Narratives

The Apan Katha Apanei Bunechi campaign was born out of the audacity to wonder what nature of knowledge would arise if we were to listen, with humility, to the lived experiences of Dalit women. This campaign was born from the inspirational and extraordinary stories of ordinary Dalit women. In a society that pays very little heed to the experiences of Dalit women, our experiences, memories, myths, folktales, and oral histories are our greatest sources of knowledge. Apan Katha Apanei Bunechi comprises Dalit women telling stories in the manner of their choosing, about the various aspects of a Dalit woman’s life as they have experienced and seen.

Who may or may not eat and drink with whom? Who may or may not love whom? Who is allowed to or forbidden from marrying whom? What lines may not be crossed while in each other’s company? Whose knowledge becomes canon, and whose may be reduced like an anthill? How are the present and the future determined by one’s caste, class, and gender? Therefore, Apan Katha Apanei Bunechi is an experiment in understanding the caste system through the perspective of Dalit women who live in a society where caste determines people’s lives. This initiative doesn’t focus just on teaching Dalit women, but it is also especially preoccupied with exploring what can be learned from them. The initiative is conscious of the unequal power relationship between people who come from different levels of experience, capacity, expertise, and educational backgrounds to support Dalit women’s leadership.

Studying established canons on the caste system, studying life and the world, and learning to analyze this system – this is how we began learning in Apan Katha Apanei Bunechi. We looked at the COVID-19 pandemic as experienced and seen by Madheshi Dalit women, discussed it through their perspectives, and learned to correlate existing scholarship with lived realities. We also began to learn how to write about our experience of life, as we have seen it, and as we have learned about it. Therefore, we conducted the Narratives Lab each week alongside text-based learning about caste, gender, and sexuality, with an added focus on critical thinking tools.

How does one write one’s story and establish one’s narrative? What aspects do others overlook while writing one’s story, and what aspects demand a keen gaze from oneself? The lab revolved around these questions. This involved many rounds of learning to find clarity about the issues being discussed, learning styles conducive to writing stories about oneself, and seeking critical and constructive suggestions from peers and faculty members.

From fellows to faculty members, everybody joined collaborative efforts to write new stories and create new narratives through the Narratives Lab. We experimented numerous times to produce new narratives in textual and non-textual creative forms. Madheshi Dalit women who had received the fellowship wrote about their experiences. Some wrote stories and drew pictures, some weaved their stories together through photographs and audio, and some chose video talks as their medium. The stories that have emerged from the writing and creativity training sessions are truly inspiring.

Many people contributed toward examining one’s experiences in the light of the caste system, gender, and sexuality. JFP faculty members gave numerous suggestions over many rounds to improve the content and style of the stories written by Dalit women who live in the Madhesh. In turn, the fellows took these suggestions and improved, revised, and rewrote their works. These were edited after they achieved some shape.

Throughout the process, the Apan Katha Apnei Bunechi fellows assisted each other. Thus, textual and non-textual creations were made through the collaboration of Madheshi Dalit women and other Dalit and non-Dalit intellectuals. In every moment of this journey, new worlds of intersectionality and camaraderie opened for us while centering Dalit women. We are still in the process of coming up with the language and vocabulary to frame our experience while institutionalizing Just Futures Pahal. Selected creations are presented here, while new works continue to be created. 

Madhesi Dalit Women’s Daily Life  Video 2024

यहाँ पोस्ट भएका रचना लेखन र सम्पादनको क्रममा छन् । यी रचना साभार र उद्धृत नगरीदिनुहुन अनुरोध छ । लेखन र सम्पादनपछि मात्रै लेखक/सम्पादक/प्रकाशकको अनुमतिमा साभार र उद्धृत गर्न सकिन्छ ।