Introduction
It is critical to keep in mind that most of our cultural designations are wrapped in the cocoon of oral tradition, the knowledge so vast that within the oncoming generations, it is also fading away, and unfortunately, with that, the cultures also fade. A question here might arise: why not document it then? Well, critically, we must realize that the onslaught of documentation and documenting is still a very nouveau concept to those communities who, unlike the societal norm, are still following the adjoined traditional culture of socialization that has been passed by their ancestors. To them, following these traditional methods is an everyday routine, and few lack to realise that, in fact, they are carrying part of the traditional knowledge systems and memoirs that dignify India as a country. But within the past few years, the ideologies concerning preservation have spread so widely or it might be that the consciousness of safekeeping communal practices has struck so hard amongst certain cultures that now the effort to keep them alive is seen in many parts but through various feat. It can be via commercializing the unique aspects of the culture, or it can also be by establishing a community-based museum to upfront the practices that make them distinguished, which we find poignantly in the case of ‘The Museum of Santal Culture’ a community-based Museum that accentuates the Santal Values and their worldview. This Museum, as the name suggests, reflects the living traditions and cultures which to the day are followed by the Santal people, a tribal community residing in Jharkhand, Orissa, and Bengal. Having been established in the year 2007, this museum is anything but like the overwhelming glorifying piece of an institution that portrays art and culture; rather, in the most basic sense, it is a simple museumized shrine that portrays the beliefs of Santal.
Who are the Santals?
From research, we can gather that the Santal tribe belongs to the pre-Aryan period. Considered one of the largest groups of tribes in India, they are also renowned as one of the great fighters, especially during the British regime in India. From a historical perspective, we can venture how this tribe waged a war against the permanent settlement of Lord Cornwallis in the year 1885. As per the legacy goes, Santal hero Sidhu accumulated around ten thousand Santal in order to run a parallel government against the British government, and it was Baba Tilka Majhi who is honored as the first Santal leader to raise a weapon against the British in 1789. Shedding light on that, we can gather how the Santals always had a rebel soul in them; having been underestimated far too many times, this tribe has always shown reluctance against injustice and power misbalance. And maybe this is one of the critical reasons why the Santal tribe tends to remain isolated from the so-called modernized society.
Interestingly, when we speak about their language, we find that how it is also part and parcel of the Austroasiatic family, which, in essence, is believed to be related to Vietnamese and Khmer. We can further classify their languages as Munda, Ho, Kharia, Bhumiji, and Mahli. In this case, it was Peter W. Schmidt who was the one responsible for classifying these groups into the Austroasiatic language group.
A step taken by the Community
It was Mr. Baski (an adivasi activist and an educator based in West Bengal belonging to the Santal community), who influenced the villagers to help establish this museum, if he had just contemporarily constructed this Museum then maybe it wouldn’t hold so much essence, but because it was structured by the Santals themselves, this museum can identify itself as one of the institutions solely belonging to the said tribe. Mr. Baski realized that it wasn’t only about educating the children, but it was also about creating awareness within the Santal group and making them conscious of how vital of a role their tradition plays in this present society. Not only are they preserving the tradition and antiquities, but they are also living it, and that’s what makes this museum so unique. Of course, the villagers first were very skeptical about the idea. Some of them believed that the ‘backwardness’ of Santal life should not be celebrated but the group of educators along with Mr. Baski made them believe that showcasing musical instruments, ornaments, and tools related to the tribe would tell the public about the community’s past and the ingenious spirit, intelligence and the deep thinking of their ancestors. It was stated that they were not glorifying outdated artefacts but showing what life used to be like.
Architectural Set-Up
After agreeing with the idea of putting up the museum, the villagers took part in making the said education hub. The men covered the roof with straw, the youth did the interior decoration, and the women plastered the walls and leveled the floor of the museum with mud mixed with cow dung as they do it with their own houses. While constructing the said establishment, one member of each family would provide free labor, and only food was proffered to them. After putting up the building, the men, women, and even the students were responsible for donating numerous items to the Museum, and now, in the present time, the Museum has got definite shape, and the senior students of the village who stay in the periphery take care of the museum. And this is how this Museum has become the Museum of the Community. As further stated by Mr. Bimal Baski who is the caretaker of the museum, “The interiors and exteriors of the museum are painted and set up in such a manner to replicate the experience of stepping inside a Santal home or community space. While the artefacts archived in the museum explain how gifted the community has been in various forms of handicraft, art is also an integral part of their lives.” Thus it is very common to see murals and paintings in the exteriors and in the interiors of Santal homes, keeping which in mind the museum’s doorway has also been painted in similar patterns to highlight this trait of the Santal community. Advertently, there is no designated individual who is responsible for looking after the museum since the prime purpose behind it was to operate as a community Museum; hence, it is the villagers of Bishnubati who look and handle the premises of the museum.
Motifs and Designs- A Look Into the Cultural Locus
Before diving deep into the museum stratum of the Santals, it is credential that we analyze the nature of the objects that are showcased in the said museum. So, upon further research, we are glorified with the fact that the Santals are precariously skilled when it comes to crafting of structures specifically made from ‘bamboo leaves’ and other naturally available resources. Thus, every instrument in their household is either made of wood, bamboo, or grass and leaves.
- Since they are actively involved with the hunting culture hence, their hunting tools also include the bow and arrow, which is known as the ‘Ak Apari.’ They further have a tool known as ‘Khoca’ which is also made from bamboo and is used for catching animals and to remove soil while digging.
- Similarly, their musical instruments used for festival purposes, i.e., Tiria (which is again made of bamboo), Tamak (made of wood and leather), and Tumdak, again, a wooden frame instrument with leather on the lateral sides, are part of their everyday livelihood.
- If we divert into their household appliances we would be able to gather an interesting notion of how the Santals also make their own mats called ‘Patia’ from the advent of date palm leaves and their broom is made from giant long grass so as to clean houses and the outdoor surroundings and it is renowned as ‘Serum Jonok.’
Henceforth, we can deduce the ordeal of how self-dependent this community is, and to them, it is not some artefact but rather a simplistic culture and way of living that have been passed to them by their elders. Simply by portraying these norms, they have established their museum where these objects are showcased so as to remind the visitors that Santals are not some misguided crowd, but are those communities belonging from India who, till to the day have conserved their own roots by following them and by living them.
Few other designs and artifacts belonging to the Santal Culture that are displayed in the museum:
- Kohli Case- A small iron container interestingly made for casing Kajal. It is mainly used in the marriage ceremony. It has been stated that the bride and groom are supposed to hold onto it throughout the ceremony.
- Silver Armlet (Taga)- Made of silver, this ornament is precisely worn by the younger girls and women. Sometimes it is also worn by men around their right arm. Various kinds of Taga, like Chhap taga or Durio taga, are often seen, and all of these have different designs.
- Basket made of dried leaves (Tuplak)- This object is mainly used by the children for eating flattened and puffed rice and other dry foods. Significantly used as a container, Tuplak is made with dry palm leaves and, in some cases, is also made from the tender parts of bamboo.
Present Condition
The present condition of the museum is certainly flourishing. Not only is it educative but a sense of awareness is also now instilled in the locals. Tourists from various places visit this place, but not everybody is entertained. Since the museum docents deeply believe that it is important to engage those who want to unlearn their biases should be given priority hence, individuals, especially from the mainstream segment, are rarely spared a second thought.
Dr. Boro Baski, with adherence to this statement, has sincerely claimed,” This is not a normal museum, and we have seen how, without knowing and understanding Santhal culture, certain people just go inside the village homes and start clicking pictures. We certainly do not want that and rather prefer meaningful interaction.” Which makes us understand that this museum is not just to provide entertainment but it also reflects the deep intertwined connection that the villagers have with the museum, and thus they just want this sacred place to be treated with utmost respect.
Conclusion
In the concluding remarks, I would like to convey that a Museum is not only a collective frame to recall our past but it is also a medium to understand our communities better. The Museum of Santal Culture is one such museum that has put an encompassing effort to present its culture, so as a result it is also our duty to study it and analyze it with a view that would eradicate all such misbeliefs that individuals mostly fester regarding local communities. Likewise, I believe since the museum is still on its way to success, hence using Indigenous methods would be much more beneficial for them, and since they are also a community who have been dealing with these methods for ages, it will be much more convenient for them to adapt these.
References
- Alcorn, J. B. (1993). Indigenous peoples and conservation. Conservation biology, 7(2), 424-426.
- Atkinson, K. (2002). Preserving what is valued: museums, conservation, and First Nations. Choice Reviews Online, 40(02), 40–0993. https://doi.org/10.5860/choice.40-0993
- De Silva, M., & Henderson, J. (2011). Sustainability in conservation practice. Journal of the Institute of Conservation, 34(1), 5-15.
- Popova, U. (2014). Conservation, traditional knowledge, and indigenous peoples. American Behavioral Scientist, 58(1), 197-214.