Japanese solo theater performance
The Embassy of Japan and Theater Village, in cooperation with Kunja Theater, organized the Japanese solo-theatre “Master Shoko and Margarita” by Shoko Ito in Kathmandu last week. The first performance took place at the Nepal Tourism Board Auditorium and the second at the Kunja Theater, New Baneshwor. Ito is a renowned Japanese solo theatre artist who founded the ITO-GUMI theatre company in 1987 and has performed in 62 countries around the globe. Having worked in theatre for over 30 years as a director, writer and actress, her performances are highly regarded in The Netherlands, Switzerland, Ukraine, USA and Germany. Her accolade is certainly deserved as she wowed the audience with her ability to play two completely different characters at the same time, from a young girl to an old man. After the performance of her solo play, Ito also demonstrated two traditional Japanese dances. In 2016, she had also performed her solo play “Samurai Grandma” in Nepal.
Don’t hesitate to highlight
Have you ever been heartbroken, as a woman, watching some Nepali TV ads? Some new commercials seem to be ignorant of what women have achieved globally and instead continue to portray women as weak, inferior, and even stupid.Ad one: Two prominent cricketers Gyanendra Malla and Basanta Regmi enter a living room sporting cricket jerseys, arguing about their bowling whereas the female actor playing Gyanendra Malla’s wife is seen with a bowl and a tray of vegetables, in full make-up, watching a Hindi serial (being emotional too), who leaves the room (after drawing Gyanendra’s stare) so that the guys can watch TV.
Ad two: A helpless woman hangs on to the feet (literally) of her husband/boyfriend/lover who is holding on to iron rods convincing her that they will be safe as “the man” has the support of those life-saving (as if) rods. This commercial shows that women are such stupid creatures that they risk their lives holding on to the feet of their partners even in life-and-death situations. Even animals could know the dangers of these risks!
It is true that Nepal was a male-dominant country for long and ads like these could have been considered normal. But hey, times have changed! For example, the head of the Nepali state is a woman (serving her second term, in fact), there was a woman Chief Justice of the Supreme Court as well as Speaker of the House. Female literacy rate has gone up significantly (around 80 percent of women aged between 15-24), more and more women are holding senior positions in workplaces. So this kind of ignorance is no longer justifiable.
It is also true that there’s still a significant percent of Nepali women who need men for emotional and financial support. Culturally, too, we can’t see the recent changes happening all over the country. In fact, we still hear cases of women beaten to death with allegations of witchcraft. We still hear about brutal stories of girls (even children) being gang-raped. This is exactly where the media (not just journalists but also ad agencies) can play a crucial role in conveying the message that women can live lives of dignity.
But, on the other hand, we can also learn from Indian TV commercials highlighting women’s roles in a creative manner. The ad of Indian cricketers with their mother's names printed on their jerseys breaks one stereotype. #Sharetheload is an example of a campaign started by Ariel detergent where a father acknowledges his problem in parenting and encourages men to be role models and share the work load.
Television ads still have the power to influence people’s minds. And it is the responsibility of people from all walks of lives to acknowledge that there’s a growing population of women—educated, competent and self-reliant—who want the typical gender roles to end for good. It is now time to rise above the inequality paradigm.
BY PRERANA MARASINI
Blackstar Guitar competition picks winners
APEX BUREAU : A fitting finale for the online Blackstar Guitar Competition was hosted on March 17 at the Shisha Terrace Café and Bar. The event saw both the contestants and the panel of judges wowing the live audience with their skillful performances.
Organized by Guitar Shop in collaboration with Blackstar Amplifications, the online guitar competition had over 100 Nepali guitarists participating with their entry videos posted on Facebook every week. The four-week-long competition then selected a winner each week with the help of the panel of judges: renowned guitarists and instructors Dev Lama, Manoj Kumar KC and Deepak Moktan.
The four winners—Ritesh Tamang, Gaurav Lama, Arun Philharmonic and Manoj Ruchel— received certificates of recognition, as well as guitar accessories and Blackstar ID Core 10 amplifier, each, in prizes.
Resonance– Echoes of the Valley
Resonance, a satellite music event under the umbrella of Echoes of the Valley, takes Echoes out of the city to collaborate with communities who hold the belief that intangible heritage should be showcased as valid even today. Last Saturday, March 17, it was Banepa that vibrated with this Resonance. The day kicked off with a procession of bhajan and traditional dances through old Banepa town. Two stages were used throughout the day— at Teen Dhara Dabu and Thanpati Narayan Temple.
As the crowd wandered between the two venues they were invited to view an art exhibition at the Lokeshwor Temple and enjoy Newari food and “chang” (Newari rice beer). The crowd ebbed and flowed but at noon Earth’a caught the crowd with their blend of distinctive sounds and ideas. Then, running back up the hill to the temple, the crowd was treated to the sounds of the Percussion Ensemble from the Indian Culture Center before descending again to the dhara to witness the unique sounds of Marta del Grande from Italy. The crowd swelled to hear her influences of jazz through to electronics and were entranced when she performed with local musicians, and Indian Classical singer Chandresha Pandey. Ason Gunla Baja Khala then took the vibe back to its roots through Buddhist Newari devotional music.
By then the local crowd was committed and ready for the Word Warriors to perform their spoken word poetry in Newari, Nepali and English. Chandresha Pandey made a second appearance in Zeromile, with Ranzen providing electronic accompaniment. The beats and melodies were inspired by the classical tradition of India, with the temple setting elevating the experience.
By the time Mi Ku and Ma took to the stage the temple was atmospherically lit and the enthusiastic crowd was overflowing and jostling for space. Combining contemporary folk with witty poetry and sounds from sarangi to guitar, Mi Ku had the crowd swaying. Credit must go to Pushpa Palanchok, vocalist in both bands, for her sometimes comic, poetry, beautiful voice, and stage presence. It was a magical end to a wonderful day.
Echoes of the Valley and the Resonance Edition is an initiative of, and organized by, Kanta dAb dAb, in collaboration with Kutumba, Night, and the Banepa Institute of Music and Arts.
For information,
echoesinthevalley.com
