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Indian Express
4 hours ago
- Politics
- Indian Express
Kamal Nayan Chaubey's Adivasi or Vanvasi unpacks the Vanvasi Kalyan Ashram's influence on tribal politics
Kamal Nayan Chaubey, in his new book Adivasi or Vanvasi, explores how the tribal politics of the country has changed since the inception of the Vanvasi Kalyan Ashram (VKA). Through his ethnographic work, he unpacks the complex questions of identity and emphasises the importance of reading the ground as it is, without being swayed away by theoretical presumptions. In this conversation, Chaubey explains this transition and unravels the limits of VKA's politics. Edited excerpts: What are the major differences between Adivasi and Vanvasi? Are these differences a result of different political assertions? Adivasi means original inhabitant of the land, whereas Vanvasi means inhabitant of the forests. Many anthropologists have underlined that not all communities claiming to be Adivasis are the original inhabitants. In some areas, non-tribals have been the original settlers, with tribals joining them later. However, eventually, many tribal communities started to use the term Adivasi to assert their unique identity and claim rights over forest land and its resources. On the other hand, the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) and the VKA emphatically rejected the idea. For them, they are Hindus living in the forest areas, and hence, Vanvasis. They claim that all Sanatanis are original inhabitants of the country. Why do you think that there has been a consistent silence over the activities of the VKA in literature? There has been ideological bias against the VKA. When a few scholars focused on it, they presented it as a static organisation working for the idea of Hindu majoritarianism. Such a fixed understanding compelled researchers to overlook the changing nature of VKA's works. Even scholars sympathetic to the RSS overlooked the VKA as they considered it nothing more than an RSS wing. You write that lately VKA has taken a Left turn. What do you mean? In its early days — the VKA was formed in 1952 — the organisation focused on two things: countering Christian influence among tribals and spreading Hindu values. However, from 1970 onwards, many Left-oriented organisations started raising the issue of forest and land rights. They opposed displacement and emphasised their rights to live an autonomous life. It was in the 1990s that the VKA even felt the need to echo the Left. In 2015, it released a 'vision document' and supported all major demands raised by Left-oriented tribal organisations. It indicates the willingness of the VKA to adopt progressive ideas coming from opposing ideological camps. What is the VKA's view on the Uniform Civil Code (UCC)? The UCC has been one of the core agenda of the RSS and the BJP. However, in recent years, the VKA leadership has asserted that tribal communities should be excluded from the UCC. It emphasised the cultural and customary diversities among various tribal communities. Its criticisms played a crucial role in the BJP government's decision to exclude tribals in the UCC in Uttarakhand. Many leaders, including Union Home Minister Amit Shah, have made it clear that tribals will be exempted from the UCC even in other parts of the country. It underlines the pragmatic nature of the VKA. Though it talks about the Hindu identity of tribals, it opposes any form of cultural encroachment. Why does VKA need to create 'aggressive organs' for implementing agendas like ghar wapsi or delisting? The VKA prefers to focus on service work to keep its image intact. They never raise contentious issues like reconversion. To work on these issues, there are some 'aggressive organs'. They are not formally connected to the VKA. But their leadership carries its lineage. For example, the Janjati Surksha Manch was formed in 2006 to raise the issue of 'delisting' of those tribals from the ST list who converted to Christianity or Islam. Despite not being a direct wing of the VKA, it shared the same leadership. Many such organisations work on the ghar wapsi campaign. You are using the Gramscian idea of hegemony to unpack VKA's politics. Why? (Antonio) Gramsci divided intellectuals into two parts: Traditional and organic. The former, whereas, always tries to protect the existing system, the latter questions the prevalent hegemony and seeks changes in favour of the marginalised communities. As organic intellectuals, the VKA sometimes takes a stand for the tribals, but as traditional intellectuals, they never question the hegemonic neoliberal state and its developmental model. Did the VKA strengthen the BJP's presence in the tribal regions? The VKA, through its service works, has increased the BJP's presence in many tribal areas where its presence was earlier negligible. The Northeastern states are an important example. The BJP's vote share has increased across the tribal belts in the country. However, political contestation with other organisations also shapes its political future, as witnessed in Jharkhand, where the party lost all the tribal seats in the latest Assembly elections.
Irish Examiner
15 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Irish Examiner
Limerick to host exhibition of Richard Harris's never-seen-before memorabilia
A new exhibition is set to bring never-seen-before memorabilia of Richard Harris back to his native Limerick. From 'Dickie to Richard' - Richard Harris: Role of a Lifetime' is the first ever public exhibition of items drawn from the actor's own collection, including personal letters and annotated scripts to rare photographs, poetry, recordings, and sporting memorabilia. A collaboration between the Harris Family, the Hunt Museum and University College Cork (UCC), the immersive exhibition will draw on the treasures of the Harris Archive, donated by the actor's family to UCC in 2022. The exhibition will run at the Hunt Museum in Limerick city from July 4 to November 16. Speaking on behalf of the family, Damien, Jared and Jamie Harris, said: 'Richard was a prolific writer and kept everything: Poems. Short stories. Scripts. Whether finished or works in progress. This exhibition gives people a sense of the depth and humour behind the public image. It means a lot to us to see it here in Limerick.' Barry Monahan, Department of Film & Screen Media, University College Cork, said the exhibition "offers the public – fans of Richard, of the arts, and of Irish culture – a wonderful glimpse into the mind and creative energy of this impressive and enigmatic Irishman, and it sheds light on the times and places in which he lived and worked.' CEO of the Hunt Museum, Teresa Crowley described the exhibition as a 'homecoming for Richard'. 'It not only honours his extraordinary career but celebrates his Limerick, Munster, and Irish roots, offering the public a unique opportunity to explore his artistic and sporting world in the city where his journey began,' Ms Crowley said. In addition to the main exhibition, an exciting series of public talks, film screenings, and events will accompany the show throughout its run with full details to be announced in the coming weeks. The Richard Harris International Film Festival Meanwhile, last October, The Richard Harris International Film Festival (RHIFF) in Limerick had to be postponed due to 'financial constraints'. The festival, which has been running for over a decade, was due to take place from October 23-28. RHIFF festival director, Zeb Moore, told the Irish Examiner: 'We're delighted to see the arrival of the exhibition to the home of Richard Harris. We are looking forward to possible collaborations over the tenure of the exhibition.' The RHIFF did not secure any State funding in 2023 or 2024, which put a strain on resources. Despite what was described as a "setback", the team behind the festival said they are still exploring all avenues so the event can go ahead in October 2025. 'We look forward to welcome back our international guests to the city and showcase what Limerick and the surrounding regions have to offer to the film industry,' Mr Moore added. Over the years, RHIFF has grown into one of Ireland's premier film festivals, showcasing more than 1,000 films, including Irish and international features, shorts, documentaries, and animation. From 2017 to 2019, the festival was selected by the Department of Foreign Affairs to represent Ireland at the Global Irish Festival Series. The festival has been recognised for its programming, which includes special tributes to Richard Harris, workshops, and panels that offer insights into the world of cinema. Last year, actor Jamie Dornan was honoured by the festival for "outstanding talent". Read More Jared Harris 'delighted' the Richard Harris Archives have found a home in Cork
Irish Examiner
2 days ago
- Politics
- Irish Examiner
Siobhán O'Dowd 1964-2025: Proud Kerry woman who championed social justice and human rights in Cork
As Cork's LGBTI+ Awareness Week drew to a close this year, rainbow flags at City Hall flew at half-mast in memory of Siobhán O'Dowd, who died on May 17 following a battle with cancer. Social justice, human rights, and rewriting history from the margins were trademarks of her activism, writing, and community work for more than three decades. As a passionate advocate of marginalised groups, her belief in the power of collective action to create change inspired others to take the initiative in their own communities. One of six recipients of Lord Mayor Dan Boyle's 2025 Civic Awards, her long-term contributions to community development, inclusion, lifelong learning, and LGBT+ activism were highlighted during the City Hall ceremony on May 7, where attendees gave her a standing ovation. To locals, Siobhán O'Dowd's name will be synonymous with Ballyphehane-Togher Community Development Project on the south side of Cork City, where she worked from 1999 to 2025. Siobhán was deeply committed to the mission to tackle disadvantage, income poverty, and unemployment through a range of interventions. Her belief that community education was at the heart of social change illuminated her work on early learning, family support, and adult education programmes. Media reports on her death describe her as a 'Cork activist and champion for equality', but Siobhán was, in fact, a proud Kerry woman. Born in 1964 and raised on a farm in Ballyoughtra, Milltown, she retained a lifelong affinity to the homeplace of her Griffin grandparents and uncle at Ballinakilla, Glenbeigh. Her deep connection to the local landscape, language, and history there came with understanding of the power of a good story, accompanied by a lifelong devotion to the Kerry football team. Relocating to Cork to take an English and history degree at UCC in the 1980s, she learned about identity politics from the ground up. In later life, she wore various identity markers lightly, code-switching as she moved easily from local to global concerns. Announcing her passing, Ballyphehane-Togher Community Development Project said: 'From neighbourhood initiatives on the south side of Cork, to countywide collaborations, national policy forums, and European partnership projects, Siobhán's influence was felt far beyond the walls of our centre.' Her generative role in the development of Cork's Lifelong Learning Festival, the WHO Healthy Cities initiative, and Cork Equal and Sustainable Communities Alliance is testament to her capacity to engage with people and groups at various levels, always with the aim of widening the leadership base. Described in recent tributes as 'a quiet strategist', 'patient but relentless', and 'a force of nature', she was a difficult person to say no to. Siobhán's easy sociability and capacity to wear her learning lightly were a keynote of her life; everyone was guaranteed a cup of tea in the kitchen of Ballyphehane-Togher Community Development Project, many only later realising they'd volunteered their services in some way. During the pandemic, locals remember Siobhán working away quietly behind the scenes, coordinating support across Ballyphehane, Togher, and Turners Cross, to make sure vulnerable people were cared for and no one was left behind. Her response was rooted in compassion, local knowledge, and an unshakable sense of community solidarity. Siobhán O'Dowd, right, who received a civic award from Lord Mayor Cllr Dan Boyle in recognition of her long-term contributions on community development, inclusion, life long learning and LGBTI+ activism in Cork. Also included is Tina O'Toole, left. Picture: Brian Lougheed An activist in Cork's LGBTI+ community since the late 1980s, Siobhán O'Dowd was a founder member of Cork Aids Alliance in 1988, where she held the roles of co-chair, with Ronnie Dorney 1990-91, and co-ordinator 1991-93; more recently she was a founding member of Cork City's LGBTI+ Inter-Agency Group, which she chaired from 2017-2023. In 1999, Siobhán helped found Linc (now Linq Ireland) the first organisation in Ireland dedicated to lesbian, bisexual, and transgender women. She developed its first training programmes, served on its voluntary management committee for many years, and, in collaboration with her partner Tina O'Toole, wrote funding applications to ensure Linc had staff, resources, and the foundations to provide a sustainable resource for Cork's LBTQ communities. In 2014, Siobhán worked with her great friend Dave Roche of Cork Gay Project to have a rainbow flag from San Francisco given as a gift to Cork's Lord Mayor, councillor John Buttimer. When it was raised over Cork City Hall that year, it was the first time a rainbow flag had been hoisted on a public building in the State. Three years later, she was a generative force in the signing of a Rainbow Memorandum, in which sister cities Cork and San Francisco pledged to attain membership of the International Rainbow Cities Network. In 2020, due to her tireless efforts, Cork became the first Irish city to join. In a recent statement, Cork Gay Project said: 'Her legacy lives on in every rainbow flag raised over Cork City Hall, in every policy shift that brings us closer to equality, and in every life made safer, more visible, and more hopeful because of her work.' Siobhán O'Dowd, chair of Cork LGBTI+ Inter-Agency Group holding the RCN Membership Certificate surrounded by delegates. The certificate was presented to Cork City on the occasion that Cork City Council and Cork LGBTI+ Inter-Agency hosted the Global Rainbow Cities Network in 2020. Picture: Clare Keogh A keen plantswoman, Siobhán took refuge from this life of public service in the potting shed of her West Cork garden, where she might be found sowing tomato seeds or chatting with neighbours. An ardent reader and advocate for the public library system, she strongly believed in the transformative power of books. These twin concerns came together in her initiative to create a vibrant community garden based at the Tory Top Library, which continues to bring local people together to grow collectively. As news of her untimely death filtered out, the international range of Siobhán's affliation and kinship was revealed, as messages of condolence poured in from South Australia, Sydney and South Carolina, from San Francisco and São Paulo, as well as Ballyphehane and Togher, Milltown and Glenbeigh. At local level, her Timoleague neighbours provided the first of three guards of honour as the funeral cortege pulled out of their townland. In Ballyphehane, a lone piper accompanied the hearse on the street lined with young and old, from the church as far as the library. Outside City Hall, the Lord Mayor led a guard of honour comprising over 100 community representatives and members of statutory agencies, as members of LGBTI+ organisations waved Pride Progress flags. In a statement following her death, the LGBTI+ Inter-Agency Group attested to Siobhán's strategic vision and legacy: 'Her turn of phrase could move a room; her speeches and scripts reflected her depth of understanding and strategic insight … She stood strong in the face of exclusion, violence, and discrimination. She knew how to influence systems while keeping her feet firmly in community. She always made space for the next generation. "Siobhán O'Dowd was one of the golden generation of Irish LGBT+ activists — a true pioneer, a community builder, and a warrior for human rights."
Irish Examiner
3 days ago
- Science
- Irish Examiner
Unearthing people's bones from hundreds of years ago can be 'quite hard emotionally'
Unearthing the fossilised remains of a woman cradling a baby or of a woman who died while pregnant sticks in the memory of Glenn Gibney. It acts as a reminder to the osteoarchaeologist that while studying bones can be a fascinating occupation - unlocking secrets that date back centuries - it is not without its emotions. 'I visited a site where we did a reconstructive illustration of an adult female and an infant found in the crease of the arm," said the UCC graduate. "Based on the positioning it looked like the infant had been cradled by the adult. They had both died around the same time. We did a demonstration to show how they would have been placed in the grave and what they might have looked like. It's good to bring these stories to life.' While no definite cause of death was confirmed, Glenn said it is believed the pair died of natural causes. 'It's likely that she died of an illness that was too short to leave evidence on the bone. She was between 35 and 45 years old and the infant was a newborn. The adult remains date back to between the fifth and sixth century AD. Without ancient DNA testing - which is atypical in commercial archaeology - we don't assume a relationship with an adult female and a child. It's possible that they were unrelated or this was an aunt or grandmother who died at or near the same time.' The aim of osteoarchaeology is to uncover past lives through the analysis of bones through various methods including visual examinations and microscopic analysis. This can determine factors such as age, sex, health, status and diet. However, Glenn believes its importance runs far deeper than that. Photo: Moya Nolan Other emotional finds include bones unearthed showing women who died in pregnancy. 'There have been a few times where we found women who died while they were pregnant. As well as finding the adult skeleton we will find the foetal skeleton in the pelvic cavity. These can be difficult to excavate but they are also quite hard emotionally.' Osteoarchaeology focuses on the study of human skeletal remains recovered from archaeological sites. Its aim is to uncover past lives through the analysis of bones through various methods including visual examinations and microscopic analysis. This can determine factors such as age, sex, health, status and diet. However, Glenn believes its importance runs far deeper than that. 'History is so often written by and about the wealthy,' Glenn told the Irish Examiner. 'You rarely learn things about everyday people. What we uncover is typically from everyday sites. These are the stories of the workers, the farmers and people just trying to get by. They are the kind of stories we don't know about.' Glenn Gibney, an osteoarchaeologist from Archaeological Consultancy Services Unit, working on a dig near Dublin. Osteoarchaeology focuses on the study of human skeletal remains recovered from archaeological sites. Photo: Moya Nolan 'It's nice to be able to tell these people's stories and learn about what they did during their lives. I like to find out about the people who don't feature in historical records. We are now able to learn a lot more about the individuals who weren't able to leave a mark. These discoveries tell us a lot about who we were back then and also who we are today.' 'I was on a site recently where there were a lot of adult remains. All of them had pathological changes to the spine which suggested that they did a lot of heavy lifting from an early age. They were constantly lifting heavy objects and loads to the extent that it affected their spines. "Occupational markers such as what muscles or bones they might have worked consistently give an idea of what work they were in. In a graveyard, you might look at individuals and see a population as a whole that lived 2000 years ago. This is particularly useful when learning about communities that might be absent from historical records.' So what attracted him to the profession? The osteoarchaeologist began working in the industry 10 years ago after earning an undergraduate degree in ancient history and archaeology from Trinity College in Dublin. He went on to achieve a Master's degree in human osteoarchaeology at UCC. The Drogheda native had worked in retail for years before his rather unorthodox career change. Now, his job brings him all to sites all over the country. He jokes: I went from working with the live public to working with the dead. And, yes, violent deaths do feature. 'There were remains that showed signs of sharp force trauma to the skull on a site in Drogheda. They were cut in the back of the head by a blade that caught the bone. This is one of the more interesting ones where you can see how the person died. In this case it would likely have been by a blade strike to the back of the head. It's a difficult one to both think about and excavate.' "Telltale signs like fillings will indicate if the remains are modern. In these situations it would be left to the gardaí and I would have no input. Generally 70 years is the cut-off point. However, even if the human remains are 2,000 years old I still contact Gardaí.' 'Some bones survive really well and are easy to excavate. Other times the bones will be very poorly preserved. It's not necessarily about the amount of time the bones are in the ground. It's more to do with soil conditions and in that regard it can be quite difficult.' Break-ins at historical sites by voyeuristic members of the public is not uncommon during excavations. 'I've had people break into sites to take pictures to put online. I try to keep the locations of the sites under wraps to mitigate any risk to the remains. If a person tries to dig up an area themselves, it destroys the context of the environment around it which is extremely frustrating for osteoarchaeologists and archaeologists. We appreciate when people leave this work to those who are best qualified.'
CTV News
3 days ago
- Business
- CTV News
Long-shuttered US ambassador's residence in Damascus is reopened as Washington mends ties with Syria
Tom Barrack, U.S. ambassador to Turkey and special envoy to Syria, raises the American flag at the U.S. ambassador's residence in Damascus on May 29, 2025. (SANA via AP) DAMASCUS, Syria — An American flag was hoisted outside of the long-shuttered U.S. ambassador's residence in Damascus on Thursday, in a sign of growing ties between Washington and the new Syrian government. The U.S. ambassador to Turkey, Tom Barrack, who has also been appointed special envoy to Syria, arrived to inaugurate the residence, Syrian state-run news agency SANA reported. He met with Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa and attended the signing of an agreement for a consortium of Qatari, Turkish and U.S. companies for development of a 5,000-megawatt energy project to revitalize much of Syria's war-battered electricity grid. Under the deal signed Thursday, a consortium led by Qatar's UCC Concession Investments — along with Power International USA and Turkey's Kalyon GES Enerji Yatirimlari, Cengiz Enerji — will develop four combined-cycle gas turbines with a total generating capacity estimated at approximately 4,000 megawatts and a 1,000-megawatt solar power plant. A statement sent out by UCC said that 'once completed, these projects are expected to supply over 50 per cent of the country's electricity needs.' Washington hasn't formally reopened its embassy in Damascus, which closed in 2012 after protests against the government of then-President Bashar Assad, met by a brutal crackdown, spiraled into civil war. Assad was unseated in December in a lightning rebel offensive. But Barrack's visit and the raising of the flag were a significant signal of warming relations. Washington was initially circumspect about Syria's new leaders, led by Ahmad al-Sharaa, the former leader of an Islamist insurgent group that the U.S. still lists as a terrorist organization. However, the Trump administration — encouraged by two U.S. allies in the region, Saudi Arabia and Turkey — has in recent weeks shown increasing openness to Damascus. Trump held a surprise meeting with al-Sharaa in Riyadh earlier this month, and the U.S. has begun to roll back decades of sanctions slapped on Syria under the Assad dynasty. Speaking at the ceremony celebrating the signing of the energy deals, Barrack praised the 'bold decision' to lift sanctions and said the move comes with 'no conditions, no requirements.' There is only 'one simple expectation and that expectation sits behind me, the alignment of these amazing countries,' he said, referring to the flags of the U.S., Qatar, Turkey and Syria behind him. The U.S. State Department posted a statement on X on Thursday attributed to Trump announcing Barrack's appointment as envoy to Syria. 'Tom understands there is great potential in working with Syria to stop Radicalism, improve Relations, and secure Peace in the Middle East. Together, we will Make America, and the World, SAFE AGAIN!' the statement said. Barrack thanked Trump in an X post for 'your bold vision, empowering a historically rich region, long oppressed, to reclaim its destiny through self-determination.'
