The Bhumia people have a rich cultural heritage, which is reflected in their traditional music, dance, and other art forms. The Bhumia dance, also known as Bhumia Nach, is a popular folk dance that is performed during festive occasions and is characterized by its fast-paced movements and footwork.
Population in the Project Area: 26,1034
The People
India
The Bhumia people group is mainly found in the south side of MP. Politically the Bhumia area consists of certain districts such as Anuppur, Sehdol, and Umaria district. Bhumia is a people group categorized as belonging to S.T. and O.B.C. by the governments of MP. They are closely related to forests. A part of their livelihood is derived from collecting and selling firewood. Agriculture is the main occupation where they make their living. Some work as laborers for contractors, while a few work as rickshaw pullers and errand boys. Some are engaged as sharecroppers and graziers. They worship deities like Hanuman. Their important festivals are Holi, Diwali, Bhujalia, Akhati, Shivratri, and Rakhi. Their literacy rate is very low. Bhumia community lives in a small house-like hut. Men wear dhoti- kurta and women wear saree apart from it people can recognize them by seeing a tattoo on their body. Women wear neckless made with old coins. Their food is rice, wheat and vegetables, forest herbs, and maize. Meat is occasionally cooked on special occasions like festivals, marriages, etc. They face many social issues like superstition, alcoholism, low literacy rate, etc.
The Project
Mother-Tongue literacy.
The Bhumia people speak a language known as Bhumij or Bhumia. It belongs to the Munda branch of the Austroasiatic language family and has several dialects. Bhumij is primarily a spoken language and has no official script. The people were so excited to participate in the literacy program. The mother tongue speakers have a positive attitude toward developing the script and materials. With their help and assistance from the linguists, we prepared the materials for literacy training. The materials were created based on a pre-designed layout and methodology, and they include a pre-reader, books that teach the alphabet in a systematic manner, an accompanying storybook, a basic mathematics book, teacher’s guides, a spelling guide, and an alphabet chart.
Progress
As of March 2023
Our initiative is bringing the unique culture and way of life of the Bhumia people to the forefront. Written and illustrated by Bhumia speakers themselves, the literacy materials are based on the daily experiences of Bhumia villagers, making it easy for students to connect with the stories and learn in a way that feels natural and engaging.The project coordinator, teachers, and literacy committee all received comprehensive training to drive this important initiative forward, and their efforts have paid off with great success. The program provides students with a rare opportunity to listen to and discuss stories in their heritage language, allowing them to explore the link between reading, writing, thinking, and knowing. This cognitive process comes naturally and easily, thanks to the fact that it all takes place in the language they think and communicate in best.The program is already gaining momentum, and it’s set to be implemented in more villages in the near future. With more teachers trained and more literature developed in the mother tongue, this initiative promises to have a lasting impact on the Bhumia community.