The Irulas of Palakkad, like other tribal people, have a song for every season of life from birth to death and everything in between. The Kattunayakans also sing about their life in the forest and who they are. “Songs are a part of their lives,” says Sruthin Lal, co-founder of Archival and Research Project (ARPO), a not-for-profit organisation that works toward preserving and educating Kerala’s heritage via storytelling. ARPO will showcase the music of these two tribes on May 29 at ‘ARPO Earthlore’, a tribal music concert, scheduled to be held at Bolgatty Palace in the city.
Sruthin sees the maiden event as an introduction to the music of indigenous people, paving the way for subsequent editions. Tentative plans include turning this into a half-yearly event. The concert grew out of an idea that included archiving the songs of the tribal people, and down the line, helping them acquire intellectual property rights.
