Thursday, February 07, 2013

Statement of purpose


Statement of Purpose

There is a reason why I'm here....to meet tribal artist and the people from these communities. The 2 main tribes from this region are the Baigas and the Gonds, but there are others too. These people are the original inhabitants of the land and know so much about its environment as they have been living here for thousands of years. Their knowledge of medicines and their artforms, customs and traditions have hardly been documented. Their voices and stories have been suppressed and their gentle ways thought of as primitive. The 3 day festival is now over and I am left to mull over the experiences of people I have met, places I have been to and things I have seen.

These people have stirred up some roots within me, and I know that I have to get involved - I'm not sure how as yet. Perhaps by giving voice to some of their silent stories, or bringing to life some of their dying artforms, or translating their ideas into an effective medium to communicate with others, or bring awareness and pride to how great they are. It is all quite emotional.

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