Past

Amidst the modern influences that often lead to the fading of tribal cultural practices, the Tetseo Sisters stand as a beacon of cultural preservation and innovation. Their deep love and commitment to their traditional songs, instruments, and costumes have not only kept their rich heritage alive but have also propelled them to global recognition as a renowned Folk Fusion act.

The film industry has frequently misrepresented Indigenous communities. Naomi Johnson discusses how imagineNATIVE supports Indigenous creators in telling their own stories, which helps correct these inaccuracies.

Sustainable fashion is an emerging initiative that is often not connected to tribal communities. Iba Mallai showcases how her brand KINIHO adopts a sustainable and ethical approach to fashion by employing the traditional techniques of northeastern tribal communities.

An aspect that often goes unnoticed in India is the architecture and planning of and for the various tribal communities, especially in the light of rapid urbanization and "development." Through her projects, Jade Kake illustrates how urban planning and tribal architecture can work together to help present and future generations stay connected to their tribal roots.

One of the areas that often go unnoticed is the food culture of tribal communities. Karen Yepthomi explores the tribal food systems of some Naga tribes, providing insights into entrepreneurship in the food sector.

In the present day, many people visit both natural and artificial attractions to enjoy amazing experiences. The Weta Workshop LBE team shares their approach to creating long-lasting, memorable experiences for visitors.

With the rise in indigenous-influenced fashion, designers often struggle to collaborate effectively with these communities. Lenora Cabili, through her brand Filip+Inna, demonstrates how designers can work with indigenous artisans and cultures to create contemporary products while maintaining cultural authenticity and respecting indigenous heritage.

In the perceived distant realm of the fashion industry from Indian tribal communities, Andrea emerges as a fervent model and actor. She ardently champions diversity and advocates for indigenous representation, bridging the gap between these worlds within the fashion and film industries.

Originating in India, chess has spread worldwide, adapting to various interpretations. Samanda Nora Pyngrope develops individual chess pieces that reflect the cultural values of the Khasi community while remaining recognizable for the broader enjoyment of the game.

Music festivals only thought of as enjoyable events for the younger generation. Bobby Hano shares how the Ziro Music Festival not only provides a platform for audience enjoyment but also contributes to the community development of the Apatani tribe.

Each one is in some way influenced by music around us and music has many connections which people may or may not be aware of. Christof Zurn shares his findings on these intricacies of music and human behavior.

Many people are aware of the nutritional benefits of millets but not about how the food systems were integrated – their self-sufficiency and sustainability. Vishala Reddy Vuyyala shares how Millet Bank aims to educate the younger generation about millets and help agrarian tribal communities.

Tribal communities are frequently perceived as disinterested in economic affairs. However, Jean Dreze sheds light on the distinctive economic dynamics within these communities, revealing a landscape characterized by both challenges and opportunities.

With present times, people have forgotten about tribal governance and autonomy. Aashish Xaxa delves into the intricate dynamics of tribal land governance and autonomy, shedding light on the impact of legal frameworks in areas like Shillong and Jharkhand.

Amidst modernization, Shakuntala Marndi highlights the tribal community's close bond with nature, urging for its preservation.

In present times, the importance of sustainability and the preservation of tradition is increasingly evident. Diego Olivero sheds light on the profound impact that local craftsmanship and traditional techniques can have in addressing these pressing concerns

Many remain unaware of the rich tapestry of knowledge surrounding textile heritage and its cultural significance, where each form and color bears profound meaning within the community. Rubashi Brahma sheds light on the transformative power of design and how it can play a pivotal role in fostering a deeper understanding of these intricacies.

Games have frequently been perceived primarily as sources of entertainment rather than educational tools. However, Carl Peterson introduces a refreshing perspective with his culturally sensitive and engaging games. Designed to raise awareness about indigenous cultures and languages, his creations serve as interactive platforms for learning while entertaining players.

It's a common observation that handicrafts in urban areas are often intermediated by third parties lacking deep understanding of the craft or the communities behind them. Sofia Cruz's organization bridges this gap, facilitating connections between communities and sellers who appreciate both the craft and its cultural significance.

In the face of increasing urbanization, a growing number of people find themselves distanced from the rich tapestry of their ancestral roots and community bonds. Alyen Foning shares how she utilizes art as a powerful medium to bridge the gap and rekindle the flame of connection with the stories and wisdom of our forebears.

Higher education and community development go hand in hand in the present times. Nilanjana Moitra shares how the Indian higher education system fits in the overall development of a student from a tribal community.

Fashion is one of the main contributors of setting trends and also generating wastes. Anuj Sharma share how the concept of Button Masala is both fashionable and sustainable.

Even though India is very famous for the diverse variety of a number of festivals, still not much is known about the tribal festivals in the mainstream. Upendra Sinha shares his experience in documenting tribal festivals in Chhattisgarh.

There is a deep connection between the natural resources and tribal communities. Raja Varun is on a quest to document the relationships which the tribal communities share with the nature and the stories which lie within.

There are many troubles which the rural communities of the developing countries face. Blessing Oritseweyinmi Mene shares how he tries to tackle those problems with the help of indigenous knowledge system.

Toys and games are often seen only as a source of entertainment, but not many know that they can be used as a powerful tool for sharing information. Kartik Butola shares his experience of planning and designing toys to share some knowledge about different tribal communities.

There is a lack of tribal language learning material in the urban spaces. Sneh Lata Soreng shares some of her projects which focuses on helping urban tribal children to learn their language and culture through toys and stories.

India holds a number of diverse cultures and the products which originates from there. Hetvi Trivedi shares the India’s GI protection system which can help recognize, support and promote these products to bring socio-economic benefits to the communities.

Museums play an important role in telling stories about community, cultures and lifestyle, same for tribal indigenous community. Nikita Desai shares how to create interactive and immersive experiences for the visitor at the museum and other location with the emergence of new technologies, multimedia and mix-media.

“Art and culture are nonetheless vital, essential even, to what it means to be human” (Astra Taylor). Saheb Ram Tudu shares how he carves Santhali culture through different forms of art.

Various international organizations claim that indigenous communities are critical in the mitigation of climate change but very rarely do we see a clear and comprehensive connection made that would illustrate this point in greater depth. Nonette Royo talks about why and how indigenous communities are crucial to climate change.

There are millions of small businesses in India which do provide employment but running them proves to be difficult. Piya Bahadur shares how she and her team created MeraBills to financially and digitally empower them so that they are brought into mainstream.

Museums have often only non-living objects to showcase the history of tribal/adivasi communities in India. Devesh Mishra shares how a tribal eco-village can provide as a living museum which would provide a better understanding of tribal communities.

Tourism has been widely connected to a luxurious lifestyle. David Leventhal shares how luxury, tourism and sustainability can go hand in hand by connecting tourism with local communities.

Social work is widely appreciated but people do not go deeper into what it actually is. Dr. Bipin Jojo shares what is social work and the history of tribes and social work.

In the present generation people are fascinated with robotics and Prasun Basu shares robotics, prosthetics and cutting edge technology can make storytelling more compelling and exciting.

Indigenous communities, handicrafts and weaving are often interrelated. Lucie Tailhades shares how Trend Ethics works with indigenous communities around weaving.

Chocolates are mainly seen as a product of the western market. Germán Santillán shares that it is not the case for the Mixtec region of Oaxaca and how this can help restore the social dynamics.

Cultural events are only seen as events which one visits for an experience. Ivan M. Petrovic shares how such cultural events can help boost the local economy and much more.

The misconceptions around mud construction prevails in the contemporary times. Joelle Eyeson talks about how modern day mud construction are both sustainable and an extension of the community’s culture.

Photographs have always been used to present the visual image of something. Jero Gonzales, shares how he uses photographs to create an audio and moving image.

Sustainable environment has been a common occurring topic in the present times. Ankur Choksi shares how local craftsmanship, architecture and design can help achieve sustainable environment.

The extent of diversity in Indian indigenous music is not known to the world. Vasu Dixit shares how through PaDa project he wants the world to know the diversity and beauty of indigenous music and culture.

Indigenous motifs have rarely been used in the field of sports and athletics. Fiona Clarke shares her journey to designing indigenous T20 Australian Cricket jersey.

Many indigenous cultures are considered mystic and fill people with awe. Sejal Rathwa demystifies one such indigenous cultures and shares more about Pithora paintings.

Fashion has been a greatly influential part of one’s life. Glenda Yanez shares how indigenous high fashion clothes spreads a sense of equality among indigenous women in Bolivia.

The fashion industry is known their high number of wastes. Karishma Shahani Khan talks about how, through the labels Ka-Sha and Heart to Haat, she is trying to promote upcycling and recycling fashion.

Tribal communities are known for their beautiful and unique crafts. Anurag Rana shares how these crafts can help in crafting the livelihoods of those indigenous communities.

There are many rising indigenous artists from the Northeast India. Not Funny is such a band who have recently garnered attention with their song ‘Dance with me’

Tribal Design Forum organised a talk exclusively for the students of National Institute of Fashion Technology (NIFT) – Bhubaneshwar, to introduce them to the concept of indigenous knowledge system and indigenous designs and designer which has greatly impacted the fashion and design industry and will continue to do so in the future.

When building something for the indigenous communities, their ideas and views regarding the structure are often ignored. Wanda Dalla Costa shares how IDC works together with indigenous students and communities to create for them.

Tribal tattoos have recently in trend with the younger generation. Mo Naga shares how these tattoos are something sacred and have been passed down from generation to generation.

In this modern era there is a lack of indigenous elements in the modern architectures. Jefa Greenaway shares how he and his team work together to incorporate the indigenous elements in the modern day structures

City and Rural tourism is mostly seen at the center of tourism movement and indigenous tourism is often left out. Jean-Philippe Le Moigne shares what Indigneous tourism is and how one should go about it.

Posters which were popular in previous era are not as much popular now. Felipe Taborda shares how Posters can be used as a powerful source of communication in the present times.

Deepa Kozhisseri shares her research on the communities living in the Attapadi Hills and how their dependency on nature has gradually changed with time.

The Rights of Nature and the Principle of Good Living are terms which are gaining popularity in recent years. Jenny García Ruales shares how the concept of Good Living came into being, how it is intertwined with the rights of nature and the indigenous communities.

The existence of Khovar and Sohrai murals of Hazaribagh is not well known to the people. Justin Imam shares how those cave arts were explored and how he and his family took different measures to popularize the Murals and the Khovar and Sohrai art of that region.

Many projects for the indigenous communities are planned but are unable to be carried out effectively. Prof. Gareth Loudon shares how Human Centered Design can rectify that and help in improving the efficiency of the projects.

There are not many examples of innovative use of tribal traditional knowledge in the modern urban society. Manjula C. shares how the traditional knowledge of the Irulars have been helping and can help the modern society

Newspapers, magazines and other publications occupy an important part of our lives but not much is known what goes behind the creation of them. Anand Naorem shares how editorial design play an important role in publications.

Northeastern India is full of a variety of unique indigenous produces which is not well known to others. Zeinorin Angkang shares how through a repetitive business model she is able to help the indigenous farmers there and also share the produces outside Northeastern India.

The urban society has lost its’ touch with their tribal roots and there is a need for innovative ways to revive and reintroduce them to the society. Abhishek Sahu, a student of Strategic Design Management, NID Gandhinagar, shares his project of exploring games and play to spread awareness about Indian tribal communities.

People often relate astronomy with what has been finalized in the mainstream. Prof. Mayank Vahia shares how astronomy is amongst the great intellectual traditions of all tribes, focusing on Indian tribes.

There have always been an issue of incorporating the indigenous elements into the fashion world which are appeasing. Epeli Tuibeqa talks about how in his work he tries to embody his indigenous culture from the fabric to the motifs.

Luxury and luxury brands are a popular thing but people don’t know much about what goes in it. Philippe Mihailovich shares the history and present practices of luxury and luxury brands.

There are many misconceptions about the Native Americans to the people living in America and other parts of the world. Jared Kee Yazzie talks about his works in which he tells the story about his community through fashion.

With the progressing times, it is hard to find the youth being aware of and enthusiastic of their folk music and instruments. The band Koloma shares their ambition to make people aware of the Tripuri folk music and instruments through their folk fusion songs.

The media greatly lacks in proper portrayal of the Indian tribal communities. Deepak Bara shares how he and his team try to make people aware of the proper portrayal of the tribal communities and the various issues which they face.

Sustainable Development is something which is being widely discussed in recent times. Anugrah Pandi talks about how the Lepcha tribe has been living sustainably for a very long time and how these practices should be preserved.

The Indian tribal cuisine has been left unexplored and undocumented. Ashish Chopra talks about how one can discover these tribal cuisines by travelling to the tribal communities and documenting their unique cuisine.

The young generation is gradually moving away from their roots and forgetting where they come from. Takar Nabam shares his experience of reconnecting with his roots through music.

The water bodies have been facing great changes due to man-made infrastructures either near them or on them but most of these changes have been causing the water bodies to deteriorate. Miguel Figuera shares his experience in creating structure to complement the water bodies and make people aware of the crisis which is increasing.

People often take music as a hobby and not pursue it career. John Mpamei shares how hobbies can be pursued as one’s career just by believing in oneself and staying positive in every situation.

The Indigenous food system all across the globe have been perishing with time and a lot of it have already been lost due to various reasons. Chef Sean Sherman shares his experience of reviving these diminishing indigenous food system not just in the United States but also all across the globe.

The music industry seems something foreign and unattainable. Apurva Tamang shares his experience in the music industry and as a singer- songwriter.

The history of tribal communities in India is an unknown area to a large group of people. Dr. Ganesh Devy talks about the tribal communities in India and what Adivasis have faced since the colonial times to make people aware of the tribal communities.

Not much is known about how history can be represented as an artistic expression. Shirley Bhatnagar explains how contemporary life style is represented on the objects and how an artist and a designer can use the essence and ethos and present it in a manner that is more understandable.

With tribal arts being reinterpreted it is important to know about its origin. Gina Joseph shares how she reinterprets tribal arts together with their stories embedded in wearable art.

There is not much known about active tribal institutes and what do they do. Dr. Madan Meena, the Honorary Director of Adivasi Academy gives an insight to the Adivasi Academy and some of their noteworthy activities.

Many northeastern indigenous cultures and attires are diminishing because the youth are not informed about them well. Michri Sangma shares her series ‘Yesterday, Today, Tomorrow’ highlighting her Garo tribe in modern light.

Indigenous cuisine is rapidly losing its essence as it is kept separated from the mainstream market. Raja Sharma Rymbai talks about how Slow Food and Indigenous Food Network is preserving, promoting and reviving indigenous cuisine all around the world.

The issue of diminishing Lepcha culture and music is increasing and the Lepcha youth are ignorant of this. The band Sofiyum has been reintroducing the Lepcha culture and music to the youth through their musical performance of the forgotten Lepcha music and fusion music.

Rangskhembor shares some of his works, most of which are from the series ‘Turmeric and Ash’ and some from his other projects.

Schools are often pictured as a place with certain rules and someone teaching the children to follow those rules and the existing education system. Abhijit Sinha talks about an alternative system where the learners are the educators and there is no need for an external person to guide them.

The web series ‘Dream and Chaos’ has been gaining popularity for its theme and the portrayal of the contemporary lifestyle of the Northeastern India. The director Bendang Walling and actors Limasenla Jamir and Kilangtemsu Imsong talk share what went on in the making of the web series.

Designing characters for a certain story is quite a difficult task. Vaibhav Kumaresh shares his experience of designing characters for short animations and how to design them.

Often local characters with contemporary issues are not seen in the world of literature. Sentilong Ozukum provides his audience with novels dealing with contemporary issues through the characters which the locals can recognise as themselves.

The set of books prescribed by the Indian education system and general knowledge of the biodiversity lacks a major portion of local content which the child can relate to. Chewang Rinchen Lepcha shares his experience of working on projects which can promote local content in depth for the child’s better understanding.

Many of the tribal festivals are getting forgotten due to the lack of enthusiasm and knowledge of the festivals in the modern generation. Gunjal Ikir Munda and Anupam Purty are attempting to revive such festivals by igniting enthusiasm in the new generation by re-introducing the activities associated with these festivals.

The Adivasi and Dalit children are often ignored by the Indian education system due to poverty coming in the way of their education and they are unable to receive modern digitalized education like most privileged children. Padma Shri Geeta Dharmarajan tries to provide what these children lack in their education through Katha Magic Lab.

Tribal communities of Jharkhand are not often represented or been the main protagonist of the mainstream film industry. Shishir Jha tries to break this system with his Santali feature film ‘Tortoise Under the Earth’.

Tribal motifs have yet to enter the digital space to be used by all. Ishan Khosla connects the tribal motifs and the digital space by creating typeface of these motifs called typecraft which helps in promoting tribal art and culture.

There is little knowledge of the tribal forest food system and mahuwa is often categorized as the doom of tribal community because it helps in the production of local alcohol. But Dr. Basavi Kiro shares that mahuwa is not just a raw material for alcohol but it also has many medicinal properties which if used correctly would bring about great change in the tribal community.

There is lack of spaces which are interactive and sustainable playgrounds with locally sourced materials for the children to have a play based learning. Pooja Rai tries to build playscapes which inculcates a sense of responsibility in children towards the environment.

A lot of tribal communities of Jharkhand are suffering economically as they do not have a solid source of income. Akashdeep Khalkho finds a solution for this issue by introducing the women to the creation and production of rugs and durries which they can design to fit the contemporary market style.

When making policies for a community the needs and demands of the community is usually misinterpreted or not understood completely. Sruthi Krishnan tackles this issue with the help of play designed to help the policy makers and the communities to interact and share information among themselves tacitly.

There has been a lack of animated content made by Indians for the children since the introduction of channels for children and what is available is still lacking. Longbir Ingti Kathar shares his experience as an animator in the Indian Animation Industry and the challenges and solutions to the lack of animated Indian content for the children.

Little is known of the indigenous Peruvian groups and the indigenous world views and people's responsibility towards the environment. Uriel Ukumary Montúfar, through photography tries to convey the customs and rituals of the indigenous groups and their close relationship with the environment.

There is still a lot to be discovered about the dying technique of the Ao-Naga tribe. Meisen Jamir has made an attempt to rediscover her tribe and its indigo dying technique with contemporary designs.

There is a lack of knowledge about various mediums of storytelling. Allen Shaw shares his idea of how sketches can become a medium of storytelling and his journey and experience as a travelling sketching artist.

The tribal communities of India are often marginalized and stigmatized by the mainstream which prevents them to spread their wings beyond the boundaries created by others for them. Ruby Hembrom shares her journey of fighting against the stigma and the boundaries to bring forth the stories of the tribal communities of India to the mainstream.

There has been an increase in textile wastes as clothes are thrown away after the desired use. Medha Bhatt uses the idea of upcycling textiles of the Rajput communities to counter the increasing wastes and using them to create stories in textiles.

Indians have such great heritage but nothing to offer the tourists in terms of what they can take back as souvenirs,there is a need to spread awareness about the Indian monuments andwhat is already available as souvenirs is lacking in so many ways. Shalinee Ghosh and FroggMag tries to tackle all these with artistically pleasing designs which accentuates the hidden beauties of Indian monuments and tribal Indian art.

Design is often limited to designing a certain product only like textiles, clothes, accessories, digital deigns, etc. and the vast opportunities of developing communities through design is usually not taken into consideration. Juhi Pandey talks about the immense possibilities of community development which is influenced by design.

The textile crafts of Nagaland have been diminishing with time as no economic opportunities created for them. Kevisedenuo Margaret Zinyu together with Woven Threads explores these crafts and search for opportunities in the area of home décor.

The Native Americans are still believed to be stereotypically dressed in regalia’s and often ignore the idea of them normally dressed in modern clothes like any other person. Tailyr Irvine tries to remove the stereotype stuck onto the Native Americans and how the laws enforced by the colonisers are the cause of restricting them within their community.

Often service designs are created from a producers perspectives and the customer’s perspective usually gets ignored. Dr. Ted Matthews shares his idea of designing services which greatly favors customer’s perspectives giving fan experiences.

There is lack of promotion of products made by tribal communities. Lisa Cahill shares her experience of promoting tribal products through exhibitions, talks and events.

The present society is greatly influenced by the western culture which overshadows our cultural identity and has led to the fading away of the exclusivity of the identities. The word uncivilized is often used for those people who have stuck to their roots/identity, and often considered uneducated or backward. Roohani Sawhney shares how through The Last Avatar, the prevailing idea of identity and backwardness has been countered.

There is lack of initiatives taken to come up with solutions to the different kinds of inconveniences present in Sikkim without taking into consideration the local community, people and landscape. Sonam Tashi Gyaltsen, co-founder of Echostream shares some of his projects that are solely built to benefit the local community by coming up with various projects to counter different problems present in Sikkim.

Unable to reconnect with one’s culture and community has been an increasing phenomenon in the present generation. Alex King shares her journey of Photography and how it is a powerful tool which has helped her in finding a way to have connections and contacts around the world.

The people residing in Makoko are undervalued and the government is trying to demolish the place they are residing in and the truth about the place is often twisted or greatly misinterpreted. But Akintunde Akinleye talks about the hidden truth that can be uncovered only by visiting the place and his experience of uncovering truths of such places through photography.

Representing indigenous communities through contemporary art to help in letting the world know about the community more. Danie Mellor shares his work inspired by infrareds which bring out the hidden stories in the photographs.

The modern architecture with cement and bricks greatly contribute to the increasing carbon footprints and there is a need for a sustainable alternative method. Mud houses usually have been compared to the modern buildings and portrayed as inferior to them. Swati Sushmita Lakra shares her idea of modern mud architecture which can not only decrease the carbon footprints but is also a great sustainable solution for both man and nature.

The crafts of the Tharu tribe and Gabada tribe have great potential to be explored and evolve for the market. Meghna Ajit shares her experience in challenging the people to explore their craft and the various possibilities which would help them in their universal appeal.

The tribal communities are often described as primitive, backward and unchanged. But this is not the case, they do evolve and in no way they are primitive and backward. Tara Douglas attempts to make the tribes be accepted by the animated films. The younger generation is losing touch with the stories of their communities, therefore there is a rising need to sustain the stories to give them a new life for the new generation.

The the enthusiasm of the Khunti based Munda tribe weavers has decreased greatly in keeping the weaving craft and its significance alive due to economic reasons. Kanishtha Kujur shares her experience of how the significance of the details on the fabric have been lost but the weavers are still imbedding them to keep the originality and true meaning of the fabric alive.

There is a gap between the ancestral and contemporary visual symbology. Frida Larios has tried to bridge this gap by spending 15 years on a journey of uncovering layers of own family racism, and practicing the regeneration of her blood memory through two series of picto-glyphs titled: New Maya Language and Animales Interiores, collections based on the logographic principles of ancestral Maya and Pipil hieroglyphics, ceramic objects and oral history, weaving-in: tribal, academic, experiential and place-based, Indigenous-led knowledge.

There is an abundance in skills and natural raw-materials in Meghalaya presenting great opportunities to create handcrafted products using natural materials by sustainable means. Rida Gatphoh and Peter Marbaniang with Dak_ti production model promote collaboration with the idea of coexisting in harmony with nature and made Dak_ti a platform for various master craftsmen across the state of Meghalaya to innovate and to showcase their skills while making a livelihood.

A designer can play a major role to highlight the intertwined relationship between nature and tribal communities. Anirban Dutta Gupta, shared his experiences of working in the Andaman’s highlighting the indigenous knowledge system of the Onges that saved the community from the tsunami devastation. He presented the redevelopment solution of housing through co-designing with the hunting and gathering community.