Last week was a big festival for Sarna Adivasis: Sarhul.
Sarna is the name of the traditional, earth-based tribal religion in Jharkhand (where I’m doing my fieldwork). Sarhul is a spring festival that celebrates the new flowers appearing on the sal tree, which is holy for the Sarna religion. Educated elites and politicians have now branded it as a pro-environment festival. I heard one politician proclaim, “To save nature we need to worship nature. Jay Sarna! [literally: Victory to Sarna]”
A husband and wife couple, Dr. Abhay Sagar Minz and Dr. Meenakshi Munda, both professors of anthropology at universities in Ranchi and practitioners of the Sarna religion themselves, have been teaching me about Sarna and introducing me to important leaders in the community.
They took me to the place where the Oraon tribe believes creation began, with a crab pulling the earth up out of the water.
They also took me to several Sarhul celebrations.
The most intense experience was watching Meenakshi’s uncle and the male youths of the family sacrifice 4 chickens. Here's a video if you’d like to see how they do it… https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6J_7rDH8wSY
Sarna Adivasis have eagerly welcomed me to observe their religious rituals and worship. They are thrilled that a foreigner is taking an interest in them and their religion. I think in their minds the international attention helps legitimize their religion.
Of course, as the only foreigner present at these events, I was featured in the newspaper the next day. I tried to choose my words carefully when interviewed by the press, saying something like, “It’s good that the Sarna religion cares about the environment,” but of course they put whatever words they wanted to in my mouth! Nothing offensive really, just more effusive than I would have liked, for example: “Adivasi religion is close to my heart... Only it [Adivasi religion, i.e., Sarna] is giving teaching about saving the environment.”
Most Sarna Adivasis do not practice their religion regularly, in the sense of attending something like our Christian weekly worship services. Festivals are the main occasions for worship, or they might make some special prayers to ask for something like good results in their school exams, a suitable marriage partner, healing of an illness, etc.
The Sarna religion, in its modern form, is heavily politicized. Adivasis feel that in order to maintain the privileges they receive from the government as tribal people, they must distinguish themselves from their Hindu (non-tribal) neighbors. The assertion of an independent religious identity is a large part of that political effort.
There is a fair amount of suspicion and prejudice between Christian and Sarna Adivasis. Some Sarna Adivasis argue that those who have converted to Christianity should no longer receive government benefits intended for tribal people. The argument here is two-fold. First, they argue that religion is so tied to culture that to change one’s religion is to fundamentally change one’s culture. Second, since Christians run many schools, hospitals, and other programs for improving society, they think those who convert to Christianity will get enough assistance from the church so that they shouldn’t need aid from the government.
Most educated Adivasis, however, attribute such arguments to outsiders (i.e., non-tribal Hindu fundamentalists and businessmen who want to extract natural resources from the land), saying that they are trying to divide the community along religious lines so they will fight against each other instead of against outsiders who are trying to take their land. Jharkhand is very mineral-rich and mining companies are working hard to gain access to more tribal land.
In any case, the tension between Christian and Sarna Adivasis means that I am walking on thin ice here. I need to learn more about the Sarna religion in order to better understand the context of Christian Adivasis. But the Christians may not trust me if they think I’m getting too close to the Sarna Adivasis.
On another note, I’m happy to report that Matt is coming to visit this week for Easter! Maybe my next update will have some more videos from him :)
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| Dancing at Sarhul Festival |
Sarna is the name of the traditional, earth-based tribal religion in Jharkhand (where I’m doing my fieldwork). Sarhul is a spring festival that celebrates the new flowers appearing on the sal tree, which is holy for the Sarna religion. Educated elites and politicians have now branded it as a pro-environment festival. I heard one politician proclaim, “To save nature we need to worship nature. Jay Sarna! [literally: Victory to Sarna]”
A husband and wife couple, Dr. Abhay Sagar Minz and Dr. Meenakshi Munda, both professors of anthropology at universities in Ranchi and practitioners of the Sarna religion themselves, have been teaching me about Sarna and introducing me to important leaders in the community.
 |
| Meenakshi Munda, Abhay Sagar Minz, and their children |
They took me to the place where the Oraon tribe believes creation began, with a crab pulling the earth up out of the water.
 |
| Sirasitadham: talking with the pahans (priests) |
They also took me to several Sarhul celebrations.
 |
| Traditional Adivasi drums |
The most intense experience was watching Meenakshi’s uncle and the male youths of the family sacrifice 4 chickens. Here's a video if you’d like to see how they do it… https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6J_7rDH8wSY
 |
| Preparing the chickens for sacrifice |
Sarna Adivasis have eagerly welcomed me to observe their religious rituals and worship. They are thrilled that a foreigner is taking an interest in them and their religion. I think in their minds the international attention helps legitimize their religion.
 |
| Mahadev Toppo, Abhay, and girls in the traditional red-border sari |
Of course, as the only foreigner present at these events, I was featured in the newspaper the next day. I tried to choose my words carefully when interviewed by the press, saying something like, “It’s good that the Sarna religion cares about the environment,” but of course they put whatever words they wanted to in my mouth! Nothing offensive really, just more effusive than I would have liked, for example: “Adivasi religion is close to my heart... Only it [Adivasi religion, i.e., Sarna] is giving teaching about saving the environment.”
 |
| Elsa in the newspaper |
Most Sarna Adivasis do not practice their religion regularly, in the sense of attending something like our Christian weekly worship services. Festivals are the main occasions for worship, or they might make some special prayers to ask for something like good results in their school exams, a suitable marriage partner, healing of an illness, etc.
 |
| A woman and her son doing puja (worship) |
The Sarna religion, in its modern form, is heavily politicized. Adivasis feel that in order to maintain the privileges they receive from the government as tribal people, they must distinguish themselves from their Hindu (non-tribal) neighbors. The assertion of an independent religious identity is a large part of that political effort.
 |
| Sarna priests and a woman devotee |
There is a fair amount of suspicion and prejudice between Christian and Sarna Adivasis. Some Sarna Adivasis argue that those who have converted to Christianity should no longer receive government benefits intended for tribal people. The argument here is two-fold. First, they argue that religion is so tied to culture that to change one’s religion is to fundamentally change one’s culture. Second, since Christians run many schools, hospitals, and other programs for improving society, they think those who convert to Christianity will get enough assistance from the church so that they shouldn’t need aid from the government.
Most educated Adivasis, however, attribute such arguments to outsiders (i.e., non-tribal Hindu fundamentalists and businessmen who want to extract natural resources from the land), saying that they are trying to divide the community along religious lines so they will fight against each other instead of against outsiders who are trying to take their land. Jharkhand is very mineral-rich and mining companies are working hard to gain access to more tribal land.
 |
| Sarnas worship nature, in a sacred grove (now fenced in to prevent "encroachment" from other religious communities) |
In any case, the tension between Christian and Sarna Adivasis means that I am walking on thin ice here. I need to learn more about the Sarna religion in order to better understand the context of Christian Adivasis. But the Christians may not trust me if they think I’m getting too close to the Sarna Adivasis.
 |
| My first taste of "hariya" (rice beer). Protestants here don't drink alcohol, but Sarna Adivasis and Catholics do. I didn't like it. |
On another note, I’m happy to report that Matt is coming to visit this week for Easter! Maybe my next update will have some more videos from him :)
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