THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: As the row over the tribal museum at Keraleeyam refuses to die down, Minister for Welfare of Scheduled Castes and Tribes K Radhakrishnan said the tribal communities were not showpieces and he was personally against their live exhibition.
The minister said the Folkore Academy had set up the museum with an innocuous intention. They wanted to show the new generation the history of tribal people. “They had no intention to demean tribal people. My personal opinion is that live exhibition of tribal people is not right. We had given an instruction in that regard,” he said. The minister said the Folklore Academy should examine whether any error has occurred on its part.
Meanwhile, Folklore Academy chairman O S Unnikrishnan said the museum was set up after discussing with the tribal chiefs and criticisms are now being raised without assessing the facts. In a video posted on a social media platform, he said the Folklore Academy was against showcasing the tribal community members. The intention of the programme was to show the history of the tribal communities.
“Don’t criticise because someone took the photos and circulated them in a wrong manner. If someone points out any valid mistake, we are ready to apologise,” he added.
The museum set up at Kanakakunnu triggered a controversy after members from five tribal communities showcased their culture by putting up a live display. The main criticism was that the act of prompting the members of the highly marginalized communities to put up a live display wearing obsolete costumes and to pose before the camera was a violation of their rights and an act belittling their stature.