Decolonisation must be viewed through multiple lenses: Prof. Soumhya Venkatesan

Decolonization, anthropology, and traditional crafts explored by Prof. Soumhya Venkatesan in a multifaceted approach to understanding global dynamics.

Colonialism is not a single, uniform experience across the world. It is understood differently across regions, shaped by the historical specificity of each place. Similarly, decolonisation must also be viewed through multiple lenses, says Soumhya Venkatesan, author of Decolonizing Anthropology: An Introduction and Professor of Social Anthropology at the University of Manchester, England.

During a recent interaction with The Hindu, Prof. Venkatesan reflected on the colonial origins of anthropology as a discipline and how it can move beyond and contribute to the building of a better world. “Anthropology emerged during the colonial period, when European powers, in expanding their empires, sought to understand other societies in order to govern them. Colonisation is understood differently in different places. Likewise, decolonisation cannot be one single aspect, It should also be understood in multiple aspects,” she said. Anthropology treats communities not as objects of study, but as collaborators in the shared pursuit of understanding the world.

Prof. Venkatesan, also the author of Craft Matters: Artisans, Development and the Indian Nation, a critical exploration of the role of artisans in India’s socio-economic narrative, explained about the social life of objects, the agency of people and things, and the evolving relationship between tradition and modernity in craft practices.

Elaborating her experience in working with Sivachariyars, sculptors, and artisans crafting terracotta structures of folk deities in Pudukottai and Mamallapuram, she said statues of deities such as Shiva, Vishnu, and Sakthi – typically sculpted from stone – are consecrated through elaborate rituals involving mantra chanting and the ceremonial pouring of holy water. These rituals often span several days. In contrast, the installation of folk deities, usually made from terracotta, revolves around animal offerings as part of the consecration process.

She said unlike stone sculptures of deities, which are rarely painted, folk deity statues are vividly coloured. While priests traditionally decorate stone idols with flowers, terracotta figures are adorned with paint and placed in open spaces for worship, exposing them to the natural elements. As a result, these statues undergo gradual wear and tear and are periodically replaced with newly crafted ones. Stone idols, once consecrated, generally remain untouched unless damaged. Prof. Venkatesan observed that when a statue is given human attributes and becomes divine, it transforms into a superhuman entity.

Explaining about the employment opportunities in the traditional art and craft sector, she said “It is very crucial, partly in terms of how much employment the traditional art and craft sector gets and how much money it generates. Because around the country people are either not wanting to or unable to continue with this work. So we have to understand if people want to continue with this work, how can we make it possible for them to do so. If they do not want to continue with this work, what other kinds of options exist for them.”

According to her, education is undergoing a transformation, particularly in Tamil Nadu. People’s aspirations are shifting, driven by the State’s steady move towards a more high-skilled labour market. “A significant number of young people are now pursuing fields like computer programming, software development, and software testing. This marks a clear departure from the skill sets of their parents’ generation. As a result, the younger generation is gaining access to a vastly different set of opportunities. In a context like Tamil Nadu, it would be especially insightful to study the evolution of educational institutions and how changing demographics are influencing their structure and focus,” she added.