Theatre review—Swabhoomi: Borrowed Earth
In an emotive and thought-provoking piece, Prayas Theatre Company delves into the lives of the early Indian settlers in New Zealand and tracks the story of the generations who followed them
History has always been fascinating. Not all stories stand the test of time and so the ones that do have a certain novelty to them. History gives us a foundation, a starting point where civilisations return to. The strands of life that humans discover from their past is what, in hindsight, connects to bring us to where we are today.
In Swabhoomi, director Ahi Karunaharan brings to life snippets from the long 150-year history of Kiwi-Indians. He traces the journey of the thousands of Indians who have settled in New Zealand. Their stories have been intricately woven into this play where although the time frame of these accounts vary—some span across decades while others take place over a day—each story carries the echoes of a past that resonate even today. In a way, Swabhoomi gives a starting point to the Indian community and also forms a bridge that connects the Kiwi-Indians of today with the ones who first came to New Zealand.
The play opens with an unnamed young Bengali man (Ram Manthry), who, in 1810, jumped from a ship for his love for a Maori woman. It moves to present-day Auckland where Samara (Divya Hariharan), a journalist, along with her aspiring filmmaker brother, Rahul (Aman Bajaj), are on their way to Pukekohe to interview Kanji (Mustaq Missouri), who has lived in New Zealand for more than 90 years.
As the play moves forward, the audience meets more characters and learns about their stories, and in a span of 100 minutes, Swabhoomi takes you back and forth in time where the individual stories will possibly strike a chord with every migrant sitting in the audience. While it may be topics that are often addressed among Kiwi-Indians—questions such as why did we come here, is this our homeland now, or is this simply borrowed earth—it's something the New Zealand community at large may or may not be aware of.
Swabhoomi addresses the issues migrants faced decades ago—an order of no ethnic cooking from landlords—and the ones the present generation is facing—the case of alleged immigration fraud that was followed by deportation of hundreds of Indian students. So whether you're a new immigrant, a skilled migrant, or someone who has been here for decades, you'll find a part of yourself in the story.
The play has been built on monologues, fully developed stories, and a few fragments but Karunaharan beautifully integrates these individual chapters and presents it to his audience. The lovely ensemble cast has been used to its potential throughout the play. My personal favourites include the depiction of the scene when the four Sikh Gallipoli soldiers (Utsav Patel, Rishabh Kapoor, Dhruv Mody, and Ram Manthry) meet their fate, and the one where a young Kanji is writing a letter to his brother Nanu (Roji Varghese). In the latter, as Kanji sits and gives voice to his thoughts, the ensemble cast—depicting the different generations of migrants in New Zealand—are seen writing a letter. A simple depiction yet it would connect with anyone, no matter which generation of Kiwi-Indian, who has written to their loved ones. This one hit closer to home.
While the ending may seem a bit abrupt, thinking back, it seems fitting. The story of Indian migration to New Zealand started with one infatuated Bengali man but it continues till today. It's a story that hasn’t concluded—and one that may not conclude—because as you're sitting and watching the lives of migrants of the past unfold, there's probably someone back in India toying with the idea of making New Zealand their new home.
Karunaharan’s story comes out at a time when the general sentiment in New Zealand is swaying towards tightening regulations around migration. His story leaves you with questions that make you think. He addresses the proverbial elephant in the room. Swabhoomi stays with you long after the curtain falls down. And that’s the mark of a fantastic storyteller.
Show dates: May 25 to June 4
Show times: 7:30 p.m. from Thursday to Saturday; 4 p.m. on Sunday
Book your tickets at www.tapac.org.nz
In an emotive and thought-provoking piece, Prayas Theatre Company delves into the lives of the early Indian settlers in New Zealand and tracks the story of the generations who followed them
History has always been fascinating. Not all stories stand the test of time and so the ones that do have a...
In an emotive and thought-provoking piece, Prayas Theatre Company delves into the lives of the early Indian settlers in New Zealand and tracks the story of the generations who followed them
History has always been fascinating. Not all stories stand the test of time and so the ones that do have a certain novelty to them. History gives us a foundation, a starting point where civilisations return to. The strands of life that humans discover from their past is what, in hindsight, connects to bring us to where we are today.
In Swabhoomi, director Ahi Karunaharan brings to life snippets from the long 150-year history of Kiwi-Indians. He traces the journey of the thousands of Indians who have settled in New Zealand. Their stories have been intricately woven into this play where although the time frame of these accounts vary—some span across decades while others take place over a day—each story carries the echoes of a past that resonate even today. In a way, Swabhoomi gives a starting point to the Indian community and also forms a bridge that connects the Kiwi-Indians of today with the ones who first came to New Zealand.
The play opens with an unnamed young Bengali man (Ram Manthry), who, in 1810, jumped from a ship for his love for a Maori woman. It moves to present-day Auckland where Samara (Divya Hariharan), a journalist, along with her aspiring filmmaker brother, Rahul (Aman Bajaj), are on their way to Pukekohe to interview Kanji (Mustaq Missouri), who has lived in New Zealand for more than 90 years.
As the play moves forward, the audience meets more characters and learns about their stories, and in a span of 100 minutes, Swabhoomi takes you back and forth in time where the individual stories will possibly strike a chord with every migrant sitting in the audience. While it may be topics that are often addressed among Kiwi-Indians—questions such as why did we come here, is this our homeland now, or is this simply borrowed earth—it's something the New Zealand community at large may or may not be aware of.
Swabhoomi addresses the issues migrants faced decades ago—an order of no ethnic cooking from landlords—and the ones the present generation is facing—the case of alleged immigration fraud that was followed by deportation of hundreds of Indian students. So whether you're a new immigrant, a skilled migrant, or someone who has been here for decades, you'll find a part of yourself in the story.
The play has been built on monologues, fully developed stories, and a few fragments but Karunaharan beautifully integrates these individual chapters and presents it to his audience. The lovely ensemble cast has been used to its potential throughout the play. My personal favourites include the depiction of the scene when the four Sikh Gallipoli soldiers (Utsav Patel, Rishabh Kapoor, Dhruv Mody, and Ram Manthry) meet their fate, and the one where a young Kanji is writing a letter to his brother Nanu (Roji Varghese). In the latter, as Kanji sits and gives voice to his thoughts, the ensemble cast—depicting the different generations of migrants in New Zealand—are seen writing a letter. A simple depiction yet it would connect with anyone, no matter which generation of Kiwi-Indian, who has written to their loved ones. This one hit closer to home.
While the ending may seem a bit abrupt, thinking back, it seems fitting. The story of Indian migration to New Zealand started with one infatuated Bengali man but it continues till today. It's a story that hasn’t concluded—and one that may not conclude—because as you're sitting and watching the lives of migrants of the past unfold, there's probably someone back in India toying with the idea of making New Zealand their new home.
Karunaharan’s story comes out at a time when the general sentiment in New Zealand is swaying towards tightening regulations around migration. His story leaves you with questions that make you think. He addresses the proverbial elephant in the room. Swabhoomi stays with you long after the curtain falls down. And that’s the mark of a fantastic storyteller.
Show dates: May 25 to June 4
Show times: 7:30 p.m. from Thursday to Saturday; 4 p.m. on Sunday
Book your tickets at www.tapac.org.nz
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