Entire North East Residing under One Roof

Entire North East Residing under One Roof

In a quiet locality called Mawlai in Shillong, Meghalaya, there stands a hexagonal seven-storey museum housing the indigenous cultures, arts and crafts of the eight States of North East India. And the person behind it is at present Fr. (Dr.) Joseph Puthenpurakal, SDB, assisted by a smart team consisting of Fr. Jerish SDB, Sr. Jane MCJ and Sr. Teresa Kamsuan FMA along with a wonderful band of lay collaborators. Fr. Joseph is the director of the Don Bosco Centre for Indigenous Cultures (DBCIC). The seven storey building and the original vision came from (the late) Fr. (Dr.) Sebastian Kaorotemprel, SDB.

View of the main entrance to the museum

As part of the worldwide Don Bosco Society Fr. Sebastian’s and Fr. Joseph’s association with the museum project started way back in the early 1990s. Fr. Joseph was present when the foundation stone for the Centre was laid in July 1994. After Fr. Sebastian retired in 2001, Fr. Joseph took over the Museum project to carry forward the legacy and vision of the late Fr. Sebastian and of the then Guwahati Province of the Salesians of Don Bosco.

The museum first started with only two galleries, it now has over 18 galleries showcasing the indigenous cultures, lifestyles, history and traditions of North East India. The recently added Food Gallery provides food of the 8 states of the region and much more. The museum is regarded as one the largest in Asia for the promotion and preservation of indigenous and tribal cultures. It takes around two hours to tour the museum, after which the visitors can enjoy a wholesome gourmet of various delicacies of the North East.

An inside view of the food gallery

According to Fr. Joseph, the museum also acts as a research centre as it has already published a number of volumes in an effort to spread knowledge about the tribes, traditions and cultures of North East India through NEIRA (North Eastern Institute for Research in Anthropology), the Museum’s Research Wing.

The director added that the museum also plays an important role in the overall development of the local communities in various ways. He pointed out that with the growth of the Museum and with several hundreds of people visiting it daily, a place like Mawlai (where the Museum is situated) is changing its face. Today no one is afraid to come to Mawlai. It is becoming a home to every visitor. The inauguration of the museum was done by the then UPA chairperson Smt. Sonia Gandhi in 2010.

(L) Front view of the food gallery & (R) Fr.Joseph playing with a child in the kids area inside the museum

Fr. Joseph also pointed out that “development of people takes place through dialogue and not in isolation.” It is with these ethics and his vision not just for DBCIC but for the overall development of the North East that Fr. Joseph was recently awarded the “Sanskriti Emeritus Fellow Lifetime Achievement Award” for his relentless work in the field educating the youth and the preservation of indigenous cultures with help of the Don Bosco Centre for Indigenous Cultures (DBCIC) of which the Museum is a part.

Fr. Joseph also added that the institutions and colleges run by Don Bosco are found in more than 132 countries all over the world in all the five continents. He also said that Don Bosco Centre is in the forefront of educating the youth both technically, vocationally and academically, and mentioned that one of newest ventures is the Assam Don Bosco University (in Azara, Guwahati), and that it is a first of its kind to provide university education to the youth especially of the North East. Fr. Joseph jokingly said, “People who have something more to do will carry on working. They do not retire.”

(L) Fr.Joseph interacting with some of the visitors & (R) Another view of the food gallery

He is still trying to collect more than 800 paintings with information on each tribe from the different tribes and sub-tribes of North East India for a new gallery in the museum and preserve them for the future generation, all thanks to NEC [North Eastern Council] and the Departments of Planning and of Art and Culture Government of Meghalaya. He is also planning to open a new section to showcase the rich natural resources of the region. Fr. Joseph says that the North East is so rich in natural resources that by showcasing them he not only wants the indigenous people of the region to be proud of their cultural heritage, but also to preserve the rich natural resources that are slowly disappearing with the current growth of development.