Wayanad's tribal artists look to hit the right note on ‘fellowship' of music

New Indian Express

30-06-2025

KOZHIKODE: Until a few months ago, most of the 17 tribal musicians now part of the Earthlore Fellowship could have never imagined that their centuries-old songs would travel beyond the hills of Wayanad or the forest fringes of Coorg.
For many, music was simply a way of life, performed during harvests, births, or rituals with no thought that these oral traditions would one day be showcased on prestigious stages or recorded for a global audience.
The idea of receiving structured training, a stipend, mentorship from acclaimed musicians, and national recognition never even crossed their minds. That changed with the launch of the fellowship.
Now, these young artists -- from communities such as the Kurichiya, Paniya, and Adiya -- find themselves at the heart of a cultural movement that is giving voice, value, and visibility to indigenous music like never before.
A total of 20 fellows, including three non-tribal musicians from different parts of the country, have been selected through a rigorous process to join this pioneering initiative by the Archival and Research Project (ARPO), supported by Tata Trusts and the Samagata Foundation.