Phindarishisha Angelia Kharkamni and Nathaniel Donbor Nampui Majaw

This Foundation Project implemented by IFA will facilitate research and documentation towards creation of an inventory of all the artefacts in the Heritage Section of the Ever Living Museum. This project is in collaboration with the Ever Living Museum in Shillong, Meghalaya. Established in 2015, the Ever-Living Museum in Shillong, Meghalaya, is a private initiative owned and curated by Mr Kyntiewbor War. It is nestled in the village of Mawshbuit, a thirty-minute drive from Shillong. The collections and artefacts on display reflect the dedication and efforts of Mr War to preserve the material culture of the region and the priceless contributions of well-wishers. The diverse nature of the collection allows us a glimpse into the region, its people and their living. Phindarishisha Angelia Kharkamni and Nathaniel Donbor Nampui Majaw are the Project Coordinators for this project.

Phindarishisha Angelia Kharkamni is a student of English Literature, pursuing a Master’s degree at North-Eastern University, and a content writer with The Northeast India AV Archive, in Shillong. She has experience with conducting research on the cultural practices and heritage of Meghalaya and other Northeast states of India. Phindarishisha also has experience with cataloguing, and the creation and maintenance of inventories and websites at The Northeast India AV Archive. Nathaniel Donbor Nampui Majaw, a Mass Communication Research Centre alumnus from Jamia Millia Islamia, New Delhi, is an Assistant Professor at the Department of Mass Media, St. Anthony’s College, Shillong. He also serves as the Project Director of The Northeast India AV Archive, a digital audiovisual archive located at St. Anthony’s College. Currently, Nathaniel is pursuing his PhD from North-Eastern Hill University, where his research centres on the megaliths of the Khasi and Jaiñtia hills and their relevance in contemporary Khasi culture. Given both their work experiences and research interest, Phindarishisha and Nathaniel are best suited to be the Project Coordinators for this Foundation Project of IFA.

Focussing on the Heritage Collection at the Ever Living Museum – which comprises cultural artefacts of the various indigenous communities of the region – this project proposes to research and create a system of numbering and labelling of the extant items, and a catalogue for the storage of information about the items. The creation of this inventory will begin with the identification of the artefacts, cleaning, weighing, measuring their dimensions, identifying the materials with which they are made, and naming them accurately. The inventory will also include the description of markings and inscriptions on the artefacts, the provenance of the artefacts, contributors, keywords for easy reference, and details about the significance of the artefacts. The Project Coordinators will also work to create an easy and accessible display system for the artefacts by creating a unique identification code for each of the artefacts which will correspond with the identification code labelled on the artefact. In addition to this, each artefact will be photographed and included in the inventory.

As a next step and to build a digital presence for Ever Living Museum, the Project Coordinators propose to create a website with information and photographs of all the artefacts. The website will be crucial for the visibility and publicity of the museum as well as serve as a good resource for research on the history and culture of the communities. In order to supplement the research for the artefacts, the Project Coordinators have also planned audio visual documentation and oral history interviews with Mr Kyntiewbor War explaining the origins and allied stories of the artefacts. These interviews will also find a place on the website.

Keeping in mind the goals of the Archives and Museums programme to enhance public engagement in museums, the Project Coordinators have planned for two kinds of outreach activities; a Drop-and-Draw activity for school children based on the museum objects so as to encourage public participation in the collective effort to preserve and revive indigenous cultures and knowledge systems; and a possible exhibition cum lecture for general public to create more awareness and visibility about the museum in Meghalaya.

Phindarishisha and Nathaniel have divided the one year of project term into phases of research and documentation of the objects in tandem with the recording of the oral history videos. The first phase will focus on the background work towards creation of the detailed inventory and moving into photographing them. The website development will come at the second phase when the materials for the website: photographs, inventory and oral interviews are almost being finalised.

The outcomes of the project will be a highly detailed inventory, with photographs of all the artefacts in the Heritage Section of the Ever Living Museum, a website with the photographs and descriptions of the artefacts and the oral history interviews of Kyntiewbor War. The Project Coordinators’ deliverables to IFA along with the final reports will be photos of the artefacts from the collection, the detailed inventory, the website, the oral history recordings and audio/visual documentation of the public programmes.

IFA will ensure that the implementation of this project happens in a timely manner and funds expended are accounted for. IFA will also review the progress of the project at midterm and document it through an Implementation Memorandum. After the project is finished and all deliverables are submitted, IFA will put together a Final Evaluation to share with Trustees.