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National Centre for Tangible and Intangible Cultural Heritage (NCTICH)

Theyyam – Kala – Academy (തെയ്യം – കല – അക്കാദമി)

Government of Kerala, declared in its budget decision, 2018-19 financial year, to establish Theyyam – Kala – Academy at Thalassery constituency. In continuation of the above decision, Dept. of Culture, Govt. of Kerala, with its GO No. 74/2021 CLAD dated 09/02/2021 issued permissive and administrative sanctions for establishing Theyyam Kala Academy (National Centre for Tangible and Intangible Cultural Heritage). This is an autonomous institution to preserve, reconstruct and renovate monuments places and objects of artistic and historic interest.

Objectives

 

  1. Preserve, Reconstruct and Renovate the Monuments/Places/Objects of Artistic or Historic interest.
  2. Promotion, preservation, propagation, dissemination and onservation of tangible and intangible cultural heritage of Kerala with a broad vision of National perspective.
  3. Showcase the intangible cultural heritage in Arts, Crafts, Traditions, Rituals, Tribal, Classical and Contemporary Art-forms in which the essence of heritage is visible.
  4. Establish International Interaction center for tangible and intangible Arts of India in association with the Union Ministry agencies like Zonal Cultural Centers, ICCR, Anthropological Survey of India, Tribes India, INTACH, IGNCA etc.
  5. Promote Ramayanam-based Theyyam of Dharmadam Andallur Kavu and showcase similar Ramayana theme performance at Bali, Indonesia and other parts of the world and achieve the goal of including Theyyam in the list of UNESCO as an Intangible Cultural Heritage.
  6. Organize Heritage Biennale to promote Theyyam and the Regional Culture of India through participation in programs, exhibitions, seminars, festivals and conferences.
  7. Conserve the Arts and Crafts associated with the megalithic sites in Kerala like Edakkal, Kuppakkolli, Marayur, Sintruni, Porkkalam and Eyyal. Establish Heritage Tourism Spots and address, promote, and propagate tangible and intangible cultural heritage of the territory and nation. Conserve and investigate important inscriptions of Kerala like Chera (AD 820-844), Jewish Copper Plate, Budhist Viharas, Venad, Perumbadavam, Kadamattam Church, Madayi Mosque, Mattancherry and Chennamangalam. Promote Cultural Tourism and send Cultural Troupes to National and International functions and festivals.
  8. Conserve and investigate the art and craft inscriptions of Kerala found from outside of Kerala like Ashoka’s Rock Edict II (Girnar), Aranattumalai Karur (Tamilnadu), Chalukya Inscription, Chola Inscription, PANDYA Inscription (Anamalai), Ravivarma Kulakshethra (Kanchi, Sreerangam)
  9. Identification, classification, dissemination of Art, Culture, Heritage and Craft associated with foreign accounts and chronicles in Kerala like classical Greek, Roman, Chinese, Arab and European.
  10. Organize research and showcase Parasurama Kalari and Agasthya Kalari which are prominent in South and North region of Kerala.
  11. Examine sources like traditional and non-traditional, primary and secondary, literary and archaeological and heritage arts associated and showcase these sources.
  12. Design and establish domestic and online markets to sell the artifacts, crafts and value-added products of ethnic group.
  13. Conserve traditional pottery and clay-based crafts, value-added products, artifacts, monuments and utensils.
  14. Conserve and protect metal craft, jewelry craft, paper craft, coir craft, bamboo craft and all other crafts in which the elements of intangible cultural heritage is visible.
  15. Organize extensive investigations and evidences related to mythology and ballads and its sustainability in the contemporary world with special focus on the Jadayu Para, Seethakkuzhi, Munippara, Valmeeki Ashramam, Prakthana Kalari etc.
  16. Establish an exclusive research center to study the origin and spread of Theyyam and its allied art-forms. Give scholarships and stipends to deserving incumbents.
  17. Promote, establish, protect and propagate awareness on Theyyam and similar art-forms derived from Theyyam and similar ritual arts and their ancient culture.
  18. Establish cultural institutes for conducting various certified courses in such disciplines as tribal, martial, traditional, folk and craft.
  19. Design and establish calendar festival for martial/tribal and classical arts.
  20. Promote and preserve the art of Theyyamt and explore the pedigree and root of Marakkala Theyyam and its relevance and similarities with the Baiga Tribes of Madhya Pradesh and the aboriginal tribes of Australia.
  21. Organize National Folk Dances, Tribal Dance, Heritage Dance and Music competition every year. Scope of flourishing Heritage Literature will also be examined every year.
  22. Organize national and international Heritage Festivals every year.
  23. Organize and participate in cultural exchange programs in association with international agencies in India and abroad like UNESCO.
  24. Promote ethnic and tribal Medicines.
  25. Safeguard the sanctity of Theyyam and preserve it in its premises. Allow grand and financial aid to fatigued Theyyam and other artists.
  26. Establish permanent weekly performance centers of intangible cultural heritage arts and conserve Theyyam and other ritual arts aligned with development objectives.
  27. Recognition of the indigenous knowledge system of Theyyam and its promotion to help support retention of ritual arts and publish journals and books.
  28. Documentation and preservation of tangible and intangible heritage arts, Theyyam and other ritual arts, culture, tradition, and folklore practices.
  29. Organize fairs and festivals of craft and other ritual arts of Kerala to unfold the rich and diverse cultural heritage of the indigenous people and to promote brotherhood and cultural interaction.
  30. Perform Theyyam and other ritual arts, heritage, culture, dresses, ornaments, and everyday life through fairs and festivals.
  31. Organize workshops/training related to the development of Theyyam and other art-forms derived from Theyyam and various other ritual arts.
  32. Evolve new art-forms from the traditional arts without losing its rhythm and music.
  33. Honor leading artists by giving awards/fellowships who are performing under tangible and intangible cultural heritage.
  34. Give awards for encouraging and attracting the public to inculcate traditional art and culture.
  35. Organize interstate cultural exchange programs and exhibition-cum-sale inside and outside of India.
  36. Produce documentaries and feature films for the promotion, propagation and safeguarding traditional art and culture. Design international heritage and ethnic film festivals.
  37. Undertake creative works related to arts, crafts and aesthetic manifestation-based works from India and abroad.
  38. Establish Theyyam Village, craft, digital, multimedia and live museums with focus on tribal and folk arts.
  39. To establish Art Gallery, Heritage and Tribal Villages and eco-friendly parks tor safeguard intangible cultural heritage
  40. Form sub-units/clubs, school/college clubs and affiliate them with the Society and undertake renovation, repairing and safeguarding the works of tangible and intangible cultural heritage through these clubs by offering grants.
  41. Formulate projects for creating awareness in tangible and intangible cultural heritage.
  42. Generate livelihood and employment for the artists associated with tangible and intangible cultural heritage.
  43. If in case any of the objects are not charitable conforming to Income Tax Laws, only the other objects except the not-charitable ones will only be construed as the objects of the Society.

Mission

Cultural heritage is the legacy of physical artifacts and intangible attributes of a group or society that are inherited from past generations, maintained in the present and bestowed for the benefit of future generations. Generally, the cultural heritage of Indigenous peoples is considered in two ways, with each strongly interconnected to each other, and to Country, both broadly or specific to a locality or place. These are:

Tangible heritage

Tangible heritage includes buildings and historic places, monuments, artifacts, etc., which are considered worthy of preservation for the future. These include objects significant to the archaeology, architecture, science or technology of a specific culture. Objects are important to the study of human history because they provide a concrete basis for ideas, and can validate them. Their preservation demonstrates recognition of the necessity of the past and of the things that tell its story. Tangible cultural heritage has a physical presence.

Intangible cultural Heritage

Cultural heritage does not end at monuments and collections of objects. It also includes traditions or living expressions inherited from our ancestors and passed on to our descendants, such as oral traditions, performing arts, social practices, rituals, festive events, knowledge and practices concerning nature and the universe or the knowledge and skills to produce traditional crafts. The importance of intangible cultural heritage is not the cultural manifestation itself but rather the wealth of knowledge and skills that is transmitted through it from one generation to the next. The social and economic value of this transmission of knowledge is relevant for minority groups and for mainstream social groups within a State, and is as important for developing States as for developed ones.

Traditional & contemporary

Intangible cultural heritage not only represents inherited traditions from the past but also contemporary rural and urban practices in which diverse cultural groups take part.

Inclusive

We may share expressions of intangible cultural heritage that are similar to those practised by others. Whether they are from the neighbouring village, from a city on the opposite side of the world, or have been adapted by peoples who have migrated and settled in a different region, they all are intangible cultural heritage: they have been passed from one generation to another, have evolved in response to their environments and they contribute to giving us a sense of identity and continuity, providing a link from our past, through the present, and into our future. Intangible cultural heritage does not give rise to questions of whether or not certain practices are specific to a culture. It contributes to social cohesion, encouraging a sense of identity and responsibility which helps individuals to feel part of one or different communities and to feel part of society at large;

Representative

Intangible cultural heritage is not merely valued as a cultural good, on a comparative basis, for its exclusivity or its exceptional value. It thrives on its basis in communities and depends on those whose knowledge of traditions, skills and customs are passed on to the rest of the community, from generation to generation, or to other communities

Community-based

Intangible cultural heritage can only be heritage when it is recognized as such by the communities, groups or individuals that create, maintain and transmit it – without their recognition, nobody else can decide for them that a given expression or practice is their heritage.

Vision

To safeguard and reinforce the Intangible & Tangible Cultural Heritage and Diverse Cultural Traditions that are necessary for the continuous evolution and interpretation of tangible and intangible cultural heritage in Kerala, as well as their transmission to future generations. The goals envisaged are:

  • Perpetuate, preserve, celebrate and share the places and stories of the regions of the unique culture of Kerala.
  • Save historic resources by providing recognition for saving and preservation of such places, monuments and artefacts in such select places.

Artistic & Cultural Heritage

  • Tangible cultural heritage has a physical presence.
  • Archaeological studies provide valuable insights into the history of Kerala.
  • Artefacts, Monuments, Inscriptions (Saasanas) and Ancient Coins all have an important role in Kerala’s archaeological studies.
  • It includes Buildings, Historic Places, Monuments, Artefacts and the like that are significant to Archaeology, Architecture and the Science & Technology of a specific culture which are considered worthy of preservation for the future.
  • Objects are important to study human history because they provide a concrete basis for a variety of ideas which validate them. Their preservation demonstrates recognition of the necessity of the past and of the things that tell its story.

What comes under the title ‘Archaeological Monuments’ are:

  • Remnants of the pre-megalithic era
  • Epigraphy such as rock arts
  • Megalithic monuments
  • Rock-cut burial chambers
  • Dolmens/Hat stones (Thoppikkallu)
  • Hood stones (Kudakkallu)
  • Burial urns
  • Menhirs
  • Pulachikallu, Nadukallu, Padakallu, Nannangadi, Panchapandava trees and the like.
  • Remnants of Buddha and Jain sects
  • Hindu temples
  • Christian Churches
  • Mosques
  • Palaces
  • Historic important sites
  • Prevalence sites of the epics of Rama & Krishna throughout northeast Asia
  • Trade remnants of Arabs, Romans, Chinese and the Portuguese

The stone inscriptions found in Kerala date back to various dynasties. Ancient foreign coins discovered from different parts of the State throw light on the international commercial relations of the past.