Oraon Christian's Way of Life (Interaction of Faith and Culture)

Religion and culture are living realities connected with people. They both influence each other, and so the Gospel touches and transforms both. Culture itself through its symbolic aspects and concrete elements becomes a real road on which the Gospel with its transcendent values reaches the very centre of the human heart.

This unique book provides the missionary experiences of the author. It presents before the readers as how culture and religion interact together and renovate each other. The Liberative power of the Gospel was very much acceptable to Oraons, the people of the Lievens Mission. It not only set them free from their economic bondages but they found home in Christianity, as it has lot of similarities with their religion.

In this scholarly work, the author in her interpretative style has analysed the belief systems and way of life of the Oraons. She has also succinctly presented her unique and revealing research findings together with proposals for effective proclamation of the Gospel. This book is a scientific study offered by the author and without any doubt would assist future generation who prefer to learn and work for a local theology and ultimately it's a purposeful evangelization.

Sr. Clare Purakary HM is a native of Kerala. She belongs to the Congregation of Handmaids of Mary, of Snehadeepti Province, Odisha, India. She has a Doctorate in Missiology from Pontifical Urban University, Rome. Formerly, she was a resident staff in the Regional Theologate of Odisha, Sason, Sambalpur; and Institute Mater Dei, Goa. Later, she was a visiting Professor in these institutes and taught Missiology and other theological subjects. She is in this teaching mission since 2004. Presently, she is engaged in the formation programme of her congregation. She also presented research papers in Fellowship of Indian Missiologists' (FOIM) conference and the same got published in FOIM series.

This book is first of its kind; in an analytical and descriptive way the author has placed before us the interaction between Oraon culture and Christian Faith. Chotanagpur which is also called "Lievens Mission" (religious unit) is a very promising Mission area, in spite of the fact that Christianity is just one hundred and thirty four years old. Yet, Oraons have proved to be one of the fast growing communities who have accepted Christian faith and enjoying the transformative power of the Gospel.

Sr. Clare Purakary HM belongs to a Congregation which is born in this soil and her experiences with the people of Chotanagpur enkindled in her the interest to bring forth this book which would serve as a source for developing a theology for Oraon Culture in view of evangelization through Inculturation. In her book, she has beautifully brought out the concept of God and the myth of creation which has got similarities with Christianity, which helped the Oraons to experience the liberative power of the Gospel in their life's struggles. The use of holy water, medals, and rosaries encouraged them as materials which would enable them to resist the attack of evil spirits. The Ancestor worship has made meaningful the veneration of Saints as intercessors and patrons of the community. Thus, they found their basic questions answered in Christianity, which they were looking for, they also found that their new religion gave them meaning and purpose in life.

No culture is perfect; culture is a medium for human beings to express their faith. In the life of Oraons dance and music has a prominent place. They communicate through songs and dance rhythmically what they believe, feel and experience. Festivals and celebrations of important events of nature as well as of life are very much part of their life. They are people profoundly in love with nature, collaborators with the Creator God, and it is clear from the creation story.

The author of the book: Oraon Christian's Way of Life: Interaction of Faith and Culture St. Clare Purakary of the Handmaids of Mary (HM), introduces the reader into one of the fast growing Churches, not by chance but by integrating Christian values in its way of life, especially in its very way of thinking and celebrating. Perhaps, it would be better to say that the Kurukh (Oraons), who are one of the major communities to embrace Christianity, found in Christianity complementary meaning to their existing expressions of Beliefs, Festivals and Rites. In the language of the Kurukh themselves, they have found in Christianity a good spouse for their marriage.

The anthropologists have classified the Kurukh in items of indigenous or primitive culture, meaning they are not civilized yet and are away from the main- stream philosophy. This detailed study on the Beliefs, Festivals and Rites of the Kurukh would enlighten the readers in understanding that these people have been responding to the same questions, which every religion asks: What is man? Who is God for them? Where does the suffering and sin come from in the world? What is the final destination of man? In other words, the Kurukh were fully human in their search for meaning of their own life.

The study on 'Beliefs' shows that the Kurukh call God 'Dharmes', who is 'Father' to them: Creator, caretaker and Protector of life. The similar affectionate filial relationship with God is found also in Christianity, which has made their bond easier. The concept of 'good spirit' and 'evil spirit' is found in the traditional thinking of the Kurukh as well as in Christianity with some variations, but the struggle to fight against the evil in the world is a reality in both religions; Kurukh as well as Christianity. Finally, the 'Life after death' continues in both religions, though in different forms. The celebrations of Festivals and Rites emerge from the same basic belief-system, which prove the integrity of their total expression as a distinct- Culture.

As a scholar, Sr. Clare first and foremost has explored the life of the Kurukh and their historical background for the readers, foreign to Extended-Jharkhand, which was known as Chotanagpur during the time of the British Raj in India. Then, she narrates how Christianity arrived in the territory of the Kurukh.

At the threshold of the third millennium Christians look afresh at the mysteries of their faith and dedicate themselves anew to the service of the Gospel. "God is opening before the Church the horizons of a humanity more fully prepared for the sowing of the Gospel."

Already the Second Vatican Council had opened a new path in the history of the Church with its promulgation on the Declaration on the relationship of the Church to the Non-Christian Religions. It is significant because after many years of reflection and discernment the Church has invited her members to see the hidden goodness in these religions foregoing the attitude of superiority, ignorance and incomprehension. The conciliar declaration speaks that there is an awareness of a hidden power which surpasses the daily events of human history, and leads the people to a profound religiosity, with the recognition of a Supreme Being or even more of a Father. Even though the Church has arrived at the realisation. of the "ray of Truth which enlightens all men" in non-Christian religions it speaks explicitly of the two great world religions: Hinduism and Budhism. The declaration does not say anything clearly about the religions of the pre-literate peoples. Yet one can presume that the Church does not oppose any thing that displays Truth when she says,

"The Catholic Church rejects nothing that is true and holy in these religions. She regards with sincere reverence those ways of conduct and of life, those precepts and teachings which, though differing in many aspects from the ones she holds and sets forth, nonetheless often reflect a ray of that Truth which enlightens all men.

**Contents and Sample Pages**