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WORLD ANTHROPOLOGICAL UNION

CONGRESS 2024​

Paper

from collections to communities Towards An inclusive and People Centric Museum Management of the Tribal Museums Beyond a Repository of the Material Culture and the Visual Manifestations

presenters

    Dr Tishyarakshita Nagarkar

    Nationality: India

    Residence: India

    Presence:Face to Face/ On Site

Keywords:

Museum and indigenous community, ethnography of the site museums and tribal culture, Preserving the heritage

Abstract:

As a child in the middle Ganga plain, I experienced the unique and diverse village life, surrounded by various communities. I was immersed in the rich tradition of folksongs and customs, even though they were not my own, they formed an integral part of my existence. Even at a young age, I pondered the potential consequences of losing these practices. After many years working as a field archaeologist and ethnographer among some of the particularly vulnerable tribes in Western and South India, I encountered a wealth of tribal art, customs, and practices that were in need of preservation as they stood on the brink of extinction. After dedicating almost 5 years to documenting the oral and material culture of tribes such as Katkari, Warli, Ka, and Ma Thakur, our researchers have come to the conclusion that establishing on-site tribal museums is crucial for preserving their heritage. Without a written record, it is imperative to act now before their rich history becomes a fading memory of the past. The methodology employed for this paper incorporates both qualitative and quantitative approaches, drawing upon meticulously gathered firsthand data obtained through various ethnographic parameters.