FOLK ART AND TRIBAL ART: WITH SPECIAL REFERENCE TO MANDLA DISTRICT, MADHYA PRADESH

Folk and tribal arts constitute an integral component of indigenous social life, functioning not merely as aesthetic practices but as systems of knowledge, cultural memory, and social organization. This paper presents an in-depth sociological study of folk and tribal art traditions in Mandla district of Madhya Pradesh, a predominantly tribal region inhabited mainly by Gond, Baiga, Bharia, and other indigenous communities. The study examines the distinctive art forms practiced by each tribe—such as Gond painting, Baiga wall art, ritual body tattooing, folk music, and dance—and situates them within their respective social, religious, ecological, and economic contexts. Using qualitative research methods including ethnographic observation, semi-structured interviews, life-history narratives, and visual analysis of art forms, the paper analyzes how tribal art reflects social structure, gender roles, collective belief systems, and community-based modes of production. Drawing upon sociological theories of cultural functionalism, symbolic interactionism, and Bourdieu’s concept of cultural capital, the study argues that tribal art in Mandla operates as a living social institution that sustains cultural continuity and reinforces collective identity. A central contribution of this paper lies in its analysis of the dynamic interrelationship between tribal art and regional folk art. Rather than treating them as separate cultural categories, the study demonstrates that folk and tribal arts in Mandla exist along a cultural continuum shaped by shared rituals, festivals, ecological settings, and inter-community interaction. The paper further examines the impact of modernization, state intervention, and market integration on indigenous art practices, highlighting both opportunities for economic empowerment and risks of symbolic dilution and cultural commodification. By foregrounding indigenous perspectives and contextualizing art within everyday social life, this study contributes to global sociological debates on indigenous knowledge systems, cultural sustainability, and the sociology of art in non-Western societies. The findings underscore the need to recognize tribal and folk arts not merely as heritage objects but as dynamic social processes essential to cultural resilience in an era of rapid globalization.