Could you talk about how you founded the Indian Kamishibai Association?
It was being a part of something magical. My love for Kamishibai started with engaging audiences largely children. There are multiple ways you are engaging them. The entire community of Kamishibai has been a support. Tara McGowan from the United States has been very supportive. To this day, a large part of my understanding of Kamishibai has been from Jackie Anne. They shifted my understanding of Kamishibai. I started the Indian Kamishibai Association on December 7th, 2021 on World Kamishibai day. Previously in India there were a handful of people who knew about Kamishibai like Geeta Ramanujam who has gone to Japan. In India, 2-3 people maximum had performed Kamishibai at the opening of the Indian Kamishibai Association. I started doing programs to bring the attention to Kamishibai. In the Indian Kamishibai Association there are around 115 members, storytellers, teachers, educators learning Kamishibai. A very senior storyteller in India asked me this, “You are doing a Japanese form what about the picture storytelling formats in India?” There are many Phad, Chitrakathi, Madhubani, Warli, etc.
The Chitrakathi has its origins in Pingula, Maharastra. Preserved through the Thakar Adivasi Kala Aangan museum run by the Gangavane family in Pinguli village, Maharashtra. They as community believe that their ancestors were spies for Chatrapati Shivaji. They used to go from village to village, telling stories with pictures, songs and music. Their actual work was however to be spies for the King. One family in Pingula has converted their cowshed into a museum. There is a fabulous book I am reading (PAINTING AND PERFORMANCE, Chinese picture recitations and its Indian genesis). There is this idea that picture storytelling could have travelled from India to China to Japan through the Buddhist scholars. Chitrakathi has been around since 1800s while Kamishibai started in Japan in 1920s.
Story Practices 