On 13 September 2007, after decades of struggle and negotiation, the United Nations General Assembly adopted the Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP). For the world’s First Peoples, this was not just another UN document—it was a recognition of survival, dignity, and justice after centuries of colonization, land dispossession, and cultural erasure. Although…
The demand of the Kurmi community for Scheduled Tribe (ST) status has re-ignited one of the most sensitive debates in eastern India. Spread across Jharkhand, West Bengal, and Odisha, Kurmis identify themselves as an indigenous community, historically linked with agriculture and rural life. Yet, their exclusion from the ST list after independence continues to shape…
Kathmandu, September 2025 — In a moment charged with symbolism, Nepal’s Chief of Army Staff, General Ashok Raj Sigdel, addressed the nation this week against a backdrop that stunned many viewers: a portrait of Prithvi Narayan Shah, the 18th-century monarch who unified Nepal. For a country already in political flux after the resignation of Prime…
Nepal stands at a historic crossroads. As Prime Minister K. P. Sharma Oli steps down amid sweeping Gen-Z-led protests, the name of Sushila Karki, the country’s first woman Chief Justice, has emerged as the leading contender for the role of Interim Prime Minister. But will she really take the oath, or will constitutional hurdles and…
In the rugged landscapes of southern Oregon and northern California, a historic transformation is underway. The Klamath River, once one of the most productive salmon rivers in the United States, is finally being given a chance to heal. The demolition of four hydroelectric dams—J.C. Boyle, Copco 1, Copco 2, and Iron Gate—marks the largest dam…
The Whanganui River, known to the Māori as Te Awa Tupua, flows through the North Island of New Zealand for more than 290 kilometers, making it the country’s third-longest river. But for the Māori people, especially the Whanganui iwi (tribe), it is far more than a geographical feature. The river is an ancestor, a living…
First-of-its-kind initiative to preserve, promote, and empower tribal art and culture New Delhi, September 10, 2025 — The Ministry of Tribal Affairs has launched the beta version of “Adi Sanskriti”, a pioneering digital learning platform designed to preserve and promote India’s diverse tribal artforms. The launch took place at Bharat Mandapam, New Delhi, during the…
झारखंड की पहचान उसकी विविध जनजातीय परंपराओं और सांस्कृतिक धरोहर से जुड़ी है। इन्हीं परंपराओं में एक प्रमुख स्थान रखता है मुड़मा जतरा, जो न केवल उरांव समाज का सबसे बड़ा सांस्कृतिक आयोजन है बल्कि झारखंड के ऐतिहासिक मेलों में भी अग्रणी है। रांची से लगभग 25 किलोमीटर दूर, रांची-लोहरदगा मार्ग पर स्थित मुड़मा गांव…
When we think of Arabia today, we usually imagine Islam as its central religion and culture. But before the rise of Islam in the 7th century CE, the Arabian Peninsula had a rich and diverse religious landscape. It was not a land of a single god or one system of belief. Instead, it was home…
Nepal is experiencing one of its most turbulent moments since the abolition of the monarchy in 2008. What began as protests against a government-imposed social media ban has spiraled into a nationwide youth uprising, exposing deep frustration with corruption, elitism, and failed governance. At the same time, a parallel current of agitation is reviving demands…
