Songs of resistance: Nepal’s Indigenous communities fight to preserve their musical heritage

Indigenous Tharu and Kumhar communities from Nepal's southern plains have long crafted bird-shaped terracotta musical instruments called Pilru, which hold deep cultural and spiritual significance in their ceremonies and celebrations. Artist Lavkant Chaudhary has launched "Pilru — Songs of Resistance," a community-driven initiative that documents oral histories, songs, and crafting techniques to preserve this endangered tradition while centering Indigenous voices. The project also confronts the issue of cultural appropriation, where non-Indigenous institutions reproduce and commercialize Indigenous art without proper acknowledgment or compensation to the original creators.