The need for results-oriented research on various aspects of life of the tribes of the North Eastern Region and authentic documentation of their traditional culture was stressed in a Seminar held here on July 25.
The Seminar on “Tribal Research in the North Eastern Region”, organised by the North Eastern Council in collaboration with the Anthropological Survey of India, underscored the need for coordination of research efforts of various agencies in the North-East including the Universities. Tribal Research Institutes and Anthropological Survey of India and recommended that greater attention should be paid by all the Constituent State Governments in the North East for strengthening their Directorates of Tribal Research.
Seminar also suggested that while ensuring authentic preservation of the actual patterns of various facts of tribal life as they had been and as they wore at present, effort should also be made to create conditions to promote growth of tribal culture through new creation and resurgence.
Inaugurating the Seminar, Mr P H Trivedi, Secretary of the North Eastern Council, referred to the rich diversity of colourful tribal culture in the North East and narrated the pace of rapid transformation obtaining in the tribal society. While describing the levels of progress achieved by the different tribal communities, Mr Trivedi referred to the apprehension regarding the retention of their cultural identities in the face of inroads and invasion from the cultures of historically advanced and economically well off communities. The geographical isolation coupled with a number of socio-economic factors posed before the tribal communities in North East certain problems in respect of retention of their cultural identities, Mr Trivedi added. He said that while accent on development of the tribal area was laudable for improving the standard of living of the people, care should be taken for authentic documentation of their traditional patterns of cultural life. Participating in the discussion Dr Bhupen Hazarika, eminent Musicologist and Film Director explained the necessity of taking up appropriate measures for preservation of their traditional form of tribal music through proper documentation. He also expressed the hope that new generation of musicians from among the tribal would be able to create fresh musical patterns without snapping the roots and without distorting the original forms and the beauty or without losing the flavour of soil.
Dr R. E. Danda, Director, Anthropological Survey of India explained the role of his organization in preparing research documents.