Guftagoo with Jacinta Kerketa

Born on 3 August 1983, Jacinta Kerketta is a young poet, writer and freelance journalist, belonging to an Oraon Adivasi community of West Singhbhum district. She writes in Hindi. In her poems, Jacinta highlights the injustices committed on the Adivasi communities, along with their struggles. Her poems are also important cultural and artistic documents of Adivasi worldviews. Jacinta is the author of two bilingual (Hindi and English) full-length collections of poems – Angor and Jadon Ki Zameen

Anchor: Irfan

https://guftagoowithirfan.com

00:26 Introduction to Jacinta Kerketta, Journalist and Poet, From the Oraon community of Adivasis, Poetry about Adivasi women and culture, Her poems translated in international languages, 'Angor', 'Jadon Ki Zameen', Many national and international awards, 'Aparajita' honor by 'Prabhat Khabar' newspaper in 2017, 'Indigenous Voices in Asia' Award from Thailand as an Adivasi woman journalist, 'Jharkhand Indigenous People's Forum' recognition, Given the Ravishankar Upadhyay Smriti Kavita Puraskaar
03:10 Kerketa recites her poems
11:10 Born in a village called Khudposh, located on the banks of river Koel in West Singhbhum district, Belongs to the Oraon community of Adivasis, Father a policeman, Mother goes to Rourkela to sell vegetables, Brothers in Gujarat, Educated her two sisters in Ranchi with her, Studied Mass Communications from St Xaviers, Worked a receptionist after graduation, then became a journalist, Younger sister is a teacher and is married, Youngest one preparing for civil services, Came to Ranchi in 2003, Wanted to learn Science, Could not pay the fees for St Paul's College, Returned to the village, Took arts in intermediate level at St Augustine College, Manharpur, Brothers against her education, Broke her cycle and burnt her clothes, Studied from home, Came first in college, Came to Ranchi to study graduation in St Xavier's
15:52 Reading comics as a child, 'Nagaraj', Premchand, 'Mansarovar', Detective novels, Could not speak Hindi well but could write really well, Read a lot till 8th std, Introvert by nature, Began to write after 8th std, Studied till 10th in Carmel School in Western Simbu, Chakradharpur, Began to write for children in a magazine called 'Raahi' from Budhiya Arunodaya, Ranchi, 'Prabhat Khabar', Positive feedback from children readers from Andaman Nicobar, Felt a sense of camaraderie with readers, 1999, Pen friends, Journalism since 2010 (3-4 years), Reported about issues in far off villages, Began to write poems again after leaving journalism, Found poetry as the best medium to express her angst and sorrow, Will write stories again now
22:54 First poem collection in 2016, 5 poems published in 'Gyanodaya', Bharati Gyan Peeth, Invitation to participate in a seminar in Orissa, Meghnath Sir, Adivani Publishers, Calcutta, Johannes Laping, Translator of Mahashweta Devi's novels in German, Cried after listening to her poems, Established a publishing house called 'Draupadi Verlag' after Mahashweta Devi's 'Draupadi', Publish her book in translation in German by the name of 'Glut', Adivani published English translation by the name 'Angor'
25:52 Bharati Gyanpeeth, Second Collection, 2018, Mandloi Sir, Scope for bilingual books
26:46 Kurukh is my mother tongue, from Oraon community, Call themselves Kuruukhar, Leaning my mother tongue, Father posted in Santhal Pargana, Sewan, Chapra, Samastipur, West Champaran, Learnt the local languages there, Speak Santhali language fluently, From the Dravid family of languages, Will be able to understand Gondi, Tamil, Telugu, Since I know Santhali, I understand its other family languages, Kurukh language is bi-gender, women can speak both in the masculine and feminine gender
29:34 Jharkhand government has recognized Kurukh script in 2003, Songs in Kurukh language are taught, Stories of waterfalls, hills in Kurukh, 'Angor' means burning wood under the ashes, Reason for that word in usage by people
31:13 One thinks in one's mother tongue, Only two words in Kurukh to denote masculine gender, other words are feminine, Delving into her language to understand emotions better, nurturing Hindi in the process
33:01 No voices to the emotions of Adivasis, if Adivasis write their feelings, they will be understood better, Adivasis point of view is a worldview and they must also include all humans in their view, I am doing that in my poems
35:25 Gyanendrapati, Kedarnath ji, Vinod Kumar Shukl, Impressed by Vinod Kumar Shukl's poem 'Bagh', Chandrakant Devtale
37:11 Not interested in Awards Just wants to write to talk about the plight of the Adivasis, The act of writing itself is an award in itself
38:57 Jacinta is the name of a French flower, French people in my area- Anandpur, Manoharpur, named her, Met a Mexican Journalist who explained to her the meaning and story/ myth behind her name, Brothers names are James, Jyotish, Sisters' names are Jagrani, Joy
40:27 Recites a poem
41:21 Viewers Feedback