JOHN ORAON’S DOCUMENTARY SPOTLIGHTS SONALI’S TEA TRIUMPH

John Oraon’s Documentary spotlights Sonali’s Tea triumph

• Posted on 13-Jun-2025
• Uploaded by | NITIKA DON BOSCO

JALPAIGURI, June 5, 2025 – John Paul Oraon, a young Oraon tribal from Don Bosco Oodlabari and an alumnus of Salesian College (Autonomous) Siliguri’s Department of Social Work, has emerged as a powerful voice for his community. As the field researcher and interviewer for the documentary Khun Pasina Jekar, Cha Bagan Ukar (Those Whose Sweat and Blood, Their Tea Garden), John played a central role in bringing the inspiring story of Sonali Tea Garden to the forefront. The 1-hour-35-minute film, premiered on a large screen in the garden’s Bara Line on Thursday, captures the struggles and resilience of Sonali’s tea garden workers, a narrative deeply personal to John.

Raised in the crowded lanes of Sonali Tea Garden amidst the verdant Dooars, John witnessed the devastating impact of a tea garden’s closure. His two-year journey to create the documentary was driven by a passion to showcase his community’s strength. “Sonali’s story is my story,” John said. “Through this film, we show the world what happens when livelihoods vanish in a tea garden, but also how our community fought back.” His meticulous research involved collecting oral histories, archival records, and interviews with elders like Mattu Oraon, former vice-chairman of the cooperative, whose emotional reflection during the screening—“We did it. Others can too”—resonated deeply with the audience.

The documentary details the closure of Sonali Tea Garden on September 24, 1973, sparked by a dispute over festival bonuses, and the workers’ extraordinary response. On September 6, 1974, they formed a cooperative that revived the garden, setting a historic precedent by distributing a 20% bonus in 1977 and implementing equal wages a year before the Equal Remuneration Act of 1976. John’s research vividly recreated moments like the workers’ march across the Teesta River to protest at the Jalpaiguri District Magistrate’s office, a powerful symbol of unity and defiance. “These stories were fading,” he said. “I wanted to preserve them for my generation and beyond.”

Produced in Sadri and Kurukh, with planned subtitles in Bengali, Hindi, Nepali, and English, the documentary reflects John’s commitment to accessibility. Guided by filmmaker and Dooars social activist Rupam Deb, who highlighted the cooperative model as a lifeline for struggling tea gardens, and supported by assistant filmmaker Shard Mahali, John’s work has ignited hope. “This isn’t just a film,” he said. “It’s a call to action for other tea gardens to believe in their power to rebuild.”

For John, shaped by Don Bosco’s ethos of service and Salesian College’s focus on social work, the documentary is a tribute to his roots. “Sonali’s blood and sweat built this garden,” he said. “I’m honored to help tell its story.” The film stands as a testament to his dedication, bringing pride to Sonali and inspiration to tea garden communities across the Dooars.

- Ricky Pullock