RCHSS

Frequent visits with the local tribal villages were key in identifying the needs of the people and collaborating on reform initiatives. Early interactions with the over 40 different villages of the region revealed that each one had its own distinct culture, but adherence to traditional practices was dwindling with the introduction of mainstream societal ideals. RCHSS strove to recognize these important indigenous cultural practices to ensure their preservation in the face of the modern movement toward materialism.

 

Through regular observations of daily life and elaborate social rituals among the tribes, RCHSS came to understand the values and systems that were most important to these people. It was noted that they had a very different scale with which to measure well-being than their modernized urban counterparts. The most important aspects of life included intrinsic values, such as personal joy and the maintenance of strong social ties within the group dynamic, instead of a material growth rate measured by assessments of financial capital. These people were not motivated by material gains, but rather the overall happiness and health of the entire tribal unit. In order to achieve this joyful balanced state, the tribes’ activities and rituals focused on a sense of togetherness. All of the tribes had many common factors. These were people who loved to share and socialize. It was during lively social functions that the tribe was truly invigorated. They collaborated over laughter, dancing, and singing. Even the traditional judiciary system, called the kulhidurup, included decisions only occurring with the presence of the entire tribe.

 

It was apparent to RCHSS that this society-centric scale of success must be supported in their efforts to bring about progress. In keeping with the philosophies of the first Prime Minister of India, Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru, who emphasized that tribal traditions and social dynamics must be kept intact and warned that they have begun to be eroded by mainstreaming, RCHSS has been vigilant in their efforts to support the resurgence of tribal culture. Many contemporary thinkers during the early formation of our modern government also stressed that the nation needs to give equal respect to social systems of local tribes, and that they should be granted a special space within our state system. Over time, it has become obvious that intellectuals cannot force the eradication of tribal customs that may be perceived as negative, such as the practice of witch hunting, but rather that it must happen gradually by the tribes’ own accord. Therefore, a more practical approach was to facilitate people within the community to achieve such developments. The information must be imparted through community members directly to other members of the same tribe. It is through such measures of always maintaining the utmost respect for the local cultural dynamic since the earliest days of our foundation, that RCHSS has been able to attract and maintain a strong rapport with the local community.

 

In order to revitalize the cultural identity and practices of the tribes, RCHSS aimed to appeal to existing customs and modes of communication. RCHSS divided their focus into smaller local gatherings for individual tribal groups to share their views and discuss environmental challenges and knowledge of ongoing practices, while also expressing their identity through lively cultural festivities. This unique combination of merging a platform for localized progress with the revitalization of dying cultural traditions was a prodigious success. These gatherings quickly became a tremendous source of vital energy for the tribe which was evident in attendance, commonly from 200 to 12,000 people at a single gathering. Soon, the scale of impact of the RCHSS model piqued the interest of the local government. Initially questioning the motives of such gatherings, government intellectuals began to take notice of the methods employed and the favorable response rate. Eventually, the local government recognized this model as the only dynamic that could truly motivate the tribal people and began to utilize RCHSS practices in their own efforts by organizing similar events and facilitating women's groups.