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WORLD ANTHROPOLOGICAL UNION

CONGRESS 2024​

Paper

Transforming Tribal Villages into Knowledge Hubs: Preserving Culture and Sharing Indigenous Knowledge in En-Uru, a Museum Anthropology Study

presenters

    Reethu Das

    Nationality: India

    Residence: KERALA

    Anthropological Survey of India

    Presence:Face to Face/ On Site

Keywords:

Museum, Culture, Representation, Community- participation, En-uru,

Abstract:

Museums are the knowledge repositories through which we can understand the historical, social, cultural as well as scientific significance of the world and its stakeholders. As the museums are representing cultures, it is high-time to include and ensure cultural participation. The museums have shifted from being in four walls to the virtual world. It has widened its scope of just being a showcase piece than speaking for the material culture. Archivists, curators, and other people who are related to it have definitely contributed towards the growth of the museums all around the world. But comprehending a culture or its material artifact requires in-depth knowledge. This is possible only in collaboration with the community. En-Uru, is one such experiment which is a tribal heritage village in Kerala. Beginning with architecture, indigenous food cuisines, dress pattern, artifacts and even their customary practices are being displayed and explained by the community themselves. Initiated by the state Government of Kerala to create awareness about indigenous communities to other people and thereby give the former an income. As a living museum it plays a valuable role in cultural preservation and education, offering visitors a unique opportunity to explore the indigenous culture in a hands-on and immersive way. But such collaborations sometimes certainly have some issues, including less representation and dissemination due to power imposition. Which need an immediate attention. The study is a case study of a tribal village which act as a living Museum and is organised and managed by some communities in the place. This study trying to understand how it influences the masses as a knowledge hub and standing as foundation pillar of knowledge beyond hindrances.