Folk way of life: An online fundraising gala to celebrate folk musicians from Rajasthan to Nagaland

The Gachirampara Hojagiri Cultural Troupe

Shyopat Julia, a mashak (Rajasthani version of the bagpipe) player from Rawla Mandi district, Rajasthan, remembers the waves of the pandemic as a dark period in his nearly 35-year-long career. Payments had dried up, work was scarce, and it was trying to even put out three square meals for his family of 15. Like Julia, thousands of folk artistes have been reeling from the blow of the pandemic. When the world came to a screeching halt in 2020, The Teamwork Fine Arts Society - a production company that works closely with the performing arts sector - started receiving distress calls from many artistes. It led them to host the first edition of I Believe Art Matters, an online fundraising concert to help these artistes tide through choppy waters.

The Ao Naga Choir has collaborated

After the 2020 and 2021 editions, the concert is back this year with the spotlight on folk artistes. Curator Avik Roy shares that when the Delta variant struck in India, they realised that apart from food and ration woes, artistes were frustrated without work. "So, we decided to commission new works for artistes in need by collaborating with established creators. The idea was to invest in the artistes while they do what they love the most," he adds.

In the folk edition, too, they have commissioned four pieces by Baul singer Kanai Das who collaborated with musician Susheela Raman, Sufi-folk singer Mooralala Marwada who will perform with Kutch folk musicians, the Ao Naga Choir which worked with The Gachirampara Hojagiri Cultural Troupe, and the Rajasthani bagpiper, Julia. The recorded performances will premiere online throughout the month, and are supported by the Sheela Kanoria Foundation.

Shyopat Julia

Roy shares that Das' song, Syama ma, is an ode to goddess Kali, and will be presented by William Dalrymple; while Marwada, who hails from a long line of Meghwal singers, will perform Chodhke mat ja ekli banjara. Shubha Mudgal will present the piece.

The third performance will be helmed by the Ao Naga Choir from Nagaland, and be introduced by Usha Uthup. Lanutemsu Yaden, founder of the choir, tells us they will perform a song called Mejensanger naro "It's composed in the Ao Naga language. It encourages youth to rise up to challenges, and take on the mantle of leadership of the community and the world," he says. The hojagiri dancers, he explains, hail from a tribal community in Tripura. "A lot of them lost livelihoods in the pandemic, which has compounded their existing challenge of attrition. We wanted to channelise the platform to introduce people to hojagiri artistes and their plight," Yaden adds.

Avik Roy

The fourth piece is a short documentary on generational mashak player Julia, who has been performing since he was 16. It will be introduced by Sanjoy K Roy, MD, Teamwork Arts. "Today, not many youngsters are keen on learning this since work is scarce. They choose to take up other jobs. But I tell my son that if he doesn't learn it, the tradition will fade out," Julia elaborates. Which is why, the concert is also an attempt to archive these art forms. "We're going with the message that every view matters - you watch it, share it and donate if you can," Roy signs off.

On: Today, August 12, 19 and 26
Log on to: teamworkarts.com/art-matters/ibelieve