Literature of anguish

There are many painful parallels to draw between the Dalits and the Aboriginals, both socially displaced peoples who tell their stories through their literature

So ifyo11 see someone like me 117ho'.r dnmk a11d loud and mrsi11g Do11t;i1dge loo hard,y o11 11ever know 117ha! so1To1vs we are 1111rsing. (little bit , lon g time, Ali Cobby Eckerman's collected poems)

For many Hindus, words like 'Shudra', 'Pariah', 'Domba', 'Asprushya' or 'l'anchama' (the list goes on) instantl y bring up unforgiving memories of a bitter chapter in hiscory that is best forgotten or better still, wished away.

Qui re literall)Tmeaning 'outcasre', the words refer to the l owest caste in the ancient Varna system D ictating social position, it speaks of many centuries of injustice, oppression and brutal di scrimination. Since the days of breakaway movements like Buddhism, Jainism a nd more recently t he Brahmo, Arya Samaj a n d Ramakrishna movemems, an honest and sincere attempt has been made ro right the wrongs and ro compensate this much -maligned community. And thankfully, more enlightened me mbers of the 'forward' caste have championed these ema ncipation efforts.

\Xn1ile tl1e Indian Constitution officially calls them 'scheduled castes', the names coined by -Phule and Gandhi - Dal.i t (crushed) or Harijan (God's people) are the prefe rred terms these days. Many a n initiative has also been taken towards 'positive discrimination'.

Accounting for almost a quarter of India's population, a number of Dalits have held influential positions. Since the si,xties, Dalit literamre is a thr iving phenomenon that has recen tly forayed into new ma r kers in India aud elsewhere. From die 'obligarory Dalit' (as Gicish Karnad so powerfully put it) of mainstream movies and li terature, they are now real personae with strong voices and upl ifting stories.

Two of their inAuential writers Sharankumar Llmbale and Gogu Shyamala spoke pass ionately about the impact of literature in changing accimdes, not only of Dalits but other caste members as weU.

Limbale and Shyamala were among tl1e p anellists at the opening session of the Australia

India Literatures Incernational forum (AILIF). Boch the regional write rs are eloquent in their native tongues (Telugu and Marathi respectively), and speak very lit tle English. Yer language was uo barrier for d1ese two human dignity advocates

The session ,vas ap tl y enti tl ed 'Old Traditions, New Cul mres'.

Sharing me podium wi tl1 die duo were Aboriginal writers A lexis Wcight a nd J\li Cobby Eckermann.

The iguominy suffered by 'o r iginal owners of Terra Nullius' in their own homeland is again, a welldocwnented fact.

Be i t Aboriginal or Dalit, tribal or in digenous, the two socially rejected communities spanning cwo entire ly different continencs, have so many parallels. Their corU1ection co their motherland is a fertile breeding ground for countless tales. W ith deep political engagement, it is a tale of bitterness, isolation and supp ression; but their profound saru1ess makes for gripping readership.

"True, we live in a democracy But can we live easily and spea k freely?" asked Alexis Wrigh t. "Our stories are often kept in our head and heart. le is through literature that we have the freedom of bow co chink".

"Can a Dalir write? Can they be written about?" were Lirnbale's opening remarks to the audience. "Dali t literature," the Maradii writer unashameclly stated, "is the literature of clrainage water. Tt is not rh e literature of imagination bm of brutality against Dalits. How can it be nice? Yet I had to write it. How could l neglect the call of my people? I did not kno,v the structure of literature but l wauted to share the pain of my people. Words just flowed out".

Sadly, his introduction into literary circles bas been a painful one, creating soc ial tension as well as deep personal rifts. His own community, including his family, rejected L imbale for l aying bare the uaked truth of Dalit life in all its ugly reality.

The soft-spoken autlior's autobiography A kkarmashi (U11to11chable) erupted like a volcano two decades ago.

"How could I nor write? It is my bird1.- right co express my protest tl1rough my wri tings. l e is my attempt to cleanse die stain on our country," Limbal e co ld Tndiat1 Link. "Our peop le's struggle is my paper, our movement is my ink, the peop le are my books and my protest is my parliamenr".

His ,,vritings verbalise tl1e deep pain, tl1e suppressed anger and wounded pride of the entire community of marginalized people.

It is tl1is very anguish tliat is conveyed in the works of Gogu Shyaniala, an advocate, women's activist and champion of the Telengana movement in remote rural Ancll1ra Pradesh. Shyamala who is deepl y indebted ro ber first publisher Navayana, spoke of me matrilineal matriarchic famil y system of her communi ty Her storytelling also belongs to the protest tradition. She spoke proudly of her mother goddess Pod1amma Katha a nd E!Jama

Katha, the embodiment of fertility and bi odiversity, and the freedom struggle for independent Te lengana.

"\X1e are avachas and admshas, made by Hindus but not Hindus," she said.

Het powerful writing has been translated into many regional clialects, besides English. Myfi,ther may be an elephcmt, my mother on!J a small bcuket, Merit interrupter/, Infected JV01mds ore but the tip of the iceberg. An outspoken activist of Dalit cigh ts and women's upliftment, Shyamala has also written prolificall y on the issues she is passionate abou t. Her simple Telugu quotations moved the audience to tears.

Akin to India's untouchab les, d1e scory of tl1e 'srolen generations' is yet another shameful chapter in human history. le is the heart-rending tale of half- castes and non- entities, of isolation and social rejection. The deep angst and anguish of tl1ese 'half-breeds', form tl1e bas is of J\li

Cobby Eckermau's

poetry

Australian politicians have since made botched attempts at rewriting hiscor y, but have tl1ey been ab le co heal the deep wounds? More importantly, h ave the half-hearted policies effected real social cha nge in these sidelined corunmnities?

Tri do1Jce ivitb 1110b 011 this red Land. m1111di:1 J1Jim place

I'll da1Jce awqy the111 halfcaste lies 'co.r I got my Na1Ja's face!

The well read and widely travelled Eckerman hopes to be die change agent her community needs to rally back to dignity and social acceptance.