Aliens in their Own Land

Alienation of aboriginal people (Adivasis) is a universal phenomenon. The programme looks at the process in the case of Rathwa Adivasis, living around Chotta Udepur in Gujarat. In the name of development, ‘civilization’ and religious/moral uplift, their culture and way of life has been suppressed. For them the only option left seems, ‘to be is to become like the others’. The so called ‘mainstream’ culture is absorbing them, but into the lowest rung of the hierarchical ‘mainstream’. The colourful and beautiful wall paintings of the Rathwas called “Pithoro” becomes a symbol of this process of alienation.