Oral traditions conference in city from Feb 1

SHILLONG: A conference on “oral traditions” will be organised jointly by Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage (INTACH) and Ambedkar University Delhi (AUD) at the State Convention Centre from February 1-4.
The event titled “Conference on Oral Traditions: Continuity and Transformations North East India and South East Asia”, will highlight the cultural and historical linkages between communities of the region of North East India between each other and East and South East Asia.
The interdisciplinary conference will bring together scholars, artists and organizations involved in the material and visual representation of this region. It will look specifically at living cultures – tangible and intangible- as transformations in the spheres of exchange and spheres of social value.
Other areas include examination of cultural continuities in materials and crafts, social  organisation, technological innovations and from oral traditions.
The conference aims to provide a much needed cultural underpinning to the Eastward gaze of the region.
“The building up of qualitative engagements between cultures, that are separate from larger structures of economics and development, allow voices from the periphery to be heard. This will make it possible to develop long term and sustainable policies of engagement with the larger regions of South East and East Asia,” said a release from the organizers on Saturday.
“This small beginning will spread the emotive bonding that is shared in the unique socio-cultural ethos of the region. Such dialogue will make inclusive development for all communities possible, and take a step towards the resolution of various issues and concerns amicably and constructively,” it added.