The Tales of the Tribes is nearing completion.  It consists of an animation series of five short animated folktales from tribal communities in India.  The five stories are:  Manjoor Jhali (the Creation of the Peacock) from the Pardhan Gonds, Man Tiger Spirit from the Angami in Nagaland, Abotani from the Tani group in Arunachal Pradesh,  Nye Mayel Kyong from the Lepcha in Sikkim, and last but not least, Tapta, from Manipur.

This sample collection will be brought together into a cohesive programme by our animated presenter, a graphic representation of Verrier Elwin, who qualifies as the translator of these stories to the wider world.

I recently returned from Shillong, where Elwin spent the last ten years of his life, in his role as Advisor on Tribal Affairs to the Governor of Assam.  In Shillong, I met with his family, and we are going to collaborate to make the great man more accessible to the young generation through the medium of animation.  The character design is to be done by talented Garo artist Arak Sangma, and the animation will be created by a local team, with the help of Souvik Mujumdar, right there in Shillong.  We are hoping for our support from the Department of Art and Culture, where Matsiewdor War has received our proposal for a workshop early next year, to proceed with bringing these sequences, in which Elwin introduces the films, to life.

Elwin’s  contribution to the knowledge of tribal cultures in India was profound.  I was surprised to find out how little is known about him even in Shillong.  But this will be changed.  We hope you will join us on this important journey.  Indeed it is the first animation series of tribal stories to be made in India, as a collaboration by young artists and animators.  We will be recording the whole process with our mentor, Verrier Elwin,  and we will be updating it here, so you can follow along with us.