29 Tribal art and aesthetics

Naila Ansari

epgp books

 

 

 

Table of contents:

 

An Introduction to Tribal Art and Aesthetics

1.  Art and Artefacts of Tribal Cultures

2.  Importance of art culture

3.  Tribal Arts

  • Folklore:- Oral Literature
  • Folk Music and Dance
  • Folk-art Handicraft and Acrobatics

4.  Tribal Music and Dance

5.  Forms of folk culture in India

6.  Creating Cultural Identity

7.  Folk Drama

8.  Community Songs and Dances

9.  Puppetry

10.  Oral Communication

11.  Influence on Modernism

 

Summary

 

Learning Objectives

  • Identifying unknown Art and Craft of the tribal‟s contains in itself their unwritten record of cultural life.
  • Recognition and analysis of graphic and symbolic description noticed or found through tribal folk arts
  • Analysis of associated tribal youth with distinct aesthetic life of the tribal‟s
  • Determining the props of different tribal‟s art
  • Eliciting the ethnicity and cultural identity from the Art and Craft of the Tribal‟s
  • Assisting in building up a picture of life style of tribal

    An Introduction to Tribal Art and Aesthetics

 

India is marked by its rich traditional heritage of Tribal/Folk Arts and Culture. Since the days of remote past, the diversified art & cultural forms generated by the tribal and rural people of India have continued to evince their creative magnificence. Apart from their outstanding brilliance from the perspective of aesthetics , the tribal/folk art and culture forms have played an instrumental role in reinforcing national integrity, crystallizing social solidarity, fortifying communal harmony, intensifying value-system and promoting the elements of humanism among the people of the country. However with the passage of time and advent of globalization, we have witnessed the emergence of a synthetic homogeneous macro-culture. Under the influence of such a voracious all-pervasive macro-culture the diversified heterogeneous tribal/folk culture of our country are suffering from attrition and erosion. Thus the stupendous socio-cultural exclusivity of the multifarious communities at the different nooks and corners of our country are getting endangered.

 

The history of India‟s Adivasis dates back to the pre-Aryan era. For ages they reigned over the Subcontinent‟s hilly terrains. But over the centuries those with access to the written word (apart from other things) gained prominence over those whose traditions were rooted in the oral culture. During the colonial period, Adivasis were given the new designation of tribal, and in post independent India, they are known as the scheduled tribes. The essence of the tribe was interpreted as “a stage of evolution”, as opposed to a type of society. When education centres were opened, the syllabi focused on the socio-cultural roots of select communities, which deprived non-Adivasi children of knowledge of Adivasi culture and denied Adivasi children the pride of their heritage.

 

1. Art and Artefacts of Tribal Cultures

 

Tribal art is often ceremonial or religious in nature. Typically originating in rural areas, tribal art refers to the subject and craftsmanship of artefacts from tribal cultures. The constitution of India identifies the indigenous peoples as “tribes”. According to the 2001 Census, India has a tribal population of 8.2% of its total population. Tribes as a social formation maybe identified in two- ways: firstly as a stage in the history of evolution of human civilization; secondly, as a society organized on the basis of kinship ties which enables them to be a multifunctional grouping. In India, tribals are defined in reference to the cultural practices of certain groups in relation to the mainstream Hindu cultural practices. Tribal and folk arts overlap. All that is tribal art is Folk art-but Folk art can be non–tribal also. Both tribal and folk art are deeply connected to the community. They emerge from the daily life of a community and are shaped by the environment in which the community lives. For example, dances of Santhal and Nagas despite both being Tribal dance are as different from each other as chalk and cheese! This is because the lives of these two tribes have manifested in different terrains and they have extremely different lifestyles, rituals, customs, religions that are reflected in their arts. The term „Folk‟ includes all those persons living within a given area, who are conscious of a common cultural heritage and have some constant traits, e.g., occupation, language and religion.

 

Tribal art or Folk art is motivated by utilitarian and ritualistic features and sometimes by recreational impulses. Some practitioners maybe better skilled than others, but tribal or folk art are essentially about a group or community rather than the individual artist. Mainly dominated and shaped by religious motifs, the relation between this art and religion is a universal feature. It is an integral part of living. In tribal societies, there is no real distinction between Art and Life or between Fine Art and Applied Art.

 

2. Importance of art culture

 

India has a rich cultural folk tradition. Folklore arts, beliefs, rites and rituals, myths, and rural handicrafts are factors that enrich our folk-tradition. They became well-known as knowledge transmitted by oral tradition. Folklore has an important role in handing down social norms and religious knowledge and wisdom and in keeping the social structure stable. Folklore arts, beliefs, rites and rituals, myths, rural handicrafts etc. are factors that enrich our folk-tradition. They have become well known as knowledge transmitted by oral tradition rather than written branches of knowledge. Folklore has an important role in handing down social norms, moral laws, religious knowledge and wisdom, and in keeping the social structure stable. It is in the form of inherited culture that we see folklore elements in every culture.

 

Religion has a very important role in the formation of identity of each society. It is the shell of cultural formation. The individuals in a society are born into them. It is through these customs and practices that social solidarity remains. Pre-existing cultural rules determine our ideas and behaviour through socialization. Societies are made up of structures of cultural rules, established beliefs and practices to which their members are expected to conform. Each social structure has unique customs and practices as well as systems of beliefs. Folk arts and beliefs play an important role in the timely reforms and establishing of these customs and practices.

 

3. Tribal Arts

 

Dr. Majumdar and other anthropologists opine that tribal life artistic life is reflected mainly in three forms of their art:

  • Oral literature
  • Magic and Dance
  • Art and Dancing

   The above classification has excluded the folk artisan, craft, acrobatics, etc. The artistic life of the tribal‟s includes in itself the following forms:

  • Folklore:- Oral Literature – It includes myths, tales, legends, riddle, proverbs, song verse aspect, etc
  • Folk Music and Dance – These includes folk-songs (musical aspect), folk-song music, folk dance etc.
  • Folk-art Handicraft and Acrobatics – These include folk-art, drawing, painting , carving, wood craft, metal craft, garment-making with decoration, wooden or cotton produce, etc.

    Folklore is the oral literature of the simpler societies and is perpetuated by oral traditions. There is usually no technique of teaching, certainly no formal technique, connected with the making and singing of songs: they are learnt by the ear, and transmitted in this fashion from generation to generation, Nor is there a conscious awareness of forms or construction on the part of the folk-singer or folk-teller; there is no aesthetics or analytic theory in his mind.

 

The tribal people sit at a place in the village for chatting, dancing, singing and even taking serious matters of the village. In many of the tribes, there is an institution of youth dormitory, a place where all the unmarried youth of the village assemble at night after a day‟s toil. Before going to bed they tell stories, solve puzzles and give dramatic performance; they also sing and dance; this regular assembly of boys and girls, which is embodied in the tribal institutions of youth.

 

Folklore is a broad category compromising all the myths, legends, folktales, riddles, proverbs and superstitions of a cultural group. In general, folklore is transmitted across generation orally through the process of enculturation. Among the earliest anthropologists, it was Herskovits who systemised folklore studies in anthropology. He suggested five themes occurring in the myths and folktales of all the societies:

  • Catastrophe,
  • Slaying of monsters,
  • Incest,
  • Sibling rivalry and
  • Castration

  Folk –songs, music and dance of the tribal‟s are a composite while which is one of the dominant characteristics of their culture. In folk songs, verse and music go together and the musical aspect is much more reflected in practice. The folk-poetry is merely a vehicle for the folk-tune. The tribal people go on singing a small poem of four to eight lines for hours together with the help of folk-music

 

The simple catchy folk-tunes conveying the feelings and sentiments of their ancestors, their lives and thought, their activities and achievements, their morals and discipline are of great value.

 

The songs are of several kinds. There are life-cycle songs sung at different occasions like birth, marriage and death:

  • Moral songs,
  • Teaching morals
  • Thoughtful songs
  • Teaching the philosophy of human life
  • Simple songs

    5.  Forms of folk culture in India

 

The modern communication media in India coexist with traditional media such as music, particularly the folk and tribal music, dance, drama and puppetry. The folk/ tribal art, music and dance vary from region to region. The folk theatres are seen in its regional variants in almost every linguistic region of the country. The puppetry theatre in many forms- string puppets, rod puppets, glove puppets, leather puppets – are found in different parts of the country.

 

The traditional media viz., folk/tribal art and culture have played a very important role in solving several emotional problems and channelizing the destructive forces into constructive ones. In India, too, music, dance and drama have always played an important role in combating destructive elements and in harmonizing emotional outburst relating to caste, creed, religion and language issues. Several folk forms of entertainment, prevalent in different parts of India, were powerful media of public instruction and a unifying force for emotional integrity. They brought the poor and rich together. Thousands of people, suffering from domestic and psychological problems, used to witness them as a relief to their perplexed life. Such healthy entertainment did dissuade the human beings from destructive activities.

 

6. Creating Cultural Identity

 

Apart from creating cultural identity, fork-art forms have other great social missions. The most important is the collective conscience they produce. The integrity of individuals and equipping them to meet social challenges are a part of this. If the influence exerted by this collective representation is lost, that loss leads an individual to the loss of his self. This is the most important among the complex crises faced by modern society.

 

Dealing with different seasons like the springs, the rain, etc; occasional songs, associated with the festivals and religious songs sung at the time of offerings to deities. Again there are working songs which help in synchronizing the working, e.g., Thumar of the Oraons and Munda which are sung at the time of planting paddy and many craft songs dealing with the actual technique of the craft. For instance mat-making, ploughing, basket-making, etc., are described in simple folk-songs. Such songs are of very great value in teaching the younger generation various crafts in the simplest method.

 

There are songs of historical importance, which through their simple tunes can enlighten the tender minds with the tough subject of history, in the earliest manner. Folk –songs may be classified on the basis of the number of singer. According to this term of reference the tribal folk-songs fall under three heads: group, couple and single. Dance is associated with other aspects of culture as closely as music.

 

Religion and ethnic culture take an important role in the formation of the social structure. Our society consists of structural units based on structural pluralism. Folk arts and folk songs play an important role in their survival. They stand in relation to the power system in every society. Power system is related to caste, gender and economic status.

 

7. Folk Drama

 

The drama, being a product of the masses and having undergone an unconscious process of evolution through the creative genius of the people, represented different trends of the society in their true color. It was, at first, in its community form and was performed by the villagers themselves. Such enthusiasm was witnessed among the people that they would collectively construct and decorate the stage, spend their own money for costumes and ornaments for the play. The artists gave their voluntary services as a part of their national duty. The organization of a drama in a village was a great event accompanied with festivals, community singing, dancing and ceremonial feasts. The guest artists from the other villages used to receive the honour at their hands. A network of such folk dramas was spread all over India. The regions full of artistic activities were less infected by behavior problems and litigation cases.

 

A folk drama is liked by people not because of its production value, but because of its communicability and the relationship between the audience and the performer. The informal way of presentation, the simplicity and freedom from all boredom of technicalities are the very life of a folk drama. The audience should have the feeling of oneness with the performer and should be in tune with his emotions and aspirations. If these factors are lost the whole drama is lost. The traditional folk drama, in India, has its deep roots in the society, only because it strictly adheres to the tradition.

 

There are several other semi-drama type of traditional media of communication such as the Bahurupia art, the mask procession, the Nahan etc. The Bahurupia, for example, is one of the most ancient forms of entertainment prevalent in almost all parts of India. They are most witty people, well versed in the art of costuming, mimicry and imitation. They stay at one place for days together and perform jhankis and mono dramas of several types before their patrons.

 

8. Community Songs and Dances

 

India had a band of religious teachers and gurus, leading people to the path of pious living and high thinking. Their teachings were made palatable through artistic renderings, such as community singing, dancing and devotional songs. These artistic activities and ways of living were a very healthy substitute for destructive and immoral ways of living. Community singing, such as kirtans, bhajans and hari kaths were great potential factors in bringing people nearer, irrespective of their class, creed and color. The numerous folk entertainments such as „Bahurupi Kala‟, „Snake charming‟, „Terahtal‟, „Dummy horse dancing‟, „Nat acrobatics‟, etc. were so popular that no Indian home, in both rural and urban areas, was left without a performance of these at least once a year. All Indian ceremonies, marriages and festivals, were full of dances and songs. All religious and community centers were associated with some sort artistic expression as a means of spiritual development and understanding of complex human nature. These art forms were practiced in relationship with life and for the achievement of Artha, Dharma, Kama, Mokshah – that is for the growth of a complete human being. They helped us to love each other and live and let others live peacefully and harmoniously.

 

9. Puppetry

 

Puppetry is perhaps the most outstanding traditional medium which requires patronage and trial. The Indian traditional puppet art, as envisaged in the puppets was principally meant to highlight the achievements of our ancestors and all those distinguished personalities who had contributed to the growth of the human society. The puppets were carved in most fantastic and interesting figures. Their limitations and deficiencies in the sizes, action, movements and autonomy have a science of their own and are governed by principles based on experience and study on the part of the Indian traditional puppeteer.

 

The heavy stress on stylization and symbolization in Indian puppetry is to make the emotional appeal of the puppet powerful and lasting. That is why a puppet character, while in action, has more impact on the audience than a human character. Another factor that contributes to the effectiveness of the puppet is its independent personality unlike a human actor.

 

10. Oral Communication

 

India has a rich tradition of oral communication. It has many forms such as sermon, speech, verse, song, folk music, drama etc. Information is dissemination through hari kathas, qawalis, public meetings and group discussions. The daily group prayer meetings in towns and villages, travelers‟ tales, fairs and festivals, religious concourses held periodically at major pilgrimage centers such as Kumbh Mela at Allahabad have been popular media of oral communication.

 

11. Influence on Modernism

 

However with the passage of time and advent of globalization, witnessed the emergence of a synthetic homogeneous macro-culture. Under the influence of such a voracious all-pervasive macro-culture the diversified heterogeneous tribal/folk culture of our country are suffering from attrition and erosion. Thus the stupendous socio-cultural exclusivity of the multifarious communities at the different nooks and corners of our country are getting endangered.

 

Tribal art, like folk art, has also progressed considerably due to the constant developmental efforts of the Indian government and other organizations. Tribal art generally reflects the creative energy found in rural areas that acts as an undercurrent to the craftsmanship of the tribal people. Tribal art ranges through a wide range of art forms, such as wall paintings, tribal dances, tribal music, and so on.

 

Summary

 

India had always been known as the land that portrayed cultural and traditional vibrancy through its conventional arts and crafts. The 35 states and union territories sprawled across the country have their own distinct cultural and traditional identities, and are displayed through various forms of art prevalent there. Every region in India has its own style and pattern of art, which is known as folk art. Other than folk art, there is yet another form of traditional art practiced by several tribes or rural population, which is classified as tribal art. The folk and tribal arts of India are very ethnic and simple, and yet colourful and vibrant enough to speak volumes about the country’s rich heritage.

 

Folk art in India apparently has a great potential in the international market because of its traditional aesthetic sensibility and authenticity. The rural folk paintings of India bear distinctive colorful designs, which are treated with religious and mystical motifs. Some of the most famous folk paintings of India are the Madhubani paintings of Bihar, Patachitra paintings from the state of Odisha, the Nirmal paintings of Andhra Pradesh, and other such folk art forms. Folk art is however not restricted only to paintings, but also stretches to other art forms such as pottery, home decorations, ornaments, cloths-making, and so on. In fact, the potteries of some of the regions of India are quite popular among foreign tourists because of their ethnic and traditional beauty.

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SUGGESTED READING

 

Books that can be consulted for a more in-depth consideration of nonhuman skeletal biology

  • Dube, S.C., 1990, Indian Society, New Delhi, National Book Trust
  • Hasnain, Nadeem, 2004, Indian Society and Culture: Continuity and Change, New Delhi, Jawahar Publishers and Distributors

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