Environmental Justice and Indigenous Resistance: A Critical Analysis of Warli Revolt by Swadesi as Ecological Protest Communication in India

Abstract

Environmental conflicts in contemporary societies are increasingly communicated not only through policy reports, court proceedings, activist campaigns, and academic research, but also through cultural media such as music, cinema, street art, and digital performance. These alternative communication forms are particularly important in contexts where marginalized communities remain underrepresented in mainstream institutions. This paper examines Warli Revolt by Swadesi as a case of ecological protest communication in India. The study investigates how the song articulates themes of indigenous identity, land rights, anti-displacement resistance, environmental memory, and critiques of extractive development. Using a qualitative interpretive methodology grounded in Environmental Justice Theory, Political Ecology, Indigenous Knowledge Studies, and Cultural Communication Theory, the paper applies thematic discourse analysis to the song’s symbolic language, performative framing, and socio-political context. Findings indicate that Warli Revolt functions as a powerful medium of environmental testimony by translating localized indigenous struggles into youth-accessible public discourse. The song challenges dominant narratives of growth-centered development by foregrounding historical injustice, territorial belonging, and ecological dignity. It also demonstrates the potential of hip-hop as an instrument of environmental awareness and democratic participation in the Global South. The paper concludes that cultural texts such as Warli Revolt should be recognized as valuable resources within environmental communication scholarship and sustainability education.