93. AC Sreehari

Abstract 93
A.C. Sreehari                

Traditions of Discontent and the Little Traditions of ‘Kasaragod’s Own Country’

Abstract

Visual productions like films are supposed to play an important role in decolonizing the mind and culture. Through representing regions there is to be a process of dismantling of the authorized version of the imperialists as well as liberating the native life from the colonial history. But while indigenous culture and tradition are viewed as ways of resistance in the postcolonial era, only a unified being is getting represented in films.  The films discussed in this paper depict a universalized Malayali male, who is shorn of local identities. Thus everything becomes part of the mega-narrative. Post-colonialism engages with the culturalist myths of the past and brings to cultural studies its own well established concepts of diversity, particularity and local difference. Culture, for a post colonialist, is a site of conflict between the oppressors and the oppressed. But culture gets mediated in the mass media portrayals, which undoubtedly play a very important role in influencing people’s attitudes towards social groups, especially when presented in media such as films is argued with particular reference to two feature films and two documentaries in Malayalam. These films which get national and international accolades play an important role in shaping identities and ‘help’ to create and perpetuate stereotypes. The search for local culture to identify an alter-native to such universalization is thus made almost difficult. As part of this, this paper would look at the representations of Theyyam, a local cultural practice of North Malabar, as it finds expression in the visual media. It would look at how these films make it impossible for a search for minor discourses, a celebration of little traditions of discontent. What happens when a region like ‘Kasaragod’s own country’ appears in films become significant in this context.