28 Dec 2008, 0143 hrs IST, Pallavi Srivastava, TNN
It took Ashok Kumar Baxla almost 30 years, and a visit to Germany, to decide that he wanted to learn his mother tongue. Baxla, an agrometeorologist with the Ministry of Earth Sciences in Delhi, could barely speak a smattering of Kurukh - the language of the Oraon tribe to which he belongs - before he went for a year-long official visit to Germany. He spent the first five months studying German. "That inspired me to learn Kurukh. Till then, I only knew a few words picked up during visits to my village in Jharkhand," says Baxla, who grew up in Ranchi. He is now fluent in the language, and has been a key member of the Kurukh Literary Society since its launch in 2006. Last month, the society decided to publish Kurukh folktales.
"We want to develop original literature in Kurukh, and also make it more socially acceptable, especially for the younger generation," says Baxla.
Like him, many people are now trying to keep their native language alive, some of them so little known that their existence may be unheard of outside the group of speakers. When the recent International Film Festival of India in Goa featured Yarwng, a movie in Tripura's Kokborok language, information & broadcasting minister Anand Sharma is said to have admitted that he didn't know such a language exists.
Hundreds of languages are in a similar state the world over. Reports from UNESCO say over 50% of some 6,700 languages spoken today are in danger of disappearing. Experts estimate that 96% of the world's languages are spoken by 4% of the population, and one language disappears on average every two weeks.
India, which has 22 scheduled languages (the number increased from 18, when Bodo, Dogri, Maithili and Santhali were added to the list in 2003), has also seen some shift in the language profile of populations. In the 1961 Census of India, 1,652 mother tongues were recorded. However, the 2001 census listed only 234 identifiable mother tongues - those which have 10,000 or more speakers each at an all-India level.
"Mother tongues which have less than 10,000 speakers in India, are in a pathetic condition," says Professor Ganesh Devy, founding trustee of the Vadodara-based Bhasha Research and Publication Centre, which promotes the study, documentation and conservation of languages not protected by the Constitution of India. Devy reveals that hundreds of them, such as the Kolati language spoken by traditional rope-walkers of Maharashtra and Karnataka, are on the verge of extinction.
The UNESCO Atlas of the World's Languages in Danger of Disappearing mentions that "in the Andaman Islands, there are only a few dozen people left who speak Vnge and Shompen."
"The Great Andamanese language is already extinct, and these people have been speaking Jero," says Vaishna Narang, professor of linguistics at JNU. He has worked on the documentation and preservation of the languages of the Andaman & Nicobar Island.
But now, adds Narang, these island inhabitants can't even converse fluently in Jero. "They speak Port Blair Hindi," she says, blaming the government for their patchy assimilation with the mainstream society.
Linguists like her are deeply concerned about preserving the minor languages of the country. Language, after all, is not just a medium of communication. It is also a source of information about the history and culture of any society. "Preservation of languages is our concern, and should be our concern," says Narang, adding the mother tongue should be used as the medium of instruction at the primary school level.
Also, educationists say that promoting the use of mother tongue can boost the self-esteem of marginalized people. This has been noticeable in Jharkhand, which has worked to further the use of the tribal languages spoken in the state. "The tribal society is realizing that if we don't teach the native language to our children, they may later develop an identity crisis," says Dr Karma Oraon, head, anthropology department, Ranchi University. The university, which has a post-graduate Department of Tribal and Regional Languages, offers bachelors and masters courses in Kurmali and Mundari.
In other parts of the country too, organizations are working to promote such languages. A five-day training programme on tribal languages development was conducted this past week at the Tribal Research Institute, Chingmeirong, Manipur, where concerns were voiced about the 35 languages in the state that need to be protected and encouraged by the government. The Central Institute Of Indian Languages at Mysore is compiling an online information database called Language Information Services (LIS), with details like the history, structure, script, and oral and written literature of 16 languages each from the scheduled and non-scheduled groups, including Juang, Kharia, Khasi, Korku, Kom, Lahnda, Nyishi, Rabha and Thadou. The Centre for Development of Advanced Computing (C-DAC) is working on making various Indian languages compatible with computers.
Also, new scripts have been developed for languages such as Lambadi, Kurukh and Santhali.
Devy has been involved in preparation of study material in Rathwi, Dehwali, Dungri Bhili and Pavri languages and pictorial glossaries in Rathwi and Dehwali. He, however, emphasises that not every language in the world has a script, the best example being English, which is written in the Roman script. "The development of a language is not logically related to the presence of a script," he says.
"What it is strongly related to, on the other hand, is having enough speakers." And that can come only when people feel connected with their roots. "No amount of effort from the government will help any language," says Devy, citing the example of "sarkari Hindi"."Ultimately, people have to take pride in their language, and have development opportunity in it."
A classic war of words
In a country where state boundaries have been drawn on a linguistic basis, it is no surprise that language regularly emerges as a bone of contention. The most recent issue rankling some Indians is the Centre's decision to accord classical language status to Telugu and Kannada while ignoring Malayalam. The announcement, made earlier this month, has prompted the Kerala government to approach the Centre with a 'statement of facts' that details the parallels Malayalam has with Kannada and Telugu.
Telugu and Kannada have joined Sanskrit, Pali, Prakrit and Tamil in the group of classical languages, which makes Malayalam the only South Indian language to have been excluded. To be accorded the status of a classical language, a language must have a recorded history of over 1,000 years, its literary tradition must be original and not borrowed from any speech community, and it should have a rich body of ancient literature. After Tamil was accorded the status in 2004, Kannada and Telugu activists had lobbied hard to get their languages included in the group.
Eminent poet ONV Kurup, who prepared the report for Kerala, stresses that no language other than Sanskrit can strictly be called a classical language in India. "All the four South Indian languages have originated from the same Proto-Dravidian language," says Kurup. "And since Tamil is nearer to it than the others, we can perhaps consider it a classical language too."
However, Kurup asserts that though Kannada and Telugu have a slightly earlier beginning than Malayalam, one or two centuries should not make a difference. "The three are equally influenced by Sanskrit and have developed quite similarly."
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/Wide_Angle/Talking_native/articleshow/3902221.cms
Sunday, December 13, 2009
Stars give Goa film festival a miss
25 Nov 2008, 0328 hrs IST, Nikhat Kazmi, TNN
Extracts
PANAJI: The Indian Panorama section at the International Film Festival of India (IFFI) 2008 seems to have taken a great leap by bridging the so-called gap between art and commercial cinema. The section, featuring 26 films , opened on Sunday with Yarwng (Roots), a film set in the backwaters of Tripura and shot in Kokborok, a language most Indians have never heard of.
Joseph Pulinthanath's Yarwng , screened yesterday, was a moving document on tribal displacement. It's essentially a love story that goes wrong when a village is submerged by a dam and renders an entire tribe of indigenous people homeless for life. Says Joseph, "The film is a plea and a protest on behalf of the millions who are dispossessed and floating in the sea of life with nothing to call their own.'' The film struck an instant chord with Union minister Anand Sharma who promised to take up the cause of rehabilitation with the Tripura chief minister.
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/India/Stars_give_Goa_film_festival_a_miss/articleshow/3752603.cms
Extracts
PANAJI: The Indian Panorama section at the International Film Festival of India (IFFI) 2008 seems to have taken a great leap by bridging the so-called gap between art and commercial cinema. The section, featuring 26 films , opened on Sunday with Yarwng (Roots), a film set in the backwaters of Tripura and shot in Kokborok, a language most Indians have never heard of.
Joseph Pulinthanath's Yarwng , screened yesterday, was a moving document on tribal displacement. It's essentially a love story that goes wrong when a village is submerged by a dam and renders an entire tribe of indigenous people homeless for life. Says Joseph, "The film is a plea and a protest on behalf of the millions who are dispossessed and floating in the sea of life with nothing to call their own.'' The film struck an instant chord with Union minister Anand Sharma who promised to take up the cause of rehabilitation with the Tripura chief minister.
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/India/Stars_give_Goa_film_festival_a_miss/articleshow/3752603.cms
Salesian Director’s films Promote Local Culture
(Agartala) - On September 4, 2008, A large gathering of people who had migrated to the city from their tribal lands gathered for the premiere of the 95-minute film Yarwng (Roots), produced by Fr. K. J. Joseph, S.D.B. and directed by Fr. Joseph Pulinthanath, S.D.B.
SIGNIS, the official Communication body of the Catholic Church, MISSIO and the Salesian Society financed the making of the film, an absorbing treatment of the large-scale displacement of peoples caused by the Gumti Hydel project in Tripura decades ago. The film is a study of love, loss, and never-ending hope.
Two Cabinet Ministers of Tripura’s Marxist Government praised the commitment of the Catholic church to the preservation and promotion of local cultures and languages in the Northeast Indian state of Tripura. Mr. Sarkar, the Minister for Information, Culture, and Tourism addressed the gathering and referred to an earlier film produced by the Salesians, Mathia. "Thanks to Mathia, the Kokborok language is known today beyond the confines of the state and the country."
Quoting the example of some South American tribes that “cannot even cry in their own language” (according to him), Mr. Sarkar, a renowned poet, said it is a national shame when any tribe, however small, loses its language. Recalling how Christian missionaries have always been committed to the promotion of Culture and language in the past, Mr. Sarkar praised the use of film by the Church as it will “directly strengthen culture and language of the peoples.”
Bishop Lumen Monteiro of Agartala, a guest of honor at the function, reiterated the resolve of the Church to stand with the weak, the poor and the marginalized. “Making films like Mathia and Yarwng, are hugely meaningful and relevant activities for the Church,” said the Bishop.
http://www.salesianmissions.org/salesianworldnews/news081021.html
SIGNIS, the official Communication body of the Catholic Church, MISSIO and the Salesian Society financed the making of the film, an absorbing treatment of the large-scale displacement of peoples caused by the Gumti Hydel project in Tripura decades ago. The film is a study of love, loss, and never-ending hope.
Two Cabinet Ministers of Tripura’s Marxist Government praised the commitment of the Catholic church to the preservation and promotion of local cultures and languages in the Northeast Indian state of Tripura. Mr. Sarkar, the Minister for Information, Culture, and Tourism addressed the gathering and referred to an earlier film produced by the Salesians, Mathia. "Thanks to Mathia, the Kokborok language is known today beyond the confines of the state and the country."
Quoting the example of some South American tribes that “cannot even cry in their own language” (according to him), Mr. Sarkar, a renowned poet, said it is a national shame when any tribe, however small, loses its language. Recalling how Christian missionaries have always been committed to the promotion of Culture and language in the past, Mr. Sarkar praised the use of film by the Church as it will “directly strengthen culture and language of the peoples.”
Bishop Lumen Monteiro of Agartala, a guest of honor at the function, reiterated the resolve of the Church to stand with the weak, the poor and the marginalized. “Making films like Mathia and Yarwng, are hugely meaningful and relevant activities for the Church,” said the Bishop.
http://www.salesianmissions.org/salesianworldnews/news081021.html
India - The Salesian Director's films promote local culture
( www.infoans.org ) Rome 09/16/2008 - A large gathering of film lovers of the city mainly from the tribal communities recently the premiere showing, 4th September, of the 95-minute film Yarwng (Roots), released in 35mm celluloid produced by Fr. K.J. Joseph sdb and directed by Fr. Joseph Pulinthanath sdb.
SIGNIS, the official Communication body of the Catholic Church, MISSIO and the Salesian Society part-financed the making of the film. The film is an absorbing treatment of the large-scale displacement of peoples caused by the Gumti Hydel project in Tripura decades ago.
With its byline, `a romance on the idyllic banks of Raima and Saima, swept away by the floodgates of Change`, the film is an engrossing study of love, loss and never-ending hope. Two Cabinet Ministers of Tripura`s Marxist Government, also lauded the Catholic Church`s commitment to the preservation and promotion of local cultures and languages in the Northeast Indian state of Tripura.
Referring to the earlier, award-winning film of Sampari Pictures, `Mathia`, Mr. Sarkar, the Minister for Information, Culture and Tourism said, "Thanks to Mathia, the Kokborok language is known today beyond the confines of the state and the country."
Quoting the example of some South American tribes that `cannot even cry in their own language` (according to him), Mr. Sarkar, a renowned poet, said it is a `national shame` when any tribe, however small, loses its language. Recalling how Christian missionaries have always been committed to promotion of Culture and language in the past, Mr. Sarkar praised the use of the medium of `film` by the Church as it will `directly strengthen culture and language of the peoples`.
Bishop Lumen Monteiro of Agartala who was a guest of honour at the function reiterated the resolve of the Church to stand strongly with the weak, the poor and the marginalized. Making of films like Mathia and Yarwng, therefore, are `hugely meaningful and relevant activities` for the Church, said the Bishop.
Published 12/09/2008
http://vidimusdominum.info/en/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=369&Itemid=80
SIGNIS, the official Communication body of the Catholic Church, MISSIO and the Salesian Society part-financed the making of the film. The film is an absorbing treatment of the large-scale displacement of peoples caused by the Gumti Hydel project in Tripura decades ago.
With its byline, `a romance on the idyllic banks of Raima and Saima, swept away by the floodgates of Change`, the film is an engrossing study of love, loss and never-ending hope. Two Cabinet Ministers of Tripura`s Marxist Government, also lauded the Catholic Church`s commitment to the preservation and promotion of local cultures and languages in the Northeast Indian state of Tripura.
Referring to the earlier, award-winning film of Sampari Pictures, `Mathia`, Mr. Sarkar, the Minister for Information, Culture and Tourism said, "Thanks to Mathia, the Kokborok language is known today beyond the confines of the state and the country."
Quoting the example of some South American tribes that `cannot even cry in their own language` (according to him), Mr. Sarkar, a renowned poet, said it is a `national shame` when any tribe, however small, loses its language. Recalling how Christian missionaries have always been committed to promotion of Culture and language in the past, Mr. Sarkar praised the use of the medium of `film` by the Church as it will `directly strengthen culture and language of the peoples`.
Bishop Lumen Monteiro of Agartala who was a guest of honour at the function reiterated the resolve of the Church to stand strongly with the weak, the poor and the marginalized. Making of films like Mathia and Yarwng, therefore, are `hugely meaningful and relevant activities` for the Church, said the Bishop.
Published 12/09/2008
http://vidimusdominum.info/en/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=369&Itemid=80
Celluloid Voice for Those Who Have None
Face to Face with Fr. Joseph Pulinthanath,
the Director of Yarwng [Roots]
By Dileep M.M.
Celluloid rarely speaks like oral language, because it is basically a language of visuals. So making a movie that speaks an oral or a marginalized language is a daring venture. Let us take give a bow to Fr. Joseph Pulinthanath for offering us Yarwng, a celluloid voice for a marginalized community: those are evicted in the name of development. This venture by Fr. Joseph sheds some light on the struggles of ordinary people.
What is the motivation for making a film for Tribals?
JP: This is one of the oldest languages of North Eastern India. The film is made in Kokborok language. The tribals of Tripura have suffered social deprivation for long. Any such community must use the advantages of this big medium -Cinema.
Is your movie is an expression of a dying culture?
JP: Yes! I am projecting or expressing a culture. My film can be considered a mirror for many names. We can't express the actual nuances of this language.
So are you trying to provide a platform?
JP: Yes, I suppose. They need one. The people portrayed in the film were evicted from their fertile lands in the name of the very idea we are talking all the time, development.
People of TRIPURA are well known for their political awareness. Whether these tribals are politically motivated?
JP: They are not organized. The political parties neglected these areas in the past. Their accessibility is limited.
Q4. Tribal areas are famous for their cultivation. Isn't it?
Ans. Yes. But their cultivated land, i.e., 'Jhum cultivation' [cultivation on the slope of the hills], and the end products are not marketed enough.
By Dileep M.M
©FIPRESCI 2008
http://www.iffk.keralafilm.com/pgrm_Dileep_day06.htm
the Director of Yarwng [Roots]
By Dileep M.M.
Celluloid rarely speaks like oral language, because it is basically a language of visuals. So making a movie that speaks an oral or a marginalized language is a daring venture. Let us take give a bow to Fr. Joseph Pulinthanath for offering us Yarwng, a celluloid voice for a marginalized community: those are evicted in the name of development. This venture by Fr. Joseph sheds some light on the struggles of ordinary people.
What is the motivation for making a film for Tribals?
JP: This is one of the oldest languages of North Eastern India. The film is made in Kokborok language. The tribals of Tripura have suffered social deprivation for long. Any such community must use the advantages of this big medium -Cinema.
Is your movie is an expression of a dying culture?
JP: Yes! I am projecting or expressing a culture. My film can be considered a mirror for many names. We can't express the actual nuances of this language.
So are you trying to provide a platform?
JP: Yes, I suppose. They need one. The people portrayed in the film were evicted from their fertile lands in the name of the very idea we are talking all the time, development.
People of TRIPURA are well known for their political awareness. Whether these tribals are politically motivated?
JP: They are not organized. The political parties neglected these areas in the past. Their accessibility is limited.
Q4. Tribal areas are famous for their cultivation. Isn't it?
Ans. Yes. But their cultivated land, i.e., 'Jhum cultivation' [cultivation on the slope of the hills], and the end products are not marketed enough.
By Dileep M.M
©FIPRESCI 2008
http://www.iffk.keralafilm.com/pgrm_Dileep_day06.htm
Tripura Film Bags ‘Jury Special Mention Award’
Mumbai, 24 Oct.2008: The newly released Kokborok film from Tripura, Yarwng (Roots) has been awarded the Jury Special Mention award along with the Israeli film ‘Foul Gesture’ by Tzahi Grad at the 7th Asian Film Festival, which concluded here in Mumbai yesterday.
Israeli Director and Chief of Jury Dan Wolman said in his Award announcement speech, that they kept the social message and communication factors in mind while selecting films for the awards. Yarwng (Roots) got the award for its ‘moving and sensible portrayal’ of people’s journey in search of their roots.
The screening of the newly released Kokborok feature film Yarwng (Roots), at the 7th
Asian Film Festival in Mumbai, gave the film buffs of India’s cinema capital an opportunity to see life as it happens in rural Tripura. The Mumbai audience was thrilled to see a film steeped in the cultural ethos of a community in Northeast India – an area they have heard so much about, yet had got to see very little of.
“Truly a different film, well made and impressive” said Atul Ghag, film director from Mumbai who saw the Plaza screening of Yarwng on 21st October 2008. Each of the films was screened three times, once at each of the three festival venues – Plaza Theatre Dadar, YB Chavan Centre Nariman Point and Fun Cinema at Andheri.
“We are very interested to know more about the Northeast but unfortunately very little about that region is heard or seen around here. This film is indeed a great opportunity,” said Sanjay Warang another Mumbai based film director and musician, voicing the sentiments of many in the audience. He felt it is one of those films that ought to be seen by larger audiences across the country and lamented the fact that such films are not available except at festivals.
A. Ekhtaivan, a film director from Mongolia, said the film impresses by its ‘technical quality and the way the story narrative is handled’.
The story of the 95-minute feature film revolves round the large-scale displacement that happened in Tripura when the newly built Dumbur Dam submerged huge areas of arable land in the fertile Raima valley about 30 years ago.
Yarwng, directed by Joseph Pulinthanath sdb and produced by KJ Joseph sdb is the second feature film to be made by Don Bosco Sampari Pictures Tripura with partial financial help from Signis and Missio. Technical crew from Trivandrum included Kannan (Cinematographer), Krishna Kumar (Sound) and Sajiv Pazhoor (Associate Director). The first was the Indian Panorama film ‘Mathia’.
* Yarwng (Roots) was released by Cabinet Minister Shri Jitendra Choudhury at Nazrul Kalashketra on 4th September 2008.”The jury also recommended ‘Yarwing’, a film in Kokborok language of Tripura, as the inaugural film for Indian Panorama” in Goa.
Posted in SAC News
http://richardrego.wordpress.com/2008/10/25/tripura-film-bags-jury-special-mention-award/
Israeli Director and Chief of Jury Dan Wolman said in his Award announcement speech, that they kept the social message and communication factors in mind while selecting films for the awards. Yarwng (Roots) got the award for its ‘moving and sensible portrayal’ of people’s journey in search of their roots.
The screening of the newly released Kokborok feature film Yarwng (Roots), at the 7th
Asian Film Festival in Mumbai, gave the film buffs of India’s cinema capital an opportunity to see life as it happens in rural Tripura. The Mumbai audience was thrilled to see a film steeped in the cultural ethos of a community in Northeast India – an area they have heard so much about, yet had got to see very little of.
“Truly a different film, well made and impressive” said Atul Ghag, film director from Mumbai who saw the Plaza screening of Yarwng on 21st October 2008. Each of the films was screened three times, once at each of the three festival venues – Plaza Theatre Dadar, YB Chavan Centre Nariman Point and Fun Cinema at Andheri.
“We are very interested to know more about the Northeast but unfortunately very little about that region is heard or seen around here. This film is indeed a great opportunity,” said Sanjay Warang another Mumbai based film director and musician, voicing the sentiments of many in the audience. He felt it is one of those films that ought to be seen by larger audiences across the country and lamented the fact that such films are not available except at festivals.
A. Ekhtaivan, a film director from Mongolia, said the film impresses by its ‘technical quality and the way the story narrative is handled’.
The story of the 95-minute feature film revolves round the large-scale displacement that happened in Tripura when the newly built Dumbur Dam submerged huge areas of arable land in the fertile Raima valley about 30 years ago.
Yarwng, directed by Joseph Pulinthanath sdb and produced by KJ Joseph sdb is the second feature film to be made by Don Bosco Sampari Pictures Tripura with partial financial help from Signis and Missio. Technical crew from Trivandrum included Kannan (Cinematographer), Krishna Kumar (Sound) and Sajiv Pazhoor (Associate Director). The first was the Indian Panorama film ‘Mathia’.
* Yarwng (Roots) was released by Cabinet Minister Shri Jitendra Choudhury at Nazrul Kalashketra on 4th September 2008.”The jury also recommended ‘Yarwing’, a film in Kokborok language of Tripura, as the inaugural film for Indian Panorama” in Goa.
Posted in SAC News
http://richardrego.wordpress.com/2008/10/25/tripura-film-bags-jury-special-mention-award/
India acclaims Catholic film
Release on 21/11/2008, 8:55 am
ACN News, Friday, 21st November 2008 - INDIA
By John Newton
A BISHOP has given strong backing to a movie made by two Catholic priests which opens a celebrated film event in India.
The movie, called Yarwng (Roots), has been selected to open the highly-respected Indian Panorama film selection which will be showcased at the International Film Festival of India in Goa, starting on Saturday (22nd November).
Talking to Aid to the Church in Need, the charity for persecuted Christians, Bishop Lumen Monteiro of Agartala, north-east India, described the importance of the 95-minute film, in the tribal language of Kokborok.
The film, written and directed by Father Joseph Pulinathanath and produced by Father Joseph Kizhakechennadu, addresses justice and peace issues in Bishop Monteiro’s diocese in the Tripura state, east of Bangladesh.
Based on real-life events, the two Salesians’ drama follows the story of tribal communities displaced when huge tracts of land were submerged with the creation of the Dumbur Dam 30 years ago.
Bishop Monteiro told ACN: “We are involved in empowerment – giving power to people who are on the margins.”
Although at its heart Yarwng (Roots) is a love story, it is set against the background of the large-scale displacement and shows how the community was affected by the changes.
The film won the Jury Special Mention Award at last month’s 2008 Asian Film Festival for its “moving and sensible portrayal” of a people’s journey in search of their roots.
Anil Sarkar, the Minister for Information, Culture and Tourism in Tripura state’s Marxist government, praised the film. He said it will “directly strengthen the culture and language of the peoples”.
He also said that Christian missionaries had historically been committed to the promotion of local culture and language.
The critical success of the film is an important reminder of the Church’s prominent role in society at a time when Christians elsewhere in India have come under siege in a spate of violence centred on the eastern state of Orissa.
Yarwng (Roots) is one of only 25 Indian films chosen to be shown as part of the Indian Panorama. They were selected by a jury headed by noted Indian filmmaker K.N.T. Shastri.
This is only the second film in Kokborok to be produced, the first was Mathia (Bangle) – the Church in Tripura’s first venture into film making.
Father Pulinathanath’s first film looked at witch hunts, following 36 persecutions for witchcraft in the state.
The Church in Tripura has also employed more traditional arts to promote community peace by putting on street plays at weekly bazaars.
Bishop Monteiro said: “In the modern age of communication, they may not seem important, but where people are illiterate they are a powerful means of communication.”
The bishop explained to ACN how all these initiatives help to promote communal harmony in a region where there have been ethnic tensions between tribals and non tribal.
The Church is involved in a wide range of projects among tribal people including self-help groups, community awareness programmes for women, and non-formal training for school drop outs teaching skills such as weaving, all of which have helped stabilize communities.
ACN has offered help for Bishop Monteiro with projects including building chapels as well as religious education and training courses for lay people.
Editor’s Notes:
Directly under the Holy See, Aid to the Church in Need supports the faithful wherever they are persecuted, oppressed or in pastoral need. ACN is a Catholic charity – helping to bring Christ to the world through prayer, information and action.
Founded in 1947 by Fr Werenfried van Straaten, whom Pope John Paul II named “An Outstanding Apostle of Charity”, the organisation is now at work in about 145 countries throughout the world.
The charity undertakes thousands of projects every year including providing transport for clergy and lay Church workers, construction of church buildings, funding for priests and nuns and help to train seminarians. Since the initiative’s launch in 1979, 45 million Aid to the Church in Need Child’s Bibles have been distributed worldwide.
For more information, please contact the Sydney office of ACN on (02) 9679-1929. e-mail: info@aidtochurch.org or write to Aid to the Church in Need PO Box 6245 Blacktown DC NSW 2148. Web: www.aidtochurch.org
http://members4.boardhost.com/acnaus/msg/1227225358.html
ACN News, Friday, 21st November 2008 - INDIA
By John Newton
A BISHOP has given strong backing to a movie made by two Catholic priests which opens a celebrated film event in India.
The movie, called Yarwng (Roots), has been selected to open the highly-respected Indian Panorama film selection which will be showcased at the International Film Festival of India in Goa, starting on Saturday (22nd November).
Talking to Aid to the Church in Need, the charity for persecuted Christians, Bishop Lumen Monteiro of Agartala, north-east India, described the importance of the 95-minute film, in the tribal language of Kokborok.
The film, written and directed by Father Joseph Pulinathanath and produced by Father Joseph Kizhakechennadu, addresses justice and peace issues in Bishop Monteiro’s diocese in the Tripura state, east of Bangladesh.
Based on real-life events, the two Salesians’ drama follows the story of tribal communities displaced when huge tracts of land were submerged with the creation of the Dumbur Dam 30 years ago.
Bishop Monteiro told ACN: “We are involved in empowerment – giving power to people who are on the margins.”
Although at its heart Yarwng (Roots) is a love story, it is set against the background of the large-scale displacement and shows how the community was affected by the changes.
The film won the Jury Special Mention Award at last month’s 2008 Asian Film Festival for its “moving and sensible portrayal” of a people’s journey in search of their roots.
Anil Sarkar, the Minister for Information, Culture and Tourism in Tripura state’s Marxist government, praised the film. He said it will “directly strengthen the culture and language of the peoples”.
He also said that Christian missionaries had historically been committed to the promotion of local culture and language.
The critical success of the film is an important reminder of the Church’s prominent role in society at a time when Christians elsewhere in India have come under siege in a spate of violence centred on the eastern state of Orissa.
Yarwng (Roots) is one of only 25 Indian films chosen to be shown as part of the Indian Panorama. They were selected by a jury headed by noted Indian filmmaker K.N.T. Shastri.
This is only the second film in Kokborok to be produced, the first was Mathia (Bangle) – the Church in Tripura’s first venture into film making.
Father Pulinathanath’s first film looked at witch hunts, following 36 persecutions for witchcraft in the state.
The Church in Tripura has also employed more traditional arts to promote community peace by putting on street plays at weekly bazaars.
Bishop Monteiro said: “In the modern age of communication, they may not seem important, but where people are illiterate they are a powerful means of communication.”
The bishop explained to ACN how all these initiatives help to promote communal harmony in a region where there have been ethnic tensions between tribals and non tribal.
The Church is involved in a wide range of projects among tribal people including self-help groups, community awareness programmes for women, and non-formal training for school drop outs teaching skills such as weaving, all of which have helped stabilize communities.
ACN has offered help for Bishop Monteiro with projects including building chapels as well as religious education and training courses for lay people.
Editor’s Notes:
Directly under the Holy See, Aid to the Church in Need supports the faithful wherever they are persecuted, oppressed or in pastoral need. ACN is a Catholic charity – helping to bring Christ to the world through prayer, information and action.
Founded in 1947 by Fr Werenfried van Straaten, whom Pope John Paul II named “An Outstanding Apostle of Charity”, the organisation is now at work in about 145 countries throughout the world.
The charity undertakes thousands of projects every year including providing transport for clergy and lay Church workers, construction of church buildings, funding for priests and nuns and help to train seminarians. Since the initiative’s launch in 1979, 45 million Aid to the Church in Need Child’s Bibles have been distributed worldwide.
For more information, please contact the Sydney office of ACN on (02) 9679-1929. e-mail: info@aidtochurch.org or write to Aid to the Church in Need PO Box 6245 Blacktown DC NSW 2148. Web: www.aidtochurch.org
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