Activists decry museum proposal

Adivasi activists have taken to the social media against the Kirtads decision to start Adivasi  museum with an estimated cost of Rs 16 crore. The demand is to spend the money in any project for adivasi welfare instead. Narayanan M. Sankaran, an adivasi youth who completed PhD from the English and Foreign Languages University, Hyderabad, reminded the authorities that  adivasis are not museum pieces. Manglu Sreedhar, an adivasi activist wondered why there was no  museum on any other communities and why only adivasis are made museum pieces.

Adivasi activists have taken to the Facebook against the Kerala Institute for Research, Training and Development Studies of Scheduled Castes and Tribes (KIRTADS), going for a new Adivasi museum with an estimated cost of Rs 16 crore.  The demand was to spend the money instead in various projects for the welfare of the Adivasi community.  Narayanan M. Sankaran, an Adivasi youth who completed PhD from the English and Foreign Languages University, Hyderabad reminded the authorities that Adivasis are not museum pieces. Manglu Sreedhar, an Adivasi activist, wondered why there was no museum on any other communities and why only them.

Mr Sankaran who is now a guest lecturer at a college in Wayanad told Deccan Chronicle that the museum would reinforce the popular notion that Adivasis still live in very primitive conditions.  "The general population has never noticed the emergence of a vibrant section with the youth among Adivasis," he said.  "The present plan for a new museum will only reinforce this notion. Many even found it difficult to digest Adivasis wearing modern dresses. Such notions about Adivasis may be due to the wrong understanding of them. “We don’t want to become exhibits. The community is a very active and vibrant. We are not artefacts from the past to be preserved and exhibited in museums."

Ms Sreedhar said that a person who saw the exhibit of an Adivasi in primitive attire could not even digest the fact that they wear churidars.  "Their notions are that they are people who are cut off from the mainstream life. Even the media reinforced such notions," she said. "Do they dare to make museums of any other communities of the state? This was why we are opposing the move. They should have spent the money for some other development purposes.  “There are a lot of Adivasi families who do not have proper houses, and there are Adivasi children who wanted nutritious food. The priority of the government should be to address such issues."

However, the deputy director (research) of Kirtads Sajith Kumar S. V. dismisses the allegations saying the present plan was to renovate the Ethnological Museum by including pictures of freedom fighters from the community. It was being done using central funds specifically for that purpose. Ethnological Museum which is a part of KIRTADS now houses an extensive collection of artefacts, costumes, jewellery, household utensils, nets and traps, wood carvings, agricultural tools, musical instruments, and ceremonial paraphernalia of all the tribal communities in the state.

There are also displays of the various cultural features and backgrounds of every tribe living in the state. Besides, there are the costumes of various performing arts and handicrafts they made.  Research and development work done by  the government for the development of indigenous groups is also  documented.  The museum displays renowned anthropological collections from neighbouring states as well. The Ethnological Museum was established in 1973 with the initial objective of collecting a wide range of materials of culture from the tribes to assist researchers and students. Later, access was given to the general public.