Folk art forms are often categorised as traditional forms and are not seen as contemporary art forms

that have the potential to become a part of the urban canvas of performing art. The knowledge that these forms bring with them is also not part of the popular imagination when it comes to unified culture and history. This erasure of indigenous or local histories is something one sees both in primary and secondary education systems as well as more advanced stages. That indigenous communities form an integral part of local and national histories is something that has not been touched upon in the mainstream education system.

UFP asks, how can we, as aware and educated public, help establish a stronger connection with the other? Is the other indeed different from us? Why and how? Are these important distinctions when one engages with the idea of pluralism and a kinder worldview? During fieldwork and developing plans for the future of UFP, some of the material collected has been put together that can help with understanding folk knowledge systems better. The information presents non-mainstream histories which are integral to understanding the regional culture. For instance, musical instruments form an integral part of the folk infrastructure. Art history sees that there has been a long tradition of  making instruments from locally available materials which lend a unique quality to the music of each region. Some of these instruments also have origin stories that are attributed in myth.

Our attempt is to initiate perhaps a simpler way to ensure that people hear of forms that were born in a different environment