Gumla: A group in Jharkhand has come up with a plan to launch a literacy campaign to preserve the vanishing Kurux (“x” is pronounced “k”) tribal language of Kuruxars people of the region.
Social activists have judged Kuruxars as being on the verge of extinction as a tribal entity, their language, culture, custom and religion being on a steep decline.
Kurux Revival Movement (KRM) Gumla, Jharkhand in collaboration with Andherihilfe, Bonne a German NGO is to launch Kurux literacy campaign in 20 villages in Dumri Block of Gumala district in Jharkhand by the end of August 2016.
“The decision was arrived at after a weeklong study and interaction with the heads of villagers around Loordippa the first Kurux school,” says Director of Andherihilfe in Gumla Mr Rajkumar Toppo.
He added, “The Kurux literacy campaign will now be limited to 20 villages surrounding Loordippa as a pilot project spearheaded by the teachers and students of Loordippa Kurux School.”
Explaining the literacy campaign strategy Mr Toppo says, “After three months of intense teaching each village will be tested for their mastery of the language. The village with the highest percentage of literacy in Kurux will be presented with a goat- a customary prize in the tribal villages to reward the champions in a competition.”
Andherihilfe has also plans to train villagers in the cultivation of vegetables together with paddy.
The NGO also envisages that a monthly Newsletter in Kurux will be circulated in these 20 villages in continuance of the literacy campaign with news and views of the villagers.
It is estimated that there are about 8 million Kurux adivasis spread over the states of Assam, Odisha, Bengal, Jharkhand, Chattisgarh, Andamans and in neighbouring countries of Nepal and Bangladesh.
The KRM group is spearheading the movement to reverse this alarming situation of cultural and tribal identity loss.
Last month Director of a Patna based NGO Br Ragi James was nominated as National Promoter of KRM while long time Loordippa associate Dr Simon Kurux and his wife Marina Correya as KRM International Promoters.