India in its vast geographical expanse fosters varied identities formed by indigenous cultural practices. Through flowing rivers, towering mountains, and infinite desert lands have emerged our music, dances, arts, and crafts; with all this grew our politics. Politics of life and land have been nurtured and sculpted by these cultural identities, which have also laid grounds for the formation of soc
ial structures that have both created historic cultural edifices, as well as caused socio-economic havoc. Language, caste, religion, food and clothing habits, occupations, can all be perceived as derivatives of these identities. From historians to social scientists, many have studied the bond between people and the lands that they live in. Level of civilization is often measured by a community’s ability to derive “maximum productivity” from its lands. But that measure seldom takes into consideration the value of a community’s cultural practices that have developed around elements of the land that they have occupied for centuries. Even nomadic communities, traditionally not having possessed one single piece of land, have deep-rooted connections to the terrains that they traverse. Their identities are an assimilation of elements hence making it impossible to replicate. Cultural identities through their various manifestations constantly work to keep up with changing times. Technological advances, fluctuating political scenarios, emerging market trends, infrastructural developments, higher economic aspirations, all take turns chipping away parts of these identities, and their practices. Globalization is rapidly causing ambiguity, rendering several of these unique identities and their practices passé. However globally, India is still identified as a cultural nation. We are often remembered by our glorious cultural history, and are today still seen as a treasure trove of traditions and heritage. India’s tourism is packaged around these cultures that have gone on to contribute close to 7% of our GDP. Is this irony, or are we as a nation in a serious state of cognitive dissonance? Are we not in denial over the imminent threat that these cultural identities face in today’s manufactured world? Can arts survive sans the artistes? – Can cultures survive sans its custodians? Inspired by the understanding that – every element of human life begins and ends with a piece of land – this collective calls itself ‘Ek Potlee Ret Ki’. A Hindustani phrase that translates to ‘One pouch/fist full of sand/land’. The Collective:
The Ek Potlee Ret Ki collective is journeying across various states, bringing to light the voices of strength, struggle and survival. Exploring nuanced socio-political structures within communities and its impact on their art, craft and living. In India, most cultural practices, be it performing, fine art, or craft traditions, have historically been the occupation of the lower castes and the disenfranchised. Highly skilled, yet the most impoverished, and marginalised are these communities; owners of our invaluable cultural heritage. Sometimes tribal, sometimes nomadic, sometimes Dalit, these are people who have repeatedly faced social oppression, economic exclusion, and political exploitation. The collective functions as a democratic entity providing space for its members to study and work on different aspects of cultural identity. Individuals who have come together to form this collective are mostly activists who have spent time working on various grassroots issues and movements. This gives Ek Potlee Ret Ki a unique advantage; the ability to understand and look at art and craft as elements of day-to-day existence of the poor. The collective is also making a concentrated effort to identify and document (archive) communities that are at the verge of extinction, and have for centuries preserved their arts and crafts as hereditarily transferred oral practices. All documentation done by members of the collective will be made available on public domains, in an effort to make it widely accessible, and to increase awareness and remove any market monopoly on content. The collective will also strive to gain an understanding of what the poor in this country perceive of “development” and what role they wish to play in it. Ek Potlee Ret Ki will ultimately form a platform that will mobilise hereditary and indigenous cultural communities as one, to fight in unity to preserve diverse individual identities.
