Symposium on Indigenous Heritage

We thank all speakers and participants of the 'Symposium on Indigenous Heritage' held at CEPT University on 03rd May 2024 organised by Center for Heritage Conservation (CHC) and the University’s Master’s Program in Architectural History and Research (MAHR). 

Mr. Sourav Roy, CEO of Tata Steel Foundation (TSF) delivered the keynote. He spoke about TSF's initiatives on tribal identity, rationale and ethics of the initiatives and about Samvaad Ecosystem. 

This was followed by presentations on narratives from recent research carried out in 2023-2024 on indigenous sites of cultural significance. Narratives included topics such as: megalithic practices and landscapes of the Ho, Bhumij and Munda tribes; cultural practices and meanings associated with hearth of the Ho community; burial grounds and ponds of Limbu community across regions of India-Nepal; and methods, field notes, and on-site interactions with the Oraon Adivasi community. The presentations were by Arya Renu Baburaj, Samyuktha Krishnan, Sharayu Wadekar, Ankita Subudhi, Shivani Iyengar, Bhakti Savsani, Ashmita Gupta and Richa Shah.

In the concluding session, Dr. Gauri Bharat reflected on her book 'In Forest, Field and Factory: Adivasi Habitations through Twentieth Century'. She specifically elaborated on the diversity in the practice of mural-making amongst Santhals and the continuing transformations in the practice. Jayashree Bardhan presented an overview of existing frameworks for the study of indigenous heritage, current thematic areas within the discourse along with possibilities of further areas of enquiry and reflection.