At the second edition of Chennai Kalai Theru Vizha’s Lec-fest, Porombokkiyal 2024, held on Wednesday at The Folly, Amethyst, coastal prawn pickers to Mukavinai musicians, took the centre stage.
“Different art forms should be given the same platform and equal recognition, without any hierarchy, which is the essence of Chennai Kalai Theru Vizha,” said Monali Bala of the initiative. “It is important to showcase the profound knowledge possessed by people whose expertise is built on lived experiences, and not necessarily through degrees, which is what the second edition of Lec-fest, Porombokkiyal 2024, is all about,” she further added.
In the first session titled, ‘Life on the Shores: Women Prawn Pickers of Pazhaverkaadu,’ residents of Pulicat — Dhanam Arumugam and Sakila Sekar — shared their experiences with prawn picking, oyster collecting and fishing in the Kosasthalaiyar’s brackish waters, in conversation with J. Prashanth, an activist from Chennai and a volunteer of Chennai Kalai Theru Vizha.
“Mostly the women from Pazhaverkaadu use the pari (prawn equipment) and catch the fish by hand. We often spend the entire day in water, collecting as little as 1 kg of prawn on tough days, sometimes even until 6 p.m.,” said Ms. Dhanam. “On better days, we manage till 3 kg of prawn which we sell in the local markets ourselves,” added Ms. Sakila. Furthermore, Ms. Sakila shared her knowledge of medicinal plants from the region, brought along for the audience to see.
Both women reflected on their resilience, recognising that spaces like Porombokkiyal 2024, empower them to voice their stories, without judgement. “Prawn picking cannot be taught in a day or two,” added Mr. Prashanth. “These women are masters in it, their skills honed through years of experience.”
Published - October 02, 2024 08:23 pm IST
