Your organisation has been giving a lot of thrust on intangible heritage in Goa. What is that your organization wants to achieve from this activity?
Culture in intangible heritage and consists of aesthetics. When culture thrives, community thrives and culture is people centric. One’s identity is in its culture and people get recognition when culture is promoted and preserved. Intangible because skill, tradition and art is only passed from one generation to another and if any of it is still alive is because it has been successfully handed over. Sadly in today’s time, we believe that tradition and traditional activities is only with the marginalized and poor who are looked down upon. We need to support intangible cultural heritage and the support needs to be given to thrive, to recognize communities and that’s the premise for economic development and to then say we can meet the other United Nations sustainable developmental goals like poverty.
What is the outcome of such conferences and seminars of bringing people from across the world and Goa to discuss intangible heritage?
Here was a platform of delegates from UNESCO and other UN bodies and thirty delegates from six countries and even from Goa and mostly individuals who run NGOs and centers that showcase, preserve and promote intangible cultural heritage. For example we had a man speak about organizing cooking competitions for over 100 different Manipuri tribes while another talk about integrating Tamils and Sinhalese in Sri Lanka by drafting them into theatre plays together wherein stories of Ramayana and Krishna are performed. And these then show us that across various communities the commonality inherited is culture. And through these various techniques we find a way to build evidence and research of culture and tradition which cannot be measured.
Do you feel the Goa government does enough to promote intangible cultural heritage or we’re lacking far behind?
The Goa Government is very conscious which is the first step towards capacity building but now the government needs to involve civil society to preserve its cultural heritage. Goa has great individuals running museums, artists in dance, music and art and lots of intellects and historians. A lot can be done if the Directorate of Art and Culture mobilize these individuals.
But sometimes especially in Goa, the thrust to preserve tradition and culture is to promote the same in tourism and hence the method adopted is not sustainable.
I agree. Tourism sadly is a measure to see how much of our culture we’re able to preserve and showcase to people visiting. But after a while when you have tourist fairs or when you take tourist for a walk through a setup village and make them experience something traditional, after a while this is nothing but a Disneyland model wherein people visit a Disneyland for an animated experience. Now the Disneyland model cannot be a success to preserve culture and tradition. If incase cultural heritage is used to promote through tourism then it needs to be an experience, where families are encouraged to continue using traditional methods while, tourist visit and reside in these areas or villages to have an experience and work around the traditional occupations. Making the locals take interest is more important than marketing. We cannot lure locals that, now development will come as your kids will get jobs in this massive hotel as being employed to serve tea in the hotel. But the inspiration is when they can use their existing tradition to draw revenue. Also tourist need to be educated and understand why during their visit a dance performance is not happening or why people are busy with farming and hence cannot get a feel of the weaving activity.
What is the key to promoting intangible cultural heritage?
It’s difficult but new ideas need to come together. There are some successful NGOs in Jharkand, Bihar and West Bengal. If culture and tradition thrives you don’t need to depend on tour operators and foreign tourist to come see your work and purchase it and bring revenue to your community. Even locals will visit a neighboring village to get an experience of traditional activities. Culture needs a stronger network, support, lots of discussion, documenting evidences, promoting good ideas and techniques.
