Devendra Sharma for Performing Diaspora: Let us reclaim the respect for the indigenous folk artist

2009-06-02T05:23:01-07:00By |Categories: CounterPULSE, Devendra Sharma, Performing Diaspora|Tags: , , , , , , , , , |

Colonialism does strange things to a culture. Ignoring one’s own indigenous “ordinary” culture, and blindly imitating others’ “legitimate” culture is one of them. It takes years and a lot of efforts before a culture realizes its self-worth during the post-colonial journey. At present, urban culture in India and Indian diaspora around the world is undergoing this journey. Let me share some of my life and thoughts with you as a rural folk artist from India who, first, migrated to a