ELP was honored to host "The Art of Storytelling and Endangered Languages" on February 13, 2023. This event featured three master storytellers from across India - Bhuri Bai (Bhil), Venkat Shyam (Gond), and Indira Mukherjee - exploring the relationships between storytelling, art, Indigenous languages and cultures, and education.
The event, co-hosted with Miranda House, University of Delhi, also explored how educators can weave together stories, culture, art, and language diversity in the classroom. The handout below is a resource for educators to reflect on language in their classrooms.
About the storytellers and artists:
Bhuri Bai, a renowned artist from Pitol in Madhya Pradesh, was the first Bhil artist to use paper and canvas for her paintings. Bhuri Bai has received numerous awards, like the Shikhar Sanman and Rani Durgavati awards, and most recently, the Padma Shri. She has a special relationship with nature that is reflected in the world of her paintings. Bhuri Bai works as an artist in the Adivasi Lok Kala Academy in Bhopal. At this event, she told the story “Vartal Humlao" in Bhil.
Venkat Raman Singh Shyam, a renowned artist from the Pardhan Gond community from Patangarh in Madhya Pradesh, has received State awards, and his book "Finding My Way" was published in 2016. Venkat has travelled widely all over the world, and his paintings have adorned the walls of many houses and museums. At this event, he told the story "Kissa" in Gondi & Chhattisgarhi.
About the host:
Indira Mukherjee, a storyteller for more than 30 years, has been traveling in the rural and urban areas of India, and also in different parts of the USA, telling and retelling different genres of tales to listeners who belong to different classes and communities.
This event was organized by Anando Ghosh, Amanda Holmes, Anna Belew, and Kelli McLeod.
