Contesting marginalization: diorama and tribal museum

Abstract

ABSTRACT Many scholars have highlighted the role of scenographic strategies in transforming the ways in which museums display their content. In the course of this article, I want to focus on the use of dioramas in tribal museum display and their role in shaping the expectations and opinions of the visitor. This type of scenographic installation has been used in many museums in India devoted to showcasing the way of life of various tribes residing across the subcontinent. These museums were originally established in order to safeguard and promote the culture of tribal peoples who often find themselves marginalized in mainstream society and many contain life-size dioramas depicting scenes of everyday tribal life. The idea behind the installation of these dioramas is that they increased awareness among the general public about the specificities of the culture of different tribes. However, questions remain as to whether these scenographic installations succeed in providing context for the visitor to better understand the ideals and values of tribal life or whether they compound stereotypes. In this article I will look at the use of dioramas in different tribal museums across India and other parts of the world, but I will primarily focus on the dioramas in a tribal museum located in Delhi.