August 9 is celebrated as World Tribal Day.New Delhi: During Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s recent visit to Andhra Pradesh, the traditional Dhimsa dance of the tribal community was performed on a massive scale. More than 13,000 tribal women and schoolgirls took part in the performance, with speculations rife that it may even earn a spot in the Guinness Book of World Records. This large assembly of artists was not organised for an event focused on tribal issues, but rather for the inauguration of an international airport close to Visakhapatnam.Showcasing tribal art and culture at government events is not a recent phenomenon. However, this trend has seen significant growth in the past few years. Tribal folk dances have become an almost mandatory feature of election rallies, official ceremonies, visits by the prime minister and ministers, as well as major political events.The Gaur, Madar, and Rela dances of Chhattisgarh; the Jhumar and Paika of Jharkhand; the Dhimsa of Andhra Pradesh and Odisha; Santhal dances; traditional dances from the Northeast; and various tribal folk dances from Central India often serve as the opening performances for significant political events. However, a recurring question emerges: Is tribal culture being honoured within its social and historical context, or is it merely being exploited as an ‘exotic’ spectacle to entertain ‘others’?The straightforward answer is that the presentation of tribal dances in front of government officials and ministers is directly associated with a colonial mentality.In the British colonial period, tribal communities were perceived as distinct from the ‘mainstream’— regarded as primitive and mere ‘curiosities.’ Their attire and artistic expressions were displayed akin to an ‘exhibition.’ Even in contemporary times, the practice of having thousands of tribal individuals don uniform costumes to greet ministers and VIPs at major government events is merely an extension of that colonial mindset. This phenomenon is less about cultural representation and more about serving as entertainment for the ruling class.Artists performing the Dhimsa dance during Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Andhra Pradesh. Photo: PTI.Part of the CultureThe Dhimsa dance is integral to the community identity of tribal groups – specifically the Bhagata, Kondh, Valmiki, Porja, and others – who inhabit the Alluri Sitarama Raju and Parvathipuram Manyam districts of Andhra Pradesh as well as the neighbouring tribal regions, and the Malkangiri and Koraput districts of Odisha. This dance transcends mere entertainment; it serves as a profound cultural expression intricately linked to their history, agricultural practices, connection with nature, community life, and social relationships. The melodies and rhythms of Dhimsa articulate a life philosophy that emphasises how the community and the natural world are two inseparable entities.Many people from Odisha and Andhra Pradesh criticised the Dhimsa dance performance at the prime minister’s event. Retired IAS officer P.V. Ramesh objected to the move, arguing that it was inappropriate to transform a revered cultural tradition into a political spectacle. He alleged that diminishing this tradition to merely a ceremonial welcome for political leaders amounted to an insult to tribal culture.Tribal communities prefer to engage in their dances voluntarily and spontaneously within their villages and among their own people —inspired by love and respect for nature, society, and all facets of their lives. However, the dance has now been commercialised to such an extent that these events can easily be arranged for a modest sum of money.In 2023, I had the opportunity to visit the Araku Valley, situated on the border between Odisha and Andhra Pradesh. During my visit, I saw tribal women performing the Dhimsa dance, entertaining tourists in exchange for a mere pittance. Tourists danced along, taking photos and recording videos. However, the performance did not convey that this dance was not just an artistic expression for the performers, but a vital component of their cultural and communal lives.This phenomenon does not exclusively plague our country. Tribal culture is showcased in this manner globally. During a trip to the Philippines last year, I attended an exhibition called the ‘Butterfly Eco Garden-Tribal Village’ in Puerto Princesa, where tribal men, women, and children from Palawan were entertaining tourists while dressed in traditional tribal attire.The Tribal Museum located in Araku, Andhra Pradesh, offers another perspective on this experience. It highlights the life, traditions, and culture of tribal communities, drawing visitors from within the country and abroad.In a similar vein, the expansive Tribal Museum in Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh – which spans 250 acres – showcases myths, folklore, art, and life philosophies of various tribes. Numerous other museums across the country also depict tribal society through exhibitions of bows and arrows, pottery, wooden sculptures, traditional attire, dance forms, and religious rituals.Exhibitions at the Tribal Museum in Araku, Andhra Pradesh (left), and the Tribal Museum in Bhopal. Photo: Santoshi Markam.The stories of most museums are crafted by curators, historians or government institutions. Renowned African author and thinker Ngugi wa Thiong’o, linking cultural representation to power, asserts in his book Decolonising the Mind that when the narrative of a community is authored by others, the authentic voice of that community tends to be diminished.The same question pertains to the government’s portrayal of tribal culture – does the tribal individual serve as a true representative of his culture, or are they merely a dancing artist meant to entertain the governing authority?African-American poet Karim Wafa-al Husseini wrote, ‘Empires love museums, because there is nothing easier than exerting control over a culture from behind glass.’Turning tradition into farceUnion Home Minister Amit Shah during the cultural program ‘Bastar Pandum 2026’ in Jagdalpur in Bastar district of Chhattisgarh. Photo: PTIIn 2025, the Chhattisgarh government initiated the Bastar Pandum (pandum, in Gondi language, means festival or celebration) which features tribal folk dances, folk songs, folk instruments, traditional handicrafts, costumes, and cuisine. This raises the question of how far it is appropriate to confine the historical and vibrant tribal culture of Bastar solely to colourful dances and traditional attire through a government initiative.‘Pandum’ is an integral aspect of the traditions associated with the joyful celebrations of tribal communities. It specifically refers to a belief and worship system dedicated to the veneration of village deities. This practice includes worshipping their ancestors as well as forests and mountains. They also celebrate occasionally – such as ‘Punang Pandum’ when a new crop arrives, Marka Pandum, when the mango crop arrives, and Vijja Pandum, at the time of sowing, among others.Sarv Adivasi Samaj and activists have voiced strong objection to the use of the Gondi term pandum in government and private events, fairs, programs and promotional campaigns. They have written a letter to the chief minister of the state stating that its usage distorts the fundamental essence of tribal faith and that designating it as the title for government and public events contradicts tribal beliefs, traditions and way of life.No concerns raised about conservationThe culture of Bastar encompasses more than merely dance and costumes. It represents a way of life that has evolved over centuries, intertwined with water, forests, land and community life. Social institutions like gotul, collective farming, seed conservation, folk tales, traditions surrounding deities and co-existence with nature form the basis of its cultural identity. In such a situation, one may wonder how it is possible to safeguard this heritage through a cultural event sponsored by the government.The irony lies in the fact that the communities whose dances adorn the grand stages are also the very communities grappling with serious and fundamental challenges like land acquisition, illegal mining, violation of forest rights, displacement, malnutrition, dearth of education and lack of health facilities in numerous areas.Meanwhile, those who remain indifferent to these issues or silence dissenting voices by levying various allegations against them are revelling in their dances and songs and feigning as their well-wishers.A protest against land acquisition in Ranchi, Jharkhand. (Photo: PTI)Indifference to languageAnother irony is that the people who show interest in tribal dance performances are not at all concerned with preserving their languages.Gondi, Halbi, Kudukh, Kudmali, Korku, Bhili, Bhatri, Parji, Madiya, Dorla, Kuin, Sora and dozens of other languages are spoken in the vast tribal areas of Central India, including Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, Jharkhand, Odisha, Maharashtra and many parts of Andhra Pradesh. Today, these languages are struggling to preserve their existence. The languages of the communities whose cultural heritage is showcased as a festival on government platforms are increasingly being phased out of public life.Language serves not merely as a means of communication; it also embodies a society’s understanding of history, knowledge, nature and worldview. With the extinction of a language, the traditional knowledge of that society, folklore, songs, medical practices, agricultural experiences and its relationships and narratives with nature also gradually begin to disappear.Gondi/Koya ranks as one of the most prominent tribal languages in Central India. Although the Gond community comprises millions, the Gondi language has yet to become the language of administration, judiciary, universities and government work, nor has it been included in the Eighth Schedule of the Constitution. Various dialects have developed across different regions, but efforts for its conservation and standardization at the state level remain minimal.The government is insistent on declaring ‘Traditional Koya Gyanbodh Sanskar Gotul School’ run by Mohgaon Gram Sabha in the Gadchiroli district of Maharashtra as illegal and shutting it down, despite it being the sole Gondi medium school in the state.Valuing tribal culture truly holds significance only when the dignity, language, traditions and rights of the communities associated with it are equally safeguarded. This should be the standard by which any government’s cultural claims are evaluated.This article has been translated from the Hindi original by Naushin Rehman.