Gidree Bawlee: When a community comes together to preserve its heritage

Gidree Bawlee's works have gone to international platforms. From Switzerland to India, their exhibitions mesmerised their viewers. Its installations carry a history and culture of ethnic minorities such as Santal and Burmese people— that the world is slowly forgetting.

But before it reaches the international stage, it is first displayed in the open air in Balia Thakurgaon. Everyone comes together to set up the installations. Once everything is set up, the attendants come dressed up for the occasion. They cook and eat together. They come with the same enthusiasm as they would for a festival. 

Gidree Bawlee's journey began in a modest village festival organised by Kamruzzaman Shadhin and his friends in the community where he grew up.

"Afterwards, they came up with the name 'Gidree Bawlee.' Gidree means child, and Bawlee means speech. It means children's babbling in a way. It doesn't really have a meaning and it's quite nonsensical. It gives it a playful attitude," explained Salma Jamal Moushum, who co-runs the organisation. 

Gidree Bawlee's work mainly operates in Thakurgaon. While their work focuses on uplifting the culture of ethnic minorities such as one of the oldest communities Santal as well as Barman ethnic minorities, their aim is much simpler— yet powerful.

"We want to celebrate our existence together with them. In the village, coexistence is prevalent, not just with people but also with non-human beings around us," said Moushum. 

According to Moushum, it is difficult to say how big their team is — after all, the community has been built with the collective work of the whole village. 

But their organisation consists of different teams, such as women's or children's teams. 

When I first had the honour of seeing their children's team perform 'The Strange Vortex' at Alliance Française de Dhaka, two things became clear. Firstly, despite being a team of children, the performers were by no means amateur. Secondly, there is a tie between their work and nature. 

"We work with artisans, farmers as it is an agricultural community that is entirely dependent on its land. Every single person you meet there, regardless of their profession, is involved with farming and agriculture in one way or another," shared Moushum.

She continues, "Every aspect of their lives is connected to the land, as it is agriculture-based. From festivals to rituals, they are connected to the agricultural cycle."

With their culture and customs so closely connected to the land, the people of Balia and beyond are feeling the impacts of ecological destruction and climate change. 

"There used to be a variety of crops that the people would grow back in the day. Now, there are only two types of crops. The people also never used to have to buy seeds, but now they do. From seeds to fertiliser— they have to buy everything," said Moushum.

In a capitalist society, the pressure to dedicate all our time, energy and resources to profitable work, to help earn a living, has led to a loss in culture. Gidree Bawlee's work provides an avenue to help preserve culture.

At times, Gidree Bawlee takes its artisans to the exhibitions where their hard work is displayed. It not only connects the viewers to the hands behind the craft, but it also lets the artisans view how their craft is perceived. 

"The experience is special to them. When the audience met the artisans, we helped translate their conversations to allow them to communicate," said Moushum, adding, "However, helping crafts survive without economic benefit is very difficult. The impact of capitalism is also felt by the village. People are forced to focus on what sells." 

Gidree Bawlee's work has a significant purpose. As the organisation works on a grassroots level, a clear gap in information about its culture and history becomes evident. "Much of the culture, music and rituals is lost with the older generation so we've created an extensive archive by recording everything," shared Moushum. 

Aside from keeping an archive, the co-runners have helped encourage the community to pass down their rituals and customs. "The reason why we work with kids is to encourage them to explore their culture. In the process, you will end up seeing the elderly stepping forward and guiding them through the process. It is a transmission of culture," said Moushum. 

The organisation preserves Balia's heritage mostly by arranging festivals. For three years, the organisation has celebrated the Shakpitari Fest, similar to a one-dish party. On this occasion, people bring dishes using items they find from the land; they cannot use groceries. 

"Many interesting recipes have come forth due to this festival. Sometimes we see dishes made with ingredients we did not even know were edible before. We end up with almost 70-80 dishes."

One of their most notable projects was 'Bhumi,' where the organisation supported rural artisans during the Covid-19 pandemic. The founder engaged around 60 craftsmen to create art, helping them stay engaged creatively, as well as supporting them. 

The project was then displayed in an exhibition at Kochi in Kerala, India.

One of the challenges of their work is funding. Most of their projects are either funded by other organisations or come from the independent projects Shadhin and Moushum do. Gidree Bawlee's work at the Dhaka Art Summit was supported by the Samdani Foundation. 

When the funding comes from an external organisation, the funds only support specific projects. In other words, there isn't a reliable stream of income that consistently supports their activities. 

"We focus on our artisans getting paid for their work. So, when there is a lack of funds, the workflow becomes much slower," explained Moushum. 

Gumtree Bawlee also faced another challenge in their initial days of operation. "Even though we are one with the community, there were times when a few people objected to it. However, in general, the community is very tolerant and welcoming towards the arts," shared Moushum.

Gidree Bawlee mostly operates in Balia Thakurgaon as the team wants to focus on making an impact. On occasion they had branched out and worked with children in Khulna, specifically to address the different water crises.

"We believe that to work with a community you have to stay there and become a member of the community. It is more impactful to stick to one community rather than leaving after a few months' visit," explained Moushum.

The organisation's hard work has not gone unnoticed. In 2023, Gidree Bawlee won the Asia Arts Future Award 2023. They also won the Art Spectrum Awards: South Asia 2018 award in the category of 'Breaking New Ground: Arts in Public Spaces