INDEPENDENT SCHOLAR / WRITER
Mary B. Girard
(nee Feierabend)
Upon retiring from the world of Non Profit Organizations I started a new career as an Independent Scholar and Writer. Having been brought up in India, I wanted to explore what connected me to India. I began to research the lives of four generations of my ancestors who were missionaries in India and the people among whom they lived. This has led to several research projects, initiatives, speaking engagements, books and articles.
Publications
-Among the Original Dwellers: Remembering Ferdinand Hahn (self published Lulu: 2019)
-Journey of Discovering and Preserving Heritage. Journal of Adivasi and Indigenous Studies (JAIS) Vol. IX, No. 2, August 2019: 14-24 2019
-Revisiting GELC Autonomy. Adivasi Journal of Theology (AJT). Gossner Theological College 2018
-Re-visioning the Unity of the church. Adivasi Journal of Theology (AJT) Gossner Theological College 2018
-Revitalization of Adivasi Language and Culture: Grammars of Christian Missionaries. In Threads of Indigeneity in Central India: Essays on Adivasi History and Politics Eds. Joseph Bara and Anjana Singh May 2026
-Revisiting Rohtasgarh: Why Folklore Matters in Decoding Tribal Knowledge Systems. Nature Light Publications (coming out in 2026)
PRESENTATIONS
-The Adaptation of Tribal Folklore in Chotanagpur-India: Revisiting Rohtasgarh at American Folklore Association Conference 2024
-Adaptation of Folklore among the Adivasi of Chotanagpur at South and Central Asia Fulbright Conference, Jaipur, February 26 - 28, 2024
AWARDS
Fulbright-Nehru Research Scholarship 2023-2024
- Cultural Adaptation and Storytelling: The Formation of Adivasi Literature
Critical Language Enhancement Award (CLEA) - Hindi 2023
RESEARCH PROJECTS
Archiving Oral Literature 2023-present
How to bridge the gap between digital documentation and cultural preservation by and for tribal communities in India. Shaping into the CoDA Initiative (Collaborative Digital Archiving) with CoRSAL (Computational Resource on South Asian Languages), Keystone Foundation, and International Documentation Center for Endangered Indigenous Language and Cultures at DSPM University-Ranchi and others partner. 2026-2029
Heritage Hospital History
2024-present
The history of the medical facilities in India that my ancestors began or managed. Four different hospitals -- two Leprosy Hospitals and two Mission Hospitals -- in three different states of India. These four rural hospitals are each struggling to meet the challenges of te
chnology and self-sufficiency, while aiming to meet the needs of their communities by providing quality care for the poor of rural India.
Revisiting Rohtasgarh
2024-2026
After interviewing several Adivasi during my 2023-2024 Fulbright-Nehru Research Scholarship, I found that one of the most common legends among the tribal people of Jharkhand was about Rohtasgar. Rather than record and analyze the legend on my own, I chose a more interactive method. I facilitated a two day workshop bringing together tribal scholars, community storytellers, students, writers, filmmakers, social workers, and activists to discuss the significance of the legend as a story of migration, resistance and settlement. I also explored with some tribal women how to write a children’s book about the legend.
History of GEL
2016-present
My ancestors played a key role in the formation of the Gossner Evangelical
Lutheran Church of Chotanagpur and Assam (GEL) a tribal church that became autonomous in 1919, before India’s Independence. I have partnered with the church as they launch into a complete history of the church, writing about the role of the missionaries.
University of Wisconsin - Madison 2011-2019
Returning to Madison after several years' absence I took advantage of the lecture series, Annual Conference and audited courses. In addition to the Hindi and Indian Film classes offered by South Asian Studies Department at University of Wisconsin - Madison, I also took classes in Folklore and honed my skills with writing workshops through the UW Extension.