ROING, May 30: The nine-day ‘International workshop and field training on cultural resource management’ – a joint initiative of the RGU’s Arunachal Institute of Tribal Studies (AITS), the University of South Florida’s (USF) School of Social Work, and the Roing-based Research Institute of World’s Ancient Traditions Cultures and Heritage (RIWATCH) – concluded here in Lower Dibang Valley district on 25 May.
The first phase of the workshop, which was held from 17 to 19 May at Dibrugarh University in Assam, featured an interactive session between the scholars from the US and the AITS, moderated by USF faculty members Drs Iraida Carrion and Manisha Joshi.
Faculty members of the AITS and the USF delivered a series of lectures on topics such as ‘History of indigenous communities’, ‘Historicity of Arunachal Pradesh’, ‘Folklores and indigenous communities’, and ‘Language as a cultural resource and research method’.
The scholars visited other institutes, including Shiksha International School, in Dibrugarh, which helped them in conducting a comparative study of the education systems in India and the US.
In the second phase, held from 20-25 May, the team of students visited the RIWATCH campus in Khinjli village here, and interacted with the local community members.
They also visited Abali and Kebali villages, besides the Deopani tea plant and factory in Iduli village,where they learned about the process of local tea production, the nature of work, the wages of female and male labourers, their living conditions, and their accessibility of basic amenities like healthcare and education within the estate.
The scholars also interacted with members of NGOs AMYAA and Enjalu Menda Women’s Group. They participated in a cleanliness drive at the district hospital here, and planted saplings.
The team also met Member of Parliament Mukut Mithi, who highlighted issues with regard to the rampant rise in drug abuse in the community and how it has become a menace.
