Song as Knowledge & Dance as Reading
Reading is traditionally understood as an act of decoding text, yet it is, at its core, an act of active interpretation. A reader does not merely absorb information but engages with it—assigning meaning, forming connections, and bringing their own experiences into the narrative. Hence forming knowledge. This project seeks to (How GCD can) expand the realm of reading by embracing visual, auditory, and performative elements in storytelling.
As a person of indigenous descent, I grew up with stories. In indigenous traditions, many stories are expressed and experienced through song, dance, and oral recitation. Indigenous communities, such as the Mundas, have long held and shared knowledge through seasonal festivals, songs, and dance which are acts of storytelling that pass down wisdom about farming, history, and community values.
Historically, “Akhra” was an open space in the village for community meetings and entertainment where knowledge was transferred across generations through storytelling, performance of songs and collective participation in dance. However, due to political and economic changes, such spaces are becoming extinct.
“Communal dance makes real and physical the values of communality and equality that are central ideals among Mundas. These ideals do not always find expression in political, economic, and social realities of Mundari life today….But these ideals are the reality of communal dance event in the village akhara, a commonly owned arena in the centre of every Mundari village or hamlet.” — Carol Babiracki ( ‘Music and the History of Tribe-Caste interaction in Chotanagpur’ Ethnomusicology and Modern Music History )
If “Akhra” is considered an institution for indigenous education, how can its function be revived?
Inspired by projects like Moniker’s “Dance Tonite”, a collaborative dancing experience in VR, and concepts of “Spatial Practices” by Melanie Dodd, we can use graphic communication design to serve as the bridge between tradition and innovation, creating “spaces” both literally and figuratively for revival and engagement of these storytelling mediums.
This digital akhra could serve as a dynamic archive of indigenous storytelling, where songs and dance are preserved not as static records but as interactive experiences. Using animations in augmented reality influenced by Yvonne Rainer’s work, audiences could engage with these traditions in ways that maintain their performative nature.
As a designer, the responsibility lies in crafting interfaces that honour and extend these traditions. As readers, participation in these interactive formats becomes an act of cultural perpetuation.
Ultimately, storytelling becomes a communal act, reading—when viewed as active interpretation—can be an equally collective experience, and GCD becomes a bridge between movement, sound, and text by reimagining reading as an immersive and communal act.
https://gcd.studio/pages/song-as-knowledge-and-dance-as-reading
