By Our Reporter
SHILLONG: A couple from The Netherlands has come up with an art installation depicting the Khasi culture and highlighting the problems and challenges being faced by the Khasi society.
The couple (Arnos Peeters and Iris Honderdos) has created a multi-dimensional portrayal of Khasi culture, its precious heritage and its fragile existence through the art installation.
Among others, the couple have used the Seven Huts (Hynniewtrep), the mythological bridge connecting Heaven and earth, the traditional rain shield (Knup) as illustrations of the Khasi culture.
The couple has come up with this art installation after a month of extensive tour to various villages and interactions with various local academicians, traditional heads, students and others to get an inside into the Khasi culture and society.
The art installation would be unveiled at a function to be held at Don Bosco Youth Centre Hall on Tuesday at 4 pm.
The art project is part of a global initiative ‘Visualising Development with Identity’ of the Royal Tropical Institute in The Netherlands.
The couple was hosted and assisted by the Martin Luther Christian University (MLCU) during the course of the project.
During an interaction with media person on Monday, Peeters said that they have tried to portray the dangers threatening the Khasi community in the form of a snake.
He said that one of the major threats which concern the Khasi community is the large scale illegal immigration.
“The local indigenous populations are somewhat responsible for this illegal immigration. People are encouraging illegal migration to get hold of the ‘cheap labour force’ from outside to work in their mines,” Peeters said.
Another threat to the Khasi society is the influence of western culture among the young population, he said.
“I have felt that there is a tendency among the local population to follow western musicians. This is not a good trend since local traditional music is losing its popularity,” Peeters said, while insisting that the young population should not forget their roots.
When asked about the choice of colours – Red, Green and Gold – which they have depicted in the art installation, Peeters said Red signified blood and danger; Green represented the greenery of the place while Gold depicted the resources located here.
Meanwhile, MLCU vice-chancellor Glen Kharkongor said they are contemplating to put this art installation at the museum of the Don Bosco Centre of Indigenous Culture (DBCIC), Mawlai locality here or to be exhibited in different parts of the world.