Acoustic Traditional is an independent non-profit organisation, led by young tribal people,  working towards the promotion of oral storytelling and tribal folklore, especially of mountain and forest communities. It aims to encourage the preservation of the various myths, legends and stories that have been an integral part of a tribal group, vis-a-vis their cultural, environmental, spiritual and scientific heritage and also to creatively engage mainstream communities, through storytelling, in view of building a collective that supports the need for such preservation.  

Brief history
Started as a class room project as early as 1999 in Nepal, Acoustic Traditional has grown over the years to include a vibrant base of supporters, from musicians to activists to development professionals from across India. While functioning as an independent network of storytellers, researchers and campaigners, it produced various shows and engagement activities from time to time, bringing in the support of various local and international institutions. Now based in Bangalore as a registered organisation, it continues to engage people and various mountain communities towards conserving a dying tradition - oral storytelling.

Over the years, Acoustic Traditional has been proactively engaging various communities - both tribal and non-tribal, using creative tools, concerts, art and the internet.  

Background on our work 
"Once I met an old Lepcha Bungthing (shaman in Lepcha) while traveling to Magan, North Sikkim. He told me something which changed my life, and continues to revive in me the interest that once took me there... He said, in response to my question if he knew of some old Lepcha legends, 'Nani (Son or kid), look around you, the Teesta (an important river in the region) is diseased, people are digging into the gold which feeds the soil, everyone is trying to be someone or the other I cannot imagine who....if I told about our legends, you would probably laugh at me! I wouldn't blame you. What is the use of telling you things which you cannot relate to at all? No body wants to talk but on the phones.... I do not know which community you belong to, probably Newari...but remember, you will need your past one day to put together who you are...' S.M Koica Lo

That in many way speaks about our work and why we work. Apart from exploring the pleasures of listening to our folklore, which is an important aspect of reviving our tradition of storytelling, Acoustic Traditional is also - and quite significantly - about re-establishing the links between our stories and our amazingly diverse and rich traditional knowledge. With a wide range of influencers - from acculturation to displacement to generational differences to ...... - affecting the course of tribal inheritance, we are losing our ancestral legacy, our legends, myths, beliefs and practices as our own tradition-keepers, such as our storytellers and shamans, disappear. Along with them, we are losing something that has so long survived the times - our collective experiences and learning and their relevance in our present times.

What are we trying to do?
Our primary aim is to bring together tribal storytellers, stakeholders, organisations, communities in a way that is not only interesting but also meaningful... something that builds crossovers and adds perspectives that can positively influence the stake of tribal people (vis`-a`-vis` folklore) in the context of various and present critical issues, from environmental to developmental. 
 
While there is an increasing interest from both the scientific and non-scientific communities in tribal cultures, there is yet a general perception that tribal worlds are worlds of superstitions, myths and backwardness that they are in urgent need of mainstreaming and development. This is sometimes the attitude of the younger tribal generation as well, which makes the pursuit of a meaningful revival even more challenging. There is little understanding of the fact that these communities are knowledgeable communities with a tradition of sustainable living. But in the lack of efficient communication tools and platforms in the mainstream arena, the gap between the tribal and non-tribal worlds tends to increase.

In more ways than one, Acoustic Traditional is about bringing the essence of tribal cultures before a wider audience and building crossovers wherever possible and meaningful.