Adivasi

Adivasi ,meaning “original inhabitants”, are the aboriginal and indigenous peoples of India. They number over 104 million people (approximately 8.6% of India’s population) and are divided into hundreds of different ethnic groups recognized as Scheduled Tribes. The population of Orissa serves as an example of how this vast and diverse social group has clashed with the caste system and the burden of imperialist investments, particularly through the forced acquisition of land for the exploitation of natural resources. Despite legislation that formally protects their rights, these communities have had to fight with long-standing resilience against abuse and exploitation. Often, this struggle has left them defeated and exiled to settlements lacking even the bare minimum of resources for survival. This report focuses precisely on these settlements in Orissa, where—despite social marginalization and poverty—an indomitable and unyielding spirit continues to thrive.