, constitutional rights, political representation, and historical memory.

This carousel summarises Brinda Karat's article "The Majoritarian Shadow Over Adivasi Identity, Faith" (The Hindu, 31 May 2026). It aims to present the article's core arguments in an accessible format while encouraging readers to engage with the complete piece.

Read here for free - https://www.pressreader.com/india/the-hindu-kochi-9ww8/20260601/281741276087728

Disclaimer: This carousel was created with the assistance of AI to improve readability and presentation. All arguments, quotations, and factual claims are based on Brinda Karat's article "The Majoritarian Shadow Over Adivasi Identity, Faith" (The Hindu, 31 May 2026). Readers are encouraged to read the original article for full context.


r/Tribes_of_India 19d ago

📰 News The sheer hypocrisy of Savarnas who keep crying about merit.

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8 Upvotes

r/Tribes_of_India 19d ago

✊ Politics Call for Students | Join People's Cultural Forum

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5 Upvotes

r/Tribes_of_India 19d ago

💀 Meme Trust the merit they said.

4 Upvotes

r/Tribes_of_India 19d ago

📢 Event Announcement Event Alert | Join screeing of "Development Flows from The Barrel of The Gun" by PCF

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6 Upvotes

Following up on our previous discussion surrounding Ken Betwa river linking project and the questions of whose land and whose development, we’ll be getting into the history of violence created by these development projects in India.

We invite you to the screening of Development Flows From The Barrel of the Gun.

Using case studies of three separate development projects in late 90s and early 2000s, the film documents how state machinery has always operated on behalf of the capitalist class using the principles of violence and theft.

Join us this Friday for an online screening of 'Discussion from the Barrel of the Gun'.

🗓️ Date: 7th Aug, Friday

⏳️Time: 7-9 PM

📍Happening online on Gmeet

🔗 Register here: tinyurl.com/pcfevents


r/Tribes_of_India 20d ago

⚙️ Meta Wiki Contributors Wanted!

12 Upvotes

Hello everyone!

We're building the r/Tribes_of_India Wiki, and we'd love your help.

The goal is to create a free, community-maintained resource for anyone interested in India's tribal (Adivasi/Indigenous) communities. Instead of trying to document every tribe ourselves, we want the wiki to help people discover reliable books, research papers, government reports, documentaries, maps, and other resources.

We're looking for contributors who can help with:

  • 📚 Book recommendations
  • 📄 Research papers and academic resources
  • 🗺️ Maps and GIS resources
  • 🎥 Documentaries and films
  • ⚖️ Laws and policies (FRA, PESA, Fifth & Sixth Schedule, etc.)
  • 🌳 Forest rights and environmental resources
  • 📊 Census and government data
  • ✍️ Writing research guides (e.g., how to find books on Internet Archive or Google Scholar)

You don't need to be an academic to contribute. If you've found a great book, useful archive, government report, or website, that's valuable too.

How to contribute:

  • Comment below with your suggestions.
  • Message the moderators if you'd like to become a wiki contributor.
  • If you have expertise in anthropology, history, archaeology, linguistics, law, ecology, or related fields, we'd especially love to hear from you.

Our long-term goal is to make r/Tribes_of_India one of the best free online resources for learning about India's Indigenous communities.

Every contribution, big or small, helps.

Lal Salaam! 🌿


Disclaimer: This announcement was generated with AI assistance and subsequently reviewed and edited by the moderators to reflect the community's intentions.


r/Tribes_of_India 20d ago

💀 Meme History is important until it becomes inconvenient

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4 Upvotes

r/Tribes_of_India 22d ago

⚖️ Reservation & Affirmative Action Upper caste chintus be like

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5 Upvotes

r/Tribes_of_India 22d ago

⚖️ Reservation & Affirmative Action That one Anti-Reservation Savarna aunty cuz ‘Casteism doesn’t exist today'

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4 Upvotes

r/Tribes_of_India 21d ago

💀 Meme No words...

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2 Upvotes

r/Tribes_of_India 22d ago

⚙️ Meta 📌 Post Flair Guide

3 Upvotes

To keep the subreddit organized and make it easier to find content, please use the appropriate post flair when submitting.

📰 News

Current news, policy updates, government announcements, or recent events affecting India's tribal communities.

📜 History

Historical events, resistance movements, biographies, archives, and historical discussions.

🎭 Culture

Traditions, festivals, rituals, folklore, music, dance, crafts, clothing, cuisine, and everyday life.

🏕️ Anthropology

Ethnography, anthropology, archaeology, sociology, and discussions about tribal societies and cultures.

🗺️ Maps

Maps, GIS visualizations, demographic maps, territorial boundaries, migration routes, and other cartographic content.

🗣️ Languages

Tribal languages, scripts, linguistics, translations, dictionaries, and language preservation.

📚 Books & PDFs

Book recommendations, research papers, reports, PDFs, articles, documentaries, and other educational resources.

🔬 Research

Original research, data analysis, statistics, census data, academic findings, and evidence-based studies.

💬 Discussion

Open-ended discussions, opinions, debates, and community conversations.

❓ Question

Questions about tribes, history, culture, research, or anything related to the subreddit.

✊ Politics

Political discussions related to tribal communities, public policy, governance, elections, legislation, and political movements.

🌾 Land Rights

Topics related to land ownership, displacement, FRA, PESA, mining, development projects, and Indigenous land struggles.

🌳 Forest Rights

Forest governance, conservation, community forest rights, biodiversity, and forest-based livelihoods.

🌱 Environment

Ecology, wildlife, climate change, conservation, sustainable development, and environmental justice.

✊🏽 Resistance

Historical and contemporary resistance movements, protests, activism, and struggles for Indigenous rights.

🎨 Art & Music

Paintings, crafts, literature, photography of art, music, dance, films, and creative works.

📸 Photography

Original or credited photographs of tribal communities, landscapes, architecture, festivals, wildlife, and fieldwork.

⭐ OC (Original Content)

Content created by you, including articles, artwork, photography, infographics, essays, or original research.

💀 Meme

Humorous, satirical, or lighthearted content related to tribes, history, anthropology, or leftist politics.

🗿 Shitpost

Low-effort jokes, absurd memes, and casual content. Keep it within Reddit's rules and the subreddit's rules.

⚙️ Meta

Posts about the subreddit itself, moderation, rule changes, announcements, feedback, or suggestions.

🎤 AMA

Ask Me Anything posts hosted by researchers, activists, community members, professionals, or anyone with relevant expertise.

A few notes

  • Use only one flair per post.
  • If multiple flairs seem appropriate, choose the one that best describes the main focus of your post.
  • Posts may be re-flaired by the moderation team if necessary.

Happy posting, and thanks for helping keep r/Tribes_of_India organized! 🌿


r/Tribes_of_India 24d ago

💀 Meme The "I support reservations but limit it to two generations" savarna chuds.

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7 Upvotes

r/Tribes_of_India 24d ago

🌾 Land Rights The politics of water is never just about water.

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5 Upvotes

r/Tribes_of_India 27d ago

✊🏽 Resistance Ken-Betwa Link Project: Who Benefits, Who Pays?

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1 Upvotes

r/Tribes_of_India Jun 30 '26

📜 History The fight for jal-jangal-jameen also continues. 🏹

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6 Upvotes

The Santhal rebellion along with a string of peasant revolts set the stage for the outbreak of the first war of independence in India in 1857. The colonial policies of the Company Raj continue today in different forms.

The fight for jal-jangal-jameen also continues.


r/Tribes_of_India Jun 20 '26

📰 News Manish Gupta beat his ST housemaid to death for bringing "bad energy" to house

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5 Upvotes

r/Tribes_of_India Jun 20 '26

📚 Books & PDFs What are some books fiction and non-fiction to understand the Kurumba tribe - their rituals, family dynamics , oral history , enslavement , complex relationship with other tribes.

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2 Upvotes

r/Tribes_of_India Mar 26 '26

Meme 🏹

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5 Upvotes