Contribution short abstract:

Exploring the connections between Indian tribal tales and Celtic stories, the project engages artists and filmmakers. We are particularly looking for ways embedded in traditional tales that can assist us in our contemporary quest to live sustainably on a planet wide scale.

Contribution long abstract:

Our world is faced with multiple threats posed by the fierce degradation and destruction of our natural environment. Indigenous traditions across the globe speak of sustainable ways of life and the overall wellbeing that is derived from relationships to nature. Adivasi Arts Trust (www.adivasiartstrust.org) is an organisation that has 15 years of history working to sustain indigenous stories from India using film and animation. ‘Creation’ is our project that is proposed for financial support from Arts Council England in 2023. Exploring the connections between Indian tribal tales and traditional Celtic stories, the project engages artists, volunteers and filmmakers to create three works of art. We are particularly looking for ways embedded in traditional tales that can assist us in our contemporary quest to live sustainably on a planet wide scale.

The project is a comparative study of the themes about humankind’s relationships to the more-than-human world. The proposal is to interview storytellers and to study ancient and contemporary stories from India and from the UK to create a documentary film, a short animated film and a multimedia art installation. The three outputs are interlinked in the way they will explore, interpret and retell the stories. The project will be in the pre-production phase. I would like feedback on the concept and the narrative structure.