Publications on Traditional Knowledge and Traditional Cultural Expressions of South Asia

As part of the research project,

• Seminar Papers will be published as a Monograph by the SAARC Cultural Centre.
• The Research reports will be reviewed, edited (if so required) and published by the SAARC Cultural Centre under its publications programme. 

Research Project(s) on Traditional Knowledge (TK) and Traditional Cultural Expressions (TCE) of South Asia

Introduction

Based on the findings of the SAARC Regional Seminar on ‘Traditional Knowledge and Traditional Cultural Expressions of South Asia,’ the SAARC Cultural Centre will call for Proposals and will award research projects amongst the Member States. The research will give an opportunity for the Member States to conduct an in-depth study on their TK and TCE, and identify and protect the productive components for the benefit of their people.

 

Objectives

The objectives of the Research project will be re-visited and refined during the Seminar. Tentative objectives will be:

1. To identify and document various forms of TK and TCE of South Asia,
2. To study and analyse all forces (colonial influence, industrialization, globalization) that have impactedon traditional knowledge,
3. To discuss and debate the productive characteristics of TK and TCE.
4. To present innovative measures of safeguarding TK and TCE

Research Process

• The SAARC Cultural Centre would invite detailed research proposal (along with a detailed budget breakdown for US $ 3,000), based on the themes and research approaches agreed at the Seminar. All these proposals are to be submitted through official channel (i.e. through the respective Governments of the Member States and the SAARC Secretariat, Kathmandu).
• All research proposals received through official channel will be reviewed by a Research Grants Committee (RGC) of the SAARC Cultural Centre which will select the recipients of the research grant.
• All the research grants will be subject to a mid-term review and the continuation of the project will be subject to the approval of the Progress Report by the SAARC Cultural Centre. For this purpose the SAARC Cultural Centre would hold a Review Meeting of the project in which all the researchers would be invited to participate and present their progress reports. Any suggestions/ recommendations made by the SAARC Cultural Centre at this stage may be included in the research process by the respective researchers.
• At the end of the research project each researcher will be required to submit a publishable draft of the Research report.

Time Schedule (2012-2013)
11 months (Starting from 1 October 2013)Call for Proposals - 10 May 2013Deadline for accepting research proposals - 31 August 2013Approval of the research project - 15 September 2013Commencement of the Project - 1 October 2013Submission of Progress Report and Review Meeting - March 2014 (Date to be communicated)Final Report - 31 August 2014

Budget

Each researcher will be granted US $ 3,000 (or an equivalent amount in the local currency) for carrying out the research. This grant will be paid in two instalments. First instalment (50%) will be paid after submitting the progress report in the Review Meeting which will be convened by the SAARC Cultural Centre. Final instalment (50%) will be paid on the submission of the completed Research report.

Besides, the SAARC Cultural Centre will also provide economy class airfare to all researchers (from outside Sri Lanka), to participate in the Review Meeting and present their progress report. Local hospitality to all outstation researchers will also be provided by the SAARC Cultural Centre participating in the Review Meeting.

SAARC Regional Seminar on ‘Traditional Knowledge and Traditional Cultural Expressions of South Asia’

Introduction

The SAARC Regional Seminar on ‘Traditional Knowledge and Traditional Cultural Expressions’ will be organized as a platform to brainstorming on the key issues, to moot research questions and also to identify themes and subthemes of traditional knowledge of South Asia that merit independent and in-depth research. Academics and experts on the subject are invited for the Seminar to present papers on a relevant theme.

Objectives of the Regional Seminar

• To identify the TK and TCE in and of the Region;
• To identify current situation of TK and TCE in the SAARC Member States;
• To analyze the applicability and impact of prevailing international and national instruments in protecting traditional knowledge;
•   To examine the role and the impact of Government institutions and Non-Government Institutions actions related to safeguarding TK and TCE;
• To identify effective ways of safeguarding traditional knowledge in South Asia. 
•  To identify research topics and questions related to TK and TCE in the Region that need further investigation; and
• To recognize research approaches and methods for further research in TK and TCE of the region.

Themes of the Seminar

• Traditional healing
• Traditional livelihood
• Traditional engineering
• Traditional agriculture
• Traditional handicrafts
• Traditional architectural forms
• Traditional culinary art
• Traditional costumes
• Traditional music
• Traditional art and design
• Traditional dance

The SAARC Regional Seminar on ‘Traditional Knowledge and Traditional Cultural Expressions’ will be held in Colombo, Sri Lanka for 2 days from 29 and 30 April 2013

Post-Seminar Tour

One day Post-Seminar tour will be organized on 1 May 2013 to Kandy, for all registered delegates of the Seminar. Kandy being the last capital of the ancient king’s era of Sri Lanka, boast of rich heritage of traditional knowledge in arts and crafts, architecture, industries and health.

Participation at the Regional Seminar

Official Nominees from the Member States:

The SAARC Cultural Centre invites all the Member States to send a minimum of three nominations (maximum 10 persons can be nominated by a Member State) from amongst the experts and academicians of their country.

Accompanying Persons:

Every person accompanying the official nominees of the SAARC Member States (viz. the Delegates/ Resource Persons-cum-Panel Heads) should pay a registration fee of US $ 300/- towards his/her boarding and lodging during the Seminar. All such accompanying persons will be accommodated with the respective official nominee on full board/ twin-sharing basis.

 Other Participants:

The SAARC Cultural Centre would also accept the participation of other experts from the region (other than the nominees of the respective SAARC Member States) as well as from those residing outside the SAARC Region provided they are able to meet their travel and accommodation expenses to attend the Seminar. However, to facilitate their stay during the Seminar, the SAARC Cultural Centre would assist them in securing accommodation in guest houses/ hostels at economic/ subsided rates.

The SAARC Cultural Centre, however, reserves the right to accept or reject any request for participation in the Seminar.

Registration fee:

Official nominees of the SAARC Member States       :           Nil

Accompanying persons of the Official nominees         :           300.00 US$

Other participants                              Local               :           500.00 (LKR)

                                                         Overseas         :           50.00 US$       

All payments are to be made in favour of the SAARC Cultural Centre, Colombo, either through e-payment OR in cash at the registration counter at the Seminar.

For E-payment:

Name of the Bank         :           Bank of Ceylon

Address                        :           Torrington Square Branch, Colombo -07 (Sri Lanka)

Sri Lankan Rupee A/c   :           0009773920

US $ A/c                      :           9825298

Swift Code                   :           BCEYLKLX

Nomination process:

All nominations should include:

i.                    Full Name and affiliation of the Person with a detailed CV; and

ii.                  An Abstract (c. 500 words) of the proposed paper/ presentation.

The participants would be required to submit their full papers before the Seminar and make a short presentation at the Seminar.

The language for the Seminar would be English.

The last date for sending the nominations/ registration forms is 31 March 2013.

Logistic Support

The SAARC Cultural Centre would provide the local hospitality (hotel accommodation on full board basis) and the local transport to all official nominees of the SAARC Member States (viz. the Delegates/ Resource Persons-cum-Panel Heads) and the registered accompanying persons.

The airfare of the nominees of the SAARC Member States is to be borne by the respective Member State. Other participants are required to make their own arrangement to meet the airfare and accommodation expenses.

The seminar facilities (delegate kit, tea, working lunch), as well as invitation to special events and the field trip would be extended to all registered participants and accompanying persons.

Seminar Outcome

The last session of the Seminar will hold a Plenary Session which would prepare a document summarising the main recommendations emerging out of the deliberations and also chalking out a road-map for the research projects (see para 4 below). The SAARC Cultural Centre will, subsequently, publish a report on the Seminar and would invite research proposals on the identified themes.

Research Programme

As part of its annual research project, the SAARC Cultural Centre would launch a Research Project on Safeguarding Traditional Knowledge and Traditional Cultural Expressions of South Asia.  The research project will consist of two components. Namely,

1. SAARC Regional Seminar on ‘Traditional Knowledge and Traditional Cultural Expressions of South Asia.’
2. Research Projects on Traditional Knowledge and Traditional Cultural Expressions of South Asia

Background

The South Asian region boasts of a rich and diverse heritage of Traditional Knowledge (TK) systems and Traditional Cultural Expressions(TCE), which cover a vast spectrum including agriculture, weather forecasting, health and wellbeing etc.  TK and TCE play a vital role in defining the identity of South Asian people. The recorded heritage of TK and TCE in South Asia dates back to early civilization of the world. The Traditional Knowledge of the South Asian Region has evolved over the centuries with influence of internal and external factors. These systems, particularly those practiced by the minority, indigenous and vulnerable communities, however, face a great threat in this modern era due to the influence of globalization and other factors.

With the extensive reliance on scientific knowledge, trends in globalization and homogenization, TK systems and TCEs are facing the threat of extinction. The influence of western knowledge systems and the impact of multi-national corporations and media in marketing global products and services has become a great threat to TK and TCEs.  Obtaining patency for traditional knowledge by third parties and sharing very little with the original bearers of traditional knowledge is another impact of globalization.   The influence of information technology in creating homogenization of culture is also threatening TK and TCEs. If the rich and diverse traditional knowledge is not safeguarded from the influences of globalization, we will not be able to pass down this heritage to our next generations, which we are currently enjoying thanks to our forebears.

Various aspects of preservation, protection and promotion of the traditional knowledge, innovations and practices of local and indigenous communities are looked into by many international bodies such as World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO etc. The work already carried out by the international bodies has a tremendous impact in safeguarding TK systems and TCEs.  Although SAARC Cultural Centre recognizes the impact of work already done in conserving TK Systems and TCEs in direct and indirect means, the concern is that most of the programmes that look into preservation and promotion of Traditional Knowledge is developed by Western Policy Makers with little or no consultation with the traditional knowledge bearers and policy makers in South Asia. As a result the views and issues of the South Asians are not adequately represented at international level and are not properly reflected in policy making.  There is a need to examine the details, the unique features, problems and challenges of the TK systems and TCE of South Asia.


What is Traditional Knowledge?
The cumulative and dynamic body of knowledge, know-how and representations possessed by peoples with long histories of interaction with their natural milieu is called Traditional knowledge. It is intimately tied to language, social relations, spirituality and worldview, and is generally held collectively. Too often, it is simplistically conceived as a pale reflection of mainstream knowledge, in particular, Science. (UNESCO: 2006) These unique ways of knowing are important facets of the world’s cultural diversity, and provide a foundation for locally-appropriate sustainable development. (UNESCO: Links)

Indigenous knowledge is the traditional knowledge of indigenous peoples, or local knowledge particular to an area, region or country, etc. Thus all indigenous peoples are traditional knowledge holders, yet all traditional knowledge-holders are not indigenous. (UNESCO: 2006)

Traditional knowledge, technologies and cultural expressions although is old, can be highly evolutionary, adaptive, creative and even novel. It greatly contributes towards strengthening social cohesiveness and cultural identity, as it is a body of knowledge, customs, beliefs and cultural works and expressions handed down from generation to generation. (Dutfield G.:2006)

‘Indigenous knowledge is local knowledge that is unique to a given culture or society.  It is the basis for agriculture, health care, food preparation, education, environmental conservation and a host of other activities. Much of such knowledge is passed down from generation to generation, usually by word of mouth.’ (SLARCIK: 1996: vii)

What is Traditional Cultural Expressions?

Traditional cultural expressions (or, "expressions of folklore") include music, art, designs, names, signs and symbols, performances, architectural forms, handicrafts and narratives. TCEs are integral to the cultural and social identities of indigenous and local communities, they embody know-how and skills, and they transmit core values and beliefs. Their protection is related to the promotion of creativity, enhanced cultural diversity and the preservation of cultural heritage. (WIPO: http://www.wipo.int/tk/en/folklore/)