UNPFII - Day 1

On the first day, I mainly met and interacted with fellow Chottanagpuri adivasis.
Distinguished scholar and ex-vie chancellor of Ranchi University, Dr. Ram Dayal Munda was there representing the Indian Confederation of Indigenous and Tribal Peoples.
Meenakshi Munda, a PhD candidate of Social Anthropology who has written her masters dissertation on the migration of adivasi women to the cities for employment as domestic workers was there representing the Mundari Literary Council. Meenakshi has traveled widely all over the world attending several conferences on indigenous issues, raising awareness about Adivasis and networking with other indigenous people.
Nicholar Barla, an advocate and human rights expert has worked extensively in Orissa was there representing the Rourkela Social Service Society. He has worked extensively on trying to make the mines in Orissa more socially and environmentally responsible.
Anjali Tirkey is a freelance journalist, who founded PAJHRA, an organization which works for the rights of adivasis, who were taken from the Chottanagpur plateau to Assam by the British to wokr in the tea gardens. Her colleague, Stephen Ekka, who is the Executive Director of PAJHRA was also present at the permanent forum.
I represented the Chottanagpur Rising Association, which is a network of adivasis living abroad.
Anjali took part in a special photo shoot of the UN which documents indigenous people. There are some 370 million indigenous people in more than 90 countries in the world, representing about 5000 cultures and more than 4000 languages. Many of these peoples and cultures are disappearing with each passing day. This special photo project makes self-potraits of indigenous people through an interactive approach.

The Oraon-Munda group together came up with several ideas for our joint statements top the permanent forum. Most of the day went by in discussing our ideas and tightening up our focus for our joint statement.

Meenakshi and me also got involved in the youth caucus which was working on the issue of indigenous languages. It was great to meet other indigenous youth from all over the world and have a dialogue.