From "Veruddy" to "Virumpi"
A creative transformative process with the Children
.jpg)
The Scarecrow is one of the most familiar figures of the rural and urban landscape of the Northeast of Sri Lanka. The ragged figure has been recorded in history for centuries and the Thamil classical literatures have evidences in plenty.
The image has proved irresistible to artists and writers from the past to present as well as to film makers since the dawn of the silent movie. Yet, despite all this fame, the origins and the development of the scarecrow have remained obscured in mystery.
Dictionary provides two meanings for the noun, scarecrow; (1) Any crude figure of a person set up to scare crows and other birds away from growing crops, (2) A person of ragged or disreputable appearance.
The Tamil word for scarecrow is ‘veruddy’ and it’s also known as ‘veruli’, and ‘konangi’. But these words connote satirical nature of scarecrow. It’s similar to buffoon, clown, or joker.
A poem of Sri Lankan Thamil poet Navaliyoor Somasundara Pulavar (1876-1953)
on scarecrow, with the title ‘Kaththari Thottatu Veruli’ [The scarecrow in the middle of Eggplant garden] is very popular one among the children of the past. ‘Kaththari Thoddaththu Maththiyile Ninru Kaaval purihinra Sevaka’ In translation it reads as, Servant, you stand guard in the middle Of the aubergine garden ‘veruddy’, the scarecrow is also called as ‘kaththari veruli’.
Making of "Veruddy" "The scarecrow" is the art of the people. It could be created and located in any place and in any time and with anything by very few people. It’s the power of making of ‘veruddy’. The purpose of creating "Veruddy" is to scare the birds in the paddy fields and in vegetable gardens. It's also hanged or displayed in front of building construction sites in order to protect from "Kannooru" the evil eye.
Making of ‘veruddy’ or ‘veruly’ is an easy but not an undemanding activity. It demands creativity. The images of ‘veruddy’ or ‘veruly’ simply catch the attention and make the people to gust with laughs and thoughts. Satirist and protest elements and particularly an activity in group is the undercurrent in the making of ‘veruddy’ or ‘veruly’. The talks and jokes; cackling and giggling in the process of making of scarecrows are the visible demonstrations of the undercurrent. The creative process and the final product reflect and represent the protest nature of the subjects against their masters and managers.
It’s also a kind of ritual where the distressed people in very small groups release their anguish subtly during the process of making and placing of ‘veruddy’ or ‘veruly’ or the process has provides a space for the release of pains and for expressions in a positive way.
But making of an Effigy followed by a procession and the burning of it in a public space is an active protest of a mass. Making of ‘veruddy’ or ‘veruly’ proofs that creativity and critical mind is not an asset of few specialist personalities.
It's an untapped or suppressed wealth of human beings. The positive aspects in making of ‘veruddy’ or ‘veruly’ had steered me to make it as a children activity.
Children are feeling free in the process of making of a ‘veruddy’ or ‘veruly’ comparing to work with paint or clay in order to make paintings or sculptures.
The collective and boundless feature of creative process in the making of ‘veruddy’ or ‘veruly’ was identified as powerful medium for the expressions for children.
Conventionally the creation of ‘veruddy’ is focused to create scare with the tinge of satire but the creative process with the children has transformed this as ’virumpi’ meaning “Lovable”. ‘virumpi’ an endearing creation with the tinge of satire.
It’s a simple and effective medium to work with children living in continuous displacements and under permanent war. Creative process of making ‘virumpi’ has provides a positive environment not only for children but also for their family members and community to relieve and refresh.
Another important feature of this program is the questioning of it’s gendered aspect of ‘veruddi’ as a ‘guard’ - man - who could stay fearless in a field through out day and night and in films portrayals too ‘he’ could protect innocent village girls. It’s rare to identify a woman or child ‘verruddi’ The creative transformative process with the children is also an exercise that helps them to re-visit their ‘gendered ideas’.
Making of "Virumpi" is a creative process with unending freedom of expressing inner feelings, humor, love and beauty, with discarded waste materials from the environment. The exhibitions, processions and performances with ‘virumpis’ are the unbound spaces for celebrations for children and adults.
It’s a world created solely by children for the whole community where there exists a culture of creating and controlling a world for children by adults. It’s an activity where children can steered into their own with a brief introduction and could create a positive space where adults also enjoy and enlightened.
Creative works of children which are based on the concept "Art of making ‘virumpi’ will simply expose this message to the people. It has the freedom to allow the hands and minds of children to go beyond not only the horizons of conventional creative spaces but also the living spaces of human beings.
The above creative activity was conceptualized and designed by S. Jeyasankar and creatively facilitated by S.Nirmalavasan with the participation of the affiliates of Third Eye Local Knowledge and Skill Activists group.
A scarecrow in the field/ so useful/ yet lifeless," thus reads a beautiful Zen haiku.
Sivagnanam Jeyasankar
