Kochi: A heritage tourism centre for promoting tribal products and art forms will be set up at the tribal complex that is coming up in Kochi.
The centre aims to protect and promote ethnic tribes by providing them with be a venue for the exhibition and sale of tribal products, a new platform for tribal art forms and promotion of ethnic food.
The complex spread across 2,229.22-sq-mt on 1.18 acres on Foreshore Road is being made at a cost of Rs 8 crore.
The 3-storey building will have an auditorium with modern facilities, exhibition-cum-sale stalls, food court and dormitories.
The scheduled caste & scheduled tribes welfare department aims to ensure a permanent income for tribal people through this initiative. The tribal complex would be opened by July first week, district tribal officer G Anil Kumar has said.
Eight shops will be set up for finding a market for tribal products such as wooden sculptures, items made from bamboo; forest produce such as honey, bamboo rice, ragi; and agricultural products. People will be able to buy authentic tribal products at the complex.
Stalls of Tribal Cooperative Marketing Development Federation of India, Attappadi Cooperative Farming Society and Wayanad Amrit would also function at the complex, apart from five shops of the tribals.
The Attappadi Co-operative Farming Society would be bringing in lot of agricultural produce such as cardamom, pepper, coffee and tea. It will provide a permanent market for tribespeople from Attappadi. Even sculptures made from coffee wood will be on sale.
Another highlight of the complex is an air-conditioned auditorium with a modern sound system, video projector and control system.
The complex would be a hub to protect rare tribal art forms that are facing extinction. These art forms and traditional know-how can be imparted to coming generations through this initiative.
Various art forms will be showcased at the venue along with the support of District Tourism Promotion Council, Kochi-Muziris Biennale, Department of Culture, Kerala Sangeetha Nataka Akademi and folklore academies.
The complex is also equipped to hold small residential camp, seminars and workshops.
It also has separate dormitories for both men and women with 20 beds each. The complex is being built by Kitco also will have a special hall to conduct programmes.
