Abstract
The paper argues that festivalisation of the traditional mando has made the Goan performing art more socially sustainable. The Sustainable Development Goals relevant to this study include promoting social inclusion, eliminating discriminatory practices, and safeguarding cultural heritage. Festivalisation of the mando has curbed discriminatory practices rooted in its elitist origins and facilitated preservation of Goa’s cultural heritage. Schechner’s efficacy-entertainment braid refers to the idea that ritual and theatre are not entirely separate entities but rather intertwined like strands in a braid. This continuum in the mando festival, which is neither purely ritual nor theatre contributes to social sustainability as it leaves room for social inclusion, by creating flexibility for an otherwise exclusive ritual, and enables heritage preservation. Therefore, the specific objectives of this paper are: 1. To analyse festivalisation of the mando through its ritualistic and theatrical aspects 2. To examine how festivalisation of the mando has curbed discriminatory practices rooted in its ritual performance 3. To understand how intangible heritage preservation has been facilitated by the mando festival The methodology of this research will involve an in-depth analysis of mando festival souvenirs, personal interviews with participants and organisers of the mando festival and an analysis of data obtained through participant observation at the All Goa State Level Mando Festival 2024. The data are analysed from the lens of Schechner’s efficacy-entertainment braid to theorise how festivalisation can be adopted by elitist rituals to promote social sustainability.
Presenters
Shona DesilvaPhD Research Scholar, Humanities and Social Sciences, BITS Pilani KK Birla, Goa, India
Details
Presentation Type
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session
Theme
The Arts in Social, Political, and Community Life
KEYWORDS
Festivalization, Social Sustainability, Intangible Cultural Heritage, Performing Arts, Inclusivity
