$500 scholarship sent to India

WHO: Mayfereen, President "Grassroots", non-profit organization

DREAM: "My dream is to awaken my roots through documenting traditional folklore into animations imbibing in children’s mind, that there’s more to folklore than being snow-white and Cinderella."

PROPOSAL:
Profile of the State "Meghalaya"

The State of Meghalaya is broadly divided into three regions: Garo Hills, Jaintia hills and Khasi Hills.

Social Background of the State

Like the Nairs in Kerala, the people of Meghalaya are matrilineal, and not matriarchal, tribes and trace their origin back to common ancestress).

The KUR (clan)is the first social entry of the people of Meghalaya, around which every social institution revolves. Since the lineage descent is from mother to daughter, a Meghalaya woman plays an important role in the kinship and family organization. For generations they are the custodians of property, having authority over family matters and performing family rites. However, she has to be guided and counseled by her maternal uncle and her brothers. Hence she does not have any decision making power. The mother and mother’s brother are considered as the centre of the family.

Meghalaya is one of the richest states of India in terms of flora, folklores and art. This knowledge was gained through experience and pass down from generation to generation orally. Oral knowledge was and still is very strong in the state. Nevertheless, this knowledge might very well be lost in the near future, as, up to now, written or virtual documentation has not been given a thought.




Why document?

Both our culture and environment are at stake. Young and old either have forgotten or are indifferent to it. It is here that we see even our children lose their touch on traditional folklore and, instead, wish to become Cinderella and the like. We too lack of interest in these folklore because they have not yet been documented in written and visual form and are only orally passed down from one generation to the other.

Bearing this in mind, Grassroot at this juncture wishes to initiate skits/street plays/animations/comic books based on these folklores, collected from different writers and producers of documentaries. At the beginning, the plays will be performed by young people from different parts of the town in their own vicinity. Then, the team will be moving to the rural areas of the state. Most of these plays will be performed every Saturday in different areas. Apart from these performances, students will also be involved in tree plantation. In short, the programme will also act as a ‘changed contribution’.

Project objectives:

To make children aware of the richness of our oral literature
To make our children participate in upgrading our traditions
To be able to hand over the tradition to our children
To imbibe a respect for our culture
To encourage more research and documentation on our culture



Strategies:

Visual documentation will be done through animations and kits
Research on existing folklores will be documented in written form
Young people will be encouraged to be a part of the process
A collaboration with NEHU, English department


Outcome:
Short term Outcome:

* Children will be more aware of the richness of our tradition
* They will keep spreading the word
* Conversations will revolve around folklore



Long term outcome:

* More research and documentation can be initiated
* Visual Animations for children based on the folklores to be sustained
* Parents will avail written or visual documents to educate their children


In the near future, we will hear how Mayfereen will specifically choose to utilize her $500 scholarship from the Million Kisses Foundation! Thank you to all for your donations in helping this dream come true.