THESIS PORTFOLIO

"lumbasumba" ethnic art centre @ Dhankuta


“A people without the knowledge of their past history, origin and culture is like a tree without roots”
Marcus Garvey

I believe in what Gary Locke States “Ethnic diversity adds richness to a society”. I love the tone of my native language that sounds musical bits from ethnic instruments. The irony is that i lack both the skills in my own ethic language and ethnic music but I am more familiar with western music and even practice western instruments. While growing up in Dhankuta i never got the opportunities to learn any form of ethnic art and i am quite certain that such opportunities still do not exist. However, i am not the only one with such experience. I grew up in Dhankuta bazaar with native Athpahariya community (one of the sub groups of Kirati community). The younger generation knows very
little about their own culture and history.
“The loss of culture of indigenous groups has been central to cultural anthropologists because it represents the irreversible loss of humanity’s heritage and diversity.” .........Wade Davis

We’re losing one of the things that count the most: our identity, the uniqueness in us, which makes us special and allows us to stand out from the crowd. They say that one has to be affiliated to some culture or else one is lost no matter how good or bad it is.

“Cultural values are, in themselves, neutral as well as universal, and so much depends on how individuals or ethnic groups use them. Values are influenced by so many factors such as geography, climate, religion, the economy and technology.”................F. Sionil Jose

Various forms of traditional tangible and intangible cultures such as festivals, language, cultural dance and music have been neglected, forgotten and in many cases even disappeared due to nationalization
and globalization. Hence, it is my hope that through the various activities in the proposed Ethnic Art Centre in Dhankuta, the unique ethnic arts and culture of this region will not only be safe guarded but
also be passed on to the next generation.

Though small landlocked country occupying 0.03 part of total land, Nepal is

exceptionally rich in cultural diversity. Population statistics of 2068 shows 125 ethnic

groups recognized all over the Nation. Among them Rai and Limbu are the major

indigenous ethnic groups who are found in eastern development region (EDR).

The evolution of civilization takes place because of generations of practice and careful

inheritance to successors who accept and continue by developing and adding skill along

with time. Each ethnic community living in different geographical location due to their

own topography, climate and available resources develops their own unique pattern of

lifestyle, culture, tradition, art and belief system. Those tangible and intangible cultural

heritages are the property of our nation which gives us an identity of who we were. These

genuine heritages are under threat and at risk of being obsolete without being

documented.

Art Centres in other countries such as Kala Kendra by designed by Charles Corea

specially aims to promote traditional art through performance hall, school and galleries

but does not include hands-on and training activities. The Indian Museum of Washington

DC share same typology goal and programs but it does not have performance hall and

training activities. There are no any exact cases in national level to present exact cases.

In our context tangible heritage are displayed in museum which are never engaging and

no specific performing art center exist which is built especially to serve ethnic art. But the

effort is not less and the programs are being conducted is each festivals and holidays. For

small scale programs venues such as local public halls are used whereas large scale

gatherings during festivals take place in Tudikhel. Till now centers to provide trainings

on various forms of ethnic art is not recognized except occasional trainings done by ethic

community at local level.

Ethnic art centre can be best defined as a centre that aims to save our traditional culture

by effort of passing it down to the younger generation for continuation. It is a complex

consisting of an ethnographic museum, facilities for cultural performance and training

centre various forms of ethnic art. Training centre here means a place to learn music and

dance of ethnic groups to prevent it from being lost in the future.

Ethnic art centre can be distinguished from an art centre and cultural centre because of

its regional representation and small scale of the project specific to ethnicity. It promotes

local and regional folk and ethnicity but not universal, classical and global art and

culture as an art centre.

The proposed Ethnic Art Center proposed in Dhankuta will have a space designed to

perform, display, involve and train various forms of cultural heritage of major ethnic

community living in the region. The public building with urban plaza will serve local

people as day out and hangout space from daily life. Visitors and tourists will learn about

ethnic art in the library, museum, galleries, and performing art/cultural shows. People

will not only see and learn but will be offered to involve directly by engaging in

workshops and hands-on activities. The restaurant in center will serve ethnic food with

authentic indigenous flavor. The shops will offer the locally made fine souvenir for token

of love.

Project will be specially benefited by local community as the center will be built, use and

sustained by them. The programs need their active participation and involvement which

not only save and promote our heritage but also help to generate income and activities in

town. Other beneficiaries are:

 Tourist and visitors can stay for long period to see and learn about regional arts

 Schools of Dhankuta bazaar can link their curriculum with the activities of Center

to educate children on ethnic art and culture so that the understanding and

appreciation for ethnic culture will grow among the younger generation.

 Downtown shops and hotels will also benefits as the activity grows and the place

could be a stop point for tourists on Koshi highway.

 Local people can use for refreshment and hang out in landscape, plaza, restaurant

and see performance

for more

http://www.slideshare.net/sumanlimbusubbayakthumbu/thesis-2014-lumbasumba-ethnic-art-centre-dhankuta-suman-limbu 

furniture along us

furniture along us

this is demonstrational furniture to represent metaphorically the end of its use by using last letter "Z" as the technology has moved beyond the hard copies and dvds to online and screeen

Model Making

model making @ archiplan, naxal kathmandu

chair for my grand mom

designed by: suman limbu

dhankuta architetcure, dhankuta multiple campus (old photos). Nepal by ...

ARCHITECTURE OF ATHPAHARIYA HOUSES

The word Athpahariya is not derived from the native language spoken by the people of

this ethnic group; rather its derivation is related to the Nepali compound word Athpahar,

involving Ath (which means eight in number‘) and Pahar (meaning the time period of 3

hours‘). Since eight Pahars equal 24 hours, Athpahariya means the person who

dedicates himself in working for twenty four hours‘. In the past, particularly the kings‘

body guards were the persons having such a duty to fulfill; therefore it is said that people

belonging to particular section of Rai community who were deputed as the kings‘ body

guards were entitled Athpahariya. But there are debates regarding who were the kings

these people had served as Athpahariya. In one document published by the government, it

is said that after taking control over the far-eastern Kirant kingdom, king Prithvi Narayan

Shah had deputed the people of this ethnic group in the post of Security Guard, for the

protection of Dhankuta Khalangakot; so they were called the Athpahariya. In another folk

etymological explanation, it has been said that the Athpahariya folk group was developed

from the eight families of eight surnames (in Nepali Ath Pariwar) of the Rai community

who used to live in and around Dhankuta region from time immemorial.

 Pange is dwellings of Athpahariya Rai people used for day to day life. The house in uniquely designed in square plan and four way slope placed triangularly which is generally not found in other ethnic groups. Athpahariya houses are built in two storied and sometimes single also. The house is enclosed by bushes, flowers and sheds used for domestic animals. The houses are entered through part of terrace by steps or through alley created by slope of terrace and house or shed.

 Space organization 

The houses are horizontally split into three sections:

Outer sikuwa (mokha or verandah) Sikuwa exist between the agaan open courtyard and sanghar. Sikuwa serve as the sitting, meeting and chatting space. The space is like outdoor living room. The foreign people met here and not allowed inside from here.

Sanghar (part inside the door): Sanghar is indoor space except pangghar. This space consists of wooden staircase and open room. The room is used to keep agricultural stuffs, water pots etc. Sanghar and pangbhitra are open and divided by structural timber posts or half wall.

Pangbhitra (living room) Living room also include kitchen with three stoned hearth (triangularly placed). It is believed that the Rai ancestor believed that the Rai ancestor inhabits this hearth and so this place is considered to be their holy of holies. Should any outsider enter and touch this stones, then the Rai people believe that calamity will occur and effect the member of that particular houses. This is seen that non-Rai people are not permitted, under any circumstances to enter this place and the mere thought of touching the stone is taboo. (Gautam & Magar, 1994)

The interior wall is painted by red mud, floor coated by cow dunk. There are bi partition walls but could be half wall. The activities of cooking, sleeping and keeping things demark the area. Other additional spaces around the houses are large open space (agaan) and animal shed.

 Agaan are the large open space in front of house. Generally the space is enclosed by house and animal shed at two sides of terrace and remaining two sides are part of terrace. The space is used for day to day life for family purpose. The space serves for activities such as weaving clothes, making of handicrafts item, playing for children etc. As there are three main festivals celebrated for 27 days in total, this same agaan serve a space for dancing, eating, singing and performing other rituals.

 

photographs: Suman Limbu and Anil Subba

part of research paper more on

http://www.slideshare.net/sumanlimbusubbayakthumbu/architecture-of-athpahariya-50685367

TINCHULI JUNCTION PARK DESIGN

landscape, temple, shrines