22 May 2018

Lokayan Life Diversity Museum, Bangladesh

Northern Bangladesh is known as an ancient dwelling. Countless memories of hard-earned community's striving and heritage are evident at each and every segment of this ancient habitation. From generation after generation, farmers, earthenware makers, smiths, potters, fishermen, local lyricists and ethnic groups are the driving force of this ancient folk. The northern part of Bangladesh is enlightened with the immense contribution of their production, life-style, entertainment and folklore heritage. In a conventional sense, the museum is meant for archiving evidence of work and life style of kingdom of different generations and centuries, but heritage built on real life struggle of working segment remains overlooked very often. The Lokayan Life Diversity Museum has been set up through reminiscing ignored heritage built generation after generation, challenging the more traditional outlook of society. The museum, established by the Eco Social Development Organization - ESDO, is located at the Akcha village near Thakurgoan.

Permanent collections

The Lokayan Life Diversity Museum includes the following galleries and collections:

River Gallery: open to the visitors in 2016, it preserves water of almost all the rivers from Bangladesh. Many objects of river-centric different occupations are also displayed here. Moreover, this gallery has a rich collection of objects, inventory of rivers, information of boats, boat festivals, bhatiali song and rural folk music composed out of love for river and nature. Information on char, flood, fisheries, birds, is also presented here.
Ethnic Minority People Living in Plain Land: This gallery is dedicated to the ethnic minorities of plain land. Lokayan has demonstrated their livelihood, culture, dwelling, dress, food habit, occupations, festivals and other social events.
Grassroots Folk Gallery: This gallery, open in 2006, includes collections related to agricultural utensils, herbal medicines and treatments, music instruments, coins, jewellery, ornaments, religious objects, sports and recreational materials, household objects, marriage ceremony items, pottery, letters, crafts, etc.
Liberation War Gallery: This gallery is divided into different corners named Old Age, Middle Age, 1757-1947, 1947-1971 and exclusively Nine Month of Independence. Memoirs of different wars as well as of liberation war are preserved here with due honor. The main objective of Liberation War Gallery is to present the appropriate history of Liberation War through the demonstration of related films and features, an audiovisual library and building an open stage and a modernized auditorium.