CONSERVATION OF TRIBAL CULTURAL HERITAGE.
The Context:
The conservation of Tribal Cultural heritage is the responsibility of the institute in which the majority of the students are Tribes. Along with study tribal cultural activities are also equally important for the all around development of the students of this particular area. They can bring out their hidden talents through organizing various cultural activities. As a part of higher education system Cultural activities are involved in regular studies. Our college has framed a cultural committee to look after this Practice.
To preserve Tribal cultural heritage our college organizes
the following activities during the year.
- Song, Music and dance competition
- Arts of paintings / colors, daubing with clay and dung of animals.
- Organizes competitions on Drama, Skit, Mime, Tribal stories. etc.
- Collect the data of traditional medicinal practices which are going to be extinct in future time.
The alumnae of our college along with present students have
established a Seva Trust named as “Chhanyado” means Shadow which gives the
protection to the Tribal Cultural heritage.
To maintain the Original Tribal culture this trust is trying
to prevent Local Forest, Meshwo River, The massif of Arvalli Mountain, Tribal Festivals,
Tribal Fairs, Religious songs, Adivasi folk songs, Adivasi Folk dance, Adivasi
marriage songs, Adivasi Holi Nrutya etc.
OBJECTIVES OF THE PRACTICE:
- To bring out hidden talents in the students.
- To conserve the unique culture of this tribal area.
- To develop a respect in students towards their own tribal culture.
- To build their confidence by providing a platform to express their art and culture.
- To help the students to synthesis with traditional and modern culture
THE PRACTICE:
Our college Shree Kaljibhai R. Katara Arts College, Shamlaji
is situated in Tribal and Hilly area of Arvalli District of Gujarat state in
which majority of the students are from Tribal Caste. From the establishment of
the college, we organize various cultural activities; especially we focus on
Tribal Cultural Activities those are being vanished from the tribal society in resent scenario.
In the beginning of every academic year the college arranges
cultural activities for all the students. These activities provide us
identifying the students who have the potential to do something in the
particular art. After the identification of the students, the cultural
committee of the college gives them systematic training
by experts of the relevant activity. Then Cultural Committee
arranges various competitions like- Adivasi dance, Adivasi Songs, Holi Nritya, Marriage
Song and Traditional Dress Competition at college level, and appreciates them
by giving ranks (1st, 2nd and 3rd) and selects them for projecting at
University, Zone, State and National level competitions.
Along with these competitions we have also collected the
tribal songs specially marriage songs from the community with the help of
students of this area and make this collection available to students through library.
On special occasion, function or visit of dignitaries we
welcome them by performing Adivasi Holi Nritya. Thus along with providing
platform to perform their culture we also try to publicize their culture to
other people and community.
Western culture is influencing the tribal culture also and it has affected the outfits of tribal people also and now tribal people have left their traditional costumes and adopted western outfits. So to preserve the Adivasi costume style we celebrate traditional day and World Adivasi Day every year in which students come in their own traditional dress and perform their cultural events
IMPACT OF THE PRACTICE
- Students become active to save their particular Tribal cultural heritage.
- They can build their vocational career to take part in Orchestra in marriage functions and earn their livelihood.
- Students of our college guide the next generation in colleges for the development of the skill and conservation of Tribal culture.
- College avail the benefits of their free services for the local level functions.
- We have collected many tribal songs out of them many are extinct from society.
- Preservation of traditional way of medicines through our efforts have increased the interest and respect for their culture among the students.