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- Title
SOCIETY THROUGH THE LENSES: VISUAL REPRESENTATIONS OF THE KALAI TRIBE FROM TRIPURA, NORTHEAST INDIA.
- Authors
Kalai, Sunil
- Abstract
This article uses photographs to explore the Kalai Tribe of Tripura in northeastern state of India. With the invention of camera, photography became a major tool in composing and presenting of a confrontation between self and external cultural styles. In this confrontation, visual elements are used as visual marker of explicit. It stood variously for social structure, economic status, religion,rituals and customs. In the dominant discourses, Kalai tribe in particular is singled out to represent these characteristics. Photographs of the Kalai reveal politics of social and cultural dynamics that is illustrated by exploring three themes: enforced realism, enforced sociability, and cultural imperialism of the dominant. The study links these photographs with wider discussions about romantic views of the exotic representations, not just by academicians but also by outsiders, about development and minority rights. It is argued that the case of this state of Northeast India is particularly instructive because here a politics of culture and belonging can be seen to have underpinned deeply intrusive policies of development, oppression, expulsion and social exclusion. Message carried by an image is relevant to particular time, place and event. The study looks at Kalai society through photographs and critically analyzed its representation and perception as construct. Subject captured by camera acts as medium that influentially revealed the Kalai society in Tripura. Photographsare found to be effective in highlighting social dynamics of the Kalai and its changing characteristics in several years. The study critically reveals that camera has the potential to sustain culture, and its images are visualized in the culture of politics and one cannot understand subject outside politics. The study gives scope for further research and concludes by making few suggestions.
- Subjects
INDIA; PHOTOGRAPHY; TIPURA (Indic people); ETHNOLOGY; CULTURE; CULTURAL values
- Publication
Global Media Journal: Indian Edition, 2015, Vol 6, Issue 1&2, p1
- ISSN
2249-5835
- Publication type
Article