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Protection of Traditional Cultural Expression: Performing Arts* USHA MALIK "J"lere possibly is no other country in the world besides India, with the richness and .1 varietyofcultural expressions,intimatelywovenastheyarewiththe diversityofethnic groups, religions.beliefsystems.professions,geographicallocations,socialandeconomic structures ofcommunities concerned.With rapidcommercializationand the tidal wave of the media swamping whatever comes in itsway.there is an urgent need for protectionof traditionalculturalexpressions(TeE)againstrampantmisuseandmisappropriationanditis. timethat laws were formulated andenacted10 preventit happening. Themisuse and misappropriationofTCESstem fromalossofsenseofvaluesofjustice. fairness and equity,greed, rapaciousness and a certain lack ofintegrity and pride in the culturalheritageofthecountry.Italsoarisesfromadesiretotakecommercial andeconomic advantageofthecreative and artisticexpressions ofinnocent.but wise.communities who had once considered the five elements as the gifts ofthe gods and considered all living beings,vegetationand non-livingmatter pervaded withsacredspiritorconsciousness and who are now in the process ofadjusting to the new scenario where nature is forman to ravage,the earthisdivided upinplotsofland as property,water isatapriceand possibly, airalsointhenearfuture. When we thinkofredressing the injusticedoneto these communities,we can unfortu nately only do soin our own tenus, that is, by formulating and enacting laws in our own context.Could we-the urban,educated andthedecision-makers-everde-condition our selves and dream of living our lives according to the profound world-views and percep tionsofsomeofthese communities? Whatan idea.onewould say! Asweknow.theWorldIntellectualPropertyOrganization,theUNspecializedagency.is trying to develop legal provisions for the "protection oftraditional knowledge and tradi tionalculturalexpressions[folklore]againstmisappropriationandmisuse. and theintellec tual property aspects ofaccess to and benefit sharing in genetic resources". WIPO also provides legal-technical assistance to member states and information and advice on intellectual property issues connected with collecting, inventorying, recording and disseminating the intangible cultural material by museums, archives and other con cerned institutions. *T~is paper ':Vas read at the.Semin~r on Intellectual PropertyRights and Protection of Expressionsof Folkloreorgam~ed by the IndianSocietyof International lawinassociation with the SocialAction Forum forxtanavAdhikarhelJ on 24 June 2006 atJSIL.NewDelhi. Sang", Natal Vol.XLI. No.4, 2007 PROTECTION OF TRADITIONALCULTURAL EXPRESSION 43 They have set up an intergovernmental committee to discuss"draft provisions for the enhanced protection of traditionalknowledge and traditionalculturalexpressions"asitis linkedto"culturalheritage,identity.culturaldiversityandhumancreativity". The deliberationshave ledto two setsofdraftprovisions(revised}-onefortraditional knowledge, and the other for traditional cultural expressions. Based on discussions with memberstates, NGOs. indigenous communities and others. "they reflectawide rangeof community,nationalandregionalexperiences".WIPOconsidersthetwosetsofprovisions complementary.However,they deal withthe specific issues raisedby thetwoareas. To quote the \VlPO document. "the draft provisions are broad and inclusive and in tended, while establishing that misappropriation and misuse of Traditional Cultural Expressionsrrcej/(ExpressionsofFolklore(EOF)wouldbeunlawful,togivemaximumflex ibilitytonationalandregionalauthoritiesinrelationtowhichpreciselegalmechanismmay beusedtoachieveorimplementtheprovisionsatthenationalorregionallevels.Protection may accordinglydraw on a comprehensiverange ofoptions,combiningproprietary,non proprietary and non-IP measures, and using existing IPrights,suigeneris extensions or adaptationsofIPrights,and speciallycreatedsuigenerisIPmeasuresandsystems,includ ing bothdefensive and positive measures", Traditional knowledge has been defined in the draft provisions as "content or sub stanceofknowledge resulting from intellectualactivityinatraditionalcontext- includes know-how,skills,innovation,practicesandlearningthatformpartoftraditionalknowledge systemsand knowledge embodying tradirional lifesrylesofindigenousor localcommuni tiesorcontained incodifiedknowledge systems passed between generations.Notlimited to any specific technical field, it may include agricultural, environmental and medicinal knowledge and knowledge associated with geneticresources", Traditional CulturalExpressions or Expressions ofFolklore(res or EOF)in the Indian context, arethecultural and artisticheritageofthecommunityorindividualswhichwould includetheperformingartsofmusic,dance.theatre,puppetry.ballads,recitationandenact ment oftales,epics. Puranas and poetry,etc" in the rural and tribalareasofthecountry. Sometraditionalperformanceforms arealsopractisedintheurbanareasandmetropolitan centres. Thereare severalorganizationsinIndiaatthecentralandregionallevelsassignedwith the taskofpreserving andpromotingthe performing artsofthecountry.It isperhapstrue that Whiledoing their best to record.documentand preserve these forms. theirattention has been drawn to the misuse and misappropriation in some cases, but in the absenceof guidelines. legalstructures and laws.they have been unable to redress the wrongs, SangeetNatakAkademi. theNationalAcademy forPerfonningArtsinlndia,isdevoted tothepromotion andpreservationoftheperformingartsof thecountry.TheAkademihas beendeeplyinvolvedwith recordinganddocumentingtheperformingartstraditions.ofthe countryfor overfifty years ofit"existence besides promotingtheartsthrough holdingof festivals,publications, honouring of artists through awards. and subsidizing the work of USHAMALIK institutionsand individualsengaged intraining. performanceand promotionofthearts.A considerable body of its recordings has been on traditional theatre, music and dance of rural andtribal areasandtraditionalpuppetryofdifferent regions,whichcanbeadata-base forfurtherworkinthisarea. IthasrecentlybeenproposedintheAkaderni,that astate!cultural region-wisemapping of an forms and the communities concerned and preparation of an inventory would be necessary tocoverdocumenting the wide range of performing art forms over aperiod of lime. According 10 the recommendationsofthe Asian Culture Centre for Unesco (ACCU) WorkshoponApproachestoInventoryMakingheldinDecember200-1,"Culturalmapping can assist in developing strategies [establishing time frames and budgets] for engaging withcommunitiesandinvolvingthemininventorymaking". Inventory-makingofintangi bleheritage isthefirststep towardsidentifyingtheendangeredforms.Data-basescouldbe developed.astherecommendationselaborate. "to organize.access and utilize information for purposes of safeguarding and ensure protection ofcommunal, intellectual and moral rightsoverallinformationcollectedbyrecognizingthe Localcommunitymembersasbear ersand custodiansofintangible culturalheritage", Important aspects oftherecommendationsare"to letthe communitiesthemselvesiden tify,define and assess theircultural heritage and they be empoweredto do so by agencies concerned" and raising awareness about the need to safeguard the heritage by involving students. media and undertaking national awareness programmes. TheWIPOdocumenton thedraftprovisions(revised) hasdetails ofguidelines,princi plesandobjectivesfor the protectionofTCE::slEOFS.arrived at afterintergovernmentalcon sultations.TheRevised Provisions aim to promote respectforphilosophical. intellectual. andspiritualvaluesofthecommunitiesasalsoforcustomarycontinuing use. exchangeand transmission rights under national and internationallaw.They also propose to beguided by the "aspirations and expectations expressed directly by indigenous peoples and by traditionalandotherculturalcommunities" and aimto"empowercommunitiestoexercise rights andauthorityovertheirownTCEs!EOFS" and "provide legaland practicalmeansto prevent misappropriation of their TCESand derivatives therefrom. control ways in which theyare usedbeyondthe customarycontextand promotethe equitable sharingofbenefits arising from their use",These would result in safeguarding traditional cultures and thus contributeto cultural diversity. The IndianCopyrightLawof1957givesrightstocreatorsofliterary,dramatic.musical and artisticworksand producersofcinematographicfilms andsoundrecordings forrepro duction,communicationto public,adaptation andtranslation ofwork. However,someex ceptions have been Listed, as forresearch. study, criticism.review,etc.Musical work has beendefinedasworkconsistingofmusicand includesanygraphicalnotationofsuch work butdoes not include any words orany action intended to be sung. spoken or perfonned withthe music.Amusical work need notbewrittendown toenjoy copyrightprotection. Accordingtothis lawthereare manyright-holders inamusicalsound recordingsuchas PROTECTIONOF TRADITIONALCULTURAL EXPRESSION thelyricist,thecomposer,thesinger. the accompanistsand the person orcompany which producestherecording.The performer'sright isfortwenty-fiveyears.Collectiveadminis tration ofcopyright for issuing licenses. collecting fees for licenses. distributing fees for suchlicensesamongcopyright-ownersafter deductingadministrativeexpensesishandled by copyright societies such as the Indian Performing Rights Society and Phonographic PerformanceLtd. Thenatureoftheabovedefinitionof'musicalwork' itselfprecludestraditional cultural expressions in music and it is obvious that the Copyright Law is unable to protect the communitieswhoseculturalresourcesarebeingdrawn uponsofreely.atleastinthecaseof musicanddance.bythecommercialcinemainourowncountry.IIisironicalthatthemusic ofacommunityobtained so freelybecomesthecopyrightedpropertyoftheindividualand othersassociated with the 'culturalproduct', onceitisadaptedfortheir use.Ihopethatthis hasbeenkeptinmindwhiledeliberatingonamendingthelaw. There are traditional formsofdance, which may not bethe property ofany particular community now. but haveacquiredapan-Indian charactersuchasBharatanatyam. Kathak andOdissi.Travestiesofthesedancesaredailyperformedonthescreenbymisappropriat ingthecostumes,themusic,and thetextofthesongs,causingimmensepaintotheartistic communityandthe informedaudience.ThetraditionalKathakalicostume andmake-upare used in all mannerofadvertising.Are there any laws for crossing theaesthetic limitsand misusing theseformsfor commercialpurposes? Wehaveto askourselves afew questionsaboutwhat ourguidingprinciplesandobjec tives are-are we tryingto protect the rightsofthecommunitiesbecause wewish to.pre serve traditionalknowledgeand traditionalculturalexpressions?Areour attemptsatpres ervation to keep them in a museum-like situation or do we value them as vibrant living traditionswith which we have lostcontact?Ifso.thendowe take intoaccountthepreser vation ofthe context-e-environment.customs, beliefs and the social and economic struc tures- inwhichtheseexpressionsflourish?Howfarisitpossibletogoalongandreconcile itwiththeprocessesand falloutsofmodernizationanddevelopment?One hasseenseveral traditionalforms vanishing before one's eyes orchanging theircharacteristics at a rapid pace in thelast fewyearsalone. Thenatureoftheproblemisvastandverycomplexinthiscountry.Itisasensitivearea. which hasto be treadedcarefullyby thoseconcerned, theculturaland legalinstitutionsat the national and regional levels- bothgovernmentaland non-governmental-theexperts. scholarsand field workers,who would necessarily beassociatedwith it.Last, but notthe least, the concerned communities and specially their women. whose voices would be of utmost importance in providing guidance for protection of theirheritage. Unless they are involved,theexercisewouldbefutile. Since IndiaisapartoftheintergovernmentalcommitteeofWIPO,Isupposewebroadly agreewiththeaims,objectives.guidelinesandprinciplesoftheDraft(Revised)Provisions. As it seems an ongoing process of consultations. a nationaldebate could beinitiated (0 USHAMAUK tinetuncthemtoIndiansituationfor futurework inthefield. A departmentoran institution maybeidentifiedtocollect and coordinateall available informationandlegalitiesavailablenationally,internationally,andindifferentcommunities on Intellectual Property Rights.which maybe madeavailable tothoseinterested. Culturalmappingofartformsandcommunities.preparationofinventoriesfordocumen ration.anddevelopmentofdata-basestoaccessinformation for safeguardingandensuring protection would alsobe necessary. Pilotprojectsandcasestudiesmaybeundertaken inafewculturalregions10 determine the natureofcultural expression.the communitiesinvolved,theexact areas ofmisappro priationandmisuse- from thepointsofviewofhumanrights.environmentallawsorartis tic 'tra~sgressions', etc. Draft questionnaires could bediscussed and then formulated. Theexperiencemayhelpusevolveamodelforlawsthatmaypreventmisuseandmisap propriationoftraditionalculturalexpressions.