Artscape: Kerala State Folklore Akademi chairman B. Muhammad Ahamed in front of a replica of the Muchilot Bhagavathi Theyyam at the akademi. — PHOTO: S.K. MOHANAN Courtesy: The Hindu
The Hindu, KANNUR, August 22, 2011
Mohamed Nazeer
The Kerala State Folklore Akademi is planning to develop four ‘folk villages’ for preserving and displaying the unique features of rural life and culture.
The folk villages will be ‘living museums’ displaying features of indigenous rural culture, including the rich folk tradition and folk arts, the akademi’s new chairman, B. Muhammad Ahamed, told The Hindu here on Sunday. He said the folk villages would be modelled on similar projects in different parts of the world that showcased replicas of traditional cultural elements, practices, performances, skills, and craft. [...]
Performance of folk arts and the ritual of Theyyam would be the major features of the folk village planned at Kannapuram, he said. A third folk village would be developed in a village in Malappuram, while the proposal to develop the fourth one in an Adivasi area to showcase Adivasi life and culture was under serious consideration. Talking about expanding the activities of the akademi, Prof. Ahamed, who had served as chairman of the akademi earlier also, said the institution was now planning to extend its activities to the southern parts of the State to popularise folk culture and create awareness among people in those areas. [...]
A folklore centre was proposed in Chembai village in Palakkad district as part of this initiative [...]. A similar centre was also proposed in Thiruvananthapuram district, he said. Prof. Ahamed said the akademi, established in 1995 with the objective of promoting and projecting the traditional art forms of the State, would also extend its efforts to identify folk artistes in financial difficulties and ill-health and offer them financial grant.
The development activities taken up on the premises of the akademi — located on the banks of a ‘chira’ (pond) at Chirakkal, the seat of the erstwhile Kolathiri Rajas — would also be completed, he said. A Cherusseri auditorium, which would have a statue of Cherusseri, was nearing completion and its inauguration was being planned as the first programme of the new board of the akademi. [...]
The archives would house folklore items, including records and documents, from different parts of the State. The archives would be planned in a separate building on the same premises.
Folklore akademi plans ‘folk villages’ to revive public interest in the unique features of rural life.
Source: The Hindu : NATIONAL / KERALA : Space to preserve folk traditions
Address : http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-national/tp-kerala/article2381105.ece
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