MARGAO
Sangeet Natak Akademi Deputy Secretary (Drama) Suman Kumar has said the inclusion of Tiatr as the 56th element in India’s National Inventory of Intangible Cultural Heritage must now be used as a springboard to take the unique Goan art form to the global cultural stage.
Kumar called upon the Tiatr Academy of Goa (TAG) and the Goa Government to intensify efforts to protect the traditional character of Tiatr while simultaneously taking it to academic and cultural institutions across India and to countries where Goans continue to practise the art form.
He was speaking during a meeting with a delegation of the Tiatr Academy of Goa at the Sangeet Natak Akademi in New Delhi on September 10. The delegation was led by TAG President Anthony Barbosa and included TAG Vice-President Marcos Gonsalves and Rajendra Borkar, Officer on Special Duty to Art and Culture Minister Ramesh Tawadkar.
Dr Carlos Fernandes, Fr Doel Dias, Fr Luis Gomes, Jesus Antao, Apolon Rebello, Antonet De Souza, Simon Rebello, Agnelo Esteven Rodrigues, Arnaldo Costa and Norman Cardozo were also part of the delegation.
The delegation visited the Sangeet Natak Akademi to thank the institution for its support and discuss the future course of action towards securing UNESCO recognition for Tiatr following its inclusion in the national inventory.
Kumar said recognition of indigenous cultural heritage gives communities a sense of identity, dignity and value, describing the efforts of TAG and Goan Tiatrists to protect and preserve the art form as “remarkable”.
He stressed that culture must grow “from bottom to top and not from top to bottom”, observing that Goan Tiatrists had themselves played a crucial role in defining, protecting and preserving the distinctive character of Tiatr.
Kumar cautioned against the commercialisation or “brutal marketing” of art and culture without understanding their deeper cultural significance. He said Tiatr must be protected from cultural corruption and should not be allowed to become merely a commercial commodity or be misused for political agendas.
He suggested that TAG should approach countries where Tiatr is actively practised by Goan communities and seek recognition for the art form there. Such international recognition, he said, could strengthen the case for UNESCO recognition by demonstrating Tiatr’s presence as a living cultural tradition beyond Goa.
Kumar also stressed the need to take Tiatr into academic circles across the country. He suggested that TAG and the Goa Government explore establishing a Tiatr-related academic centre or institutional presence in Delhi, enabling students, theatre practitioners, researchers and cultural experts from across India to study the art form.
He proposed scholarships for students interested in researching Tiatr, along with collaboration with institutions dealing with anthropology, theatre and intangible cultural heritage.
Kumar further suggested that an annual Tiatr festival be organised in Delhi, allowing audiences and theatre experts from across the country to experience the art form first-hand. He also proposed comparative studies between Tiatr and other Indian theatre traditions and suggested that teams from the National School of Drama visit Goa to study Tiatr in its traditional environment.
“Let others experience what Tiatr is,” he stressed, while emphasising that its intangible cultural heritage character must remain central to all future initiatives.
Anthony Barbosa briefed Kumar extensively on the origins, evolution and global presence of Tiatr and the activities undertaken by TAG to protect and promote the art form.
Barbosa said TAG was open to suggestions that would help take Tiatr to a wider audience, particularly in academic and cultural circles.
“We are open to all suggestions so that Tiatr reaches the maximum number of people, especially at the academic level, while continuing to practise and preserve our culture,” he said.
Fr Luis Gomes, member of the Tiatr Academic Study and Knowledge (TASK) committee, and other delegation members briefed Kumar about TAG’s academic initiatives, research activities and research journal.
The discussions opened new avenues for collaboration with the Sangeet Natak Akademi and for preparing a broader action plan to give Tiatr a stronger national and international academic and cultural presence.
