V Festival Iberoamericano de Teatro de Bogotá

V Festival Iberoamericano de Teatro de Bogot

Rebuilding community resilience in a post-war context: developing insight and recommendations - a qualitative study in Northern Sri Lanka

BACKGROUND Individuals, families and communities in Northern Sri Lanka have undergone three decades of war trauma, multiple displacements, and loss of family, kin, friends, homes, employment and other valued resources. The objective of the study was understanding common psychosocial problems faced by families and communities, and the associated risk and protective factors, so that practical and effective community based interventions can be recommended to rebuild strengths, adaptation, coping strategies and resilience. METHODS This qualitative, ecological study is a psychosocial ethnography in post-war Northern Sri Lanka obtained through participant observation; case studies; key- informant interviews; and focus groups discussions with mental health and psychosocial community workers as well as literature survey of media and organizational reports. Qualitative analysis of the data used ethnography, case studies, phenomenology, grounded theory, hermeneutics and symbolic interactionism techniques. Quantitative data on suicide was collected for Jaffna and Killinochchi districts. RESULTS Complex mental health and psychosocial problems at the individual, family and community levels in a post-war context were found to impair recovery. These included unresolved grief; individual and collective trauma; insecurity, self-harm and suicides; poverty and unemployment; teenage and unwanted pregnancies; alcoholism; child abuse and neglect; gender based violence and vulnerability including domestic violence, widows and female headed-household, family conflict and separation; physical injuries and handicap; problems specific for children and elderly; abuse and/or neglect of elderly and disabled; anti-social and socially irresponsible behaviour; distrust, hopelessness, and powerlessness. Protective factors included families; female leadership and engagement; cultural and traditional beliefs, practices and rituals; and creative potential in narratives, drama and other arts. Risk factors that were impeding community rehabilitation and recovery included continuing military governance, depletion of social capital particularly lack of trust, hope and socio-economic opportunity structures for development that would engender a sense of collective efficacy. CONCLUSIONS In view of the widespread trauma at the individual, family and collective levels, community based programmes to increase local awareness, knowledge and skills to deal with common mental health and psychosocial issues; and training of community level workers and others in basic mental health and psychosocial problem solving are recommended to rebuild family and community agency and resilience. The use of cultural practices and school based programmes would rekindle community processes.Daya Somasundaram and Sambasivamoorthy Sivayoka

Performing Dalit Feminist Youth Activism in South India: Rap, Gaana, and Street Theater

Young Dalit men and women are changing the narrative of casteist oppression in India. Youth activists perform protest songs in the genre of rap and gaana, using elements of slam poetry and rap from African American artists and blending them with local musical innovations. The performances have deliberate messaging, signaling particular caste and gender injustices, both current and historical. This paper will analyze Dalit youth performances of rap, gaana, and street theater (koothu) in South India, particularly in Tamil Nadu, to understand the poetics of protest against caste and gender oppression. It will look at the notion of space in these performances. Since social space has historically been restricted for marginalized groups such as Dalits, and even private space has never existed for Dalits, more so for women, the performance space—the screen, the theatre, or street—becomes a heterotopia, or a third space for voicing injustice through song. Taboos are tossed aside in this space; transgressive, private-public fused in-your-face musical phrasings appear on every audio and visual device through the globalization of the internet. Rap and gaana queer accepted caste and gender narratives. This paper will look at youth rappers, such as Arivu, the latest sensation, gaana performer, Isaivani’s performances, as well as “The Casteless Collective” and inquire into the reasons for their appeal despite their iconoclasm. Affect is another area of inquiry in the analysis of Dalit performance, since caste and gender oppression meant invisibilizing Dalits and not seeing them as humans with emotions. Examining the value of affect within performances as well as its effect on audiences is important, since both coalesce to make historically restricted speech appealing and far-reaching in effecting change

The Myth of Habituation in the Akananuru

The society of the Sangam age is an excellent cultural base. Customary practices represent the way of life of the Tamils two thousand years ago. The special customs and traditions found in society are called "cultures." All our ancient Tamil pieces of literature extol the cultural aspects of our forefathers. Akananuru is the repository that contains all the life, history, beliefs, and customs of the people of the Sangam age. Akananuru is an expression of myth. It is known that there were types of marriage where the man and the woman were married without the consent of the parents and with the consent of the parents in the marriage system. It is special that they got married on a good day. Young boys built sand houses and played ball games. They cheered and enjoyed playing Kuravai Koothu (an entertaining dance of females) and Thunangai Koothu (a religious dance of females). Tunangai Koothu was unique in that it was exclusively for women. Trades were divided based on the land. Apart from these, it can be known that there were many castes such as potters, carpenters, and paraiyars. Trading was one of our customs. It can be seen that they excelled not only in domestic trade but also in foreign trade

Gênero e performance no Sul da Índia: o feminino ambivalente: da força da deusa a negação da mulher

This text aims to discuss the gender issue within the traditional performances of southern India starting with the cult of the Ammans and the complex ritualistic actions that involve “keeping under control” the eruptive energies of these female deities, which includes several types of dramatic performance. An ambiguous set of signs is evidenced, which oscillate between the exaltation of this mythical female power and the suppression of its existence on the social and political level. The starting point for directing this reflection is to understand how this ambiguity is reflected in traditional performances, comprising the Devadasi tradition, the tradition of men who play female roles, the inclusion of transsexual women in this context and, finally, discussing the role of cisgender women in this theater and the importance of theatrical communities as spaces of resistance for all these individuals.Este texto propone discutir el tema de género dentro de las representaciones tradicionales del sur de la India, a partir del culto a las Ammans y las complejas acciones ritualistas que implican "mantener bajo control" las energías eruptivas de estas deidades, que incluye varios tipos de representaciones dramáticas. Lo que se ve es un conjunto ambiguo de signos que oscilan entre la exaltación de este mítico poder femenino y la supresión de su existencia a nivel social y político. El punto de partida para orientar esta reflexión es entender cómo esta ambigüedad se refleja en las representaciones tradicionales, partiendo de la tradición Devadasi, pasando por la tradición de los hombres que interpretan roles femeninos, la inclusión de las mujeres trans en este contexto y, finalmente, la discusión sobre el papel de las mujeres cis en este teatro y la importancia de las comunidades teatrales como espacios de resistencia.Este texto se propõe a discutir a problemática de gênero dentro das performances tradicionais do sul da Índia, partindo do culto das Ammans e as complexas ações ritualísticas que envolvem “manter sobre controle” as energias eruptivas dessas divindades, o que inclui diversas modalidades de performance dramática. O que se vê é um conjunto ambíguo de sinalizações que oscilam entre a exaltação desse poder feminino mítico e a supressão de sua existência no plano social e político. O ponto de partida para encaminhar essa reflexão é compreender como essa ambiguidade se reflete nas performances tradicionais, partindo da tradição Devadasi, passando pela tradição dos homens que interpretam papéis femininos, a inclusão de mulheres trans nesse contexto e, finalmente, discutindo o papel das mulheres cis nesse teatro e a importância das comunidades teatrais como espaços de resistência. 

Koothu and Kalaignar Appreciation in Madurai Kanchi

The history of Tamil Nadu Koothu dates back to B.C. From the Sangam literature onwards information about the types of koothus has been recorded here and there. In Silappathikaram, there is a special classification of koothus. Madurai Kanchi is a beautiful collection of beautiful events in Madurai. Madurai Kanchi is a beacon of ancient people's life. Madurai Kanchi is a great literature that portrays Madurai from a multifaceted point of view. This article seeks to look at the occurrence of koothu and the appreciation of artists from a descriptive and sociological approach

El teatro colombiano: Caleidoscopio de nuevos rostros, nuevas voces

El teatro colombiano: Caleidoscopio de nuevos rostros, nuevas voce

Economic Development of Koothu Artistes of the Sangam Age

With the emergence of feudal society, industries arose in proportion to the land. Human divisions such as caste and class arose on the basis of these occupations. These divisions created the distinction between the have-not, the rich and the poor, the high and the low, in the general society. It was from these circumstances that artists such as the Banas, the Koothas and the Viraliyars, who depended on the feudal kings and the rich and lived by their praises, emerged. The Sangam literature, the ancient literature of the Tamils, has recorded about these artists and their lives. This article examines the economic status and life style of Koothu artistes who were socially backward

The Regeneration of Eelam Koothu and the Influence of Dravidian Ideologies-A Study

It is necessary that the Dravidian ideas, which flourish in the South Asian background and emphasize rationality and self-respect, are disseminated at the local social levels, and rooted in local cultures. Dialogues on Dravidian ideologies are necessary to unleash the Aryan patriarchal cultural structures of inequality and create new cultures full of equality, independence, freedom, and social justice. The need and the need to take these ideas to the grassroots levels of societies, where they can be discussed, discussed, and disseminated, are realized and possible mechanisms are considered. In this way, the participatory research activity for Koothu regeneration that has been proposed and carried out since the beginning of the second millennium in Eelam is recognized as one of the possible methods that have mechanisms to bring constructive ideas to the grassroots communities. In this article, it is examined how Dravidian ideas have influenced the regeneration of such a koothu

Thirukalyana Matha Shrine Sebasthiyar Drama Beliefs

Tamil language consists of three categories namely Unit, Music Drama. Drama is known as the queen of arts. The drama is very ancient and unique. Drama is a combination of both Unit, Music and performed as a story. The performing arts are narrative based and include street dance, archery, puppet show, costume dance, drama, and liturgical dance. Today, both the words ‘drama’ and koothu have different meanings. The songs have increased, the prose has improved, and the facilities like stage decoration have decreased is Koothu. The drama is full of facilities like songs, prose, beautiful stage, sound, light etc. Drama was considered as a branch of Koothu. Narrators say that drama is a story-driven speech. Drama is the change and development of Ku in the post 19th century period. Associate teachers were given as theater actors and professors of drama. It can be seen that the names of Koothu are given as Rama Drama Siruthondar drama, Arichandra drama. The development of street play is drama. Koothu are performed in the open air in villages and are performed for the people by folk artists. This can also be considered as rural drama. It can be seen that the drama, which first started as a street play, then turned into a stage play and developed into a literary play, has evolved and progressed and the old traditional folk plays are dying out. A song from natrinai paalai song 9 is mentioned as an example here to prove about mans trust on God due to his need. There is no known reason for the beliefs that have arisen in human life. Man was afraid of the obstacles, diseases and problems he encountered in his life. Hope was born as a result. He started doing many remedies based on faith to solve a problem. After that, he performed many rituals like sacrifices as a way of making amends to God. By doing so he was confident that everything would be fine. Through performances, rituals and ceremonies, the people of the country get what they want by begging or making amends with their faith In God. Thus in this article we can see what are the beliefs of the country people through the play performed in Thirukalyana Matha Shrine