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Merasi: Folk Musicians Who Decided To Change Their Status Quo by Josephine Ali
The Jaisalmer Merasi are folk musicians and storytellers in the Thar Desert of northwestern Rajasthan. Their traditional music has been passed down from their ancestors for over 800 years, making it an intangible cultural heritage, as defined by UNESCO. Muslims by birth, they are a minority group in a predominantly Hindu community and considered ‘untouchables’ because their instruments are made from animal skins.
These Muslim musicians sing to a local Hindu goddess and perform for both Hindus and Muslims in their community, the Merasi are referred to as manganiyaars, a derogatory term meaning “beggar”.
Their lowly status dictates they face life-threatening discrimination, violence, injustice, and corruption to an extreme degree. For example, they are denied access to essentials like clean drinking water, their electricity is often cut off, and necessary staples come at a steep cost. Vendors will often inflate prices or sell impoverished Merasi families expired or rotting goods. When hired to perform their music at ceremonies and celebrations, the Merasi aren’t paid fair wages, if at all. For no other reason than caste, they are demeaned and physically harmed, while crimes against them go unreported and unaddressed. They are denied proper healthcare, education, and political representation. Ironically, despite the terrible treatment, the Merasi’s soulful music is promoted by tourism, while celebrated nationally and abroad.
Folk Arts Rajasthan (FAR) is a small nonprofit based in New York City that operates almost exclusively thanks to volunteers. FAR partners with an NGO in India, Lok Kala Sagar Sansthan (LKSS). Together, they run Merasi School, an initiative that offers elementary tutorials and music classes. FAR and LKSS simultaneously educate and empower Merasi children, while promoting gender equality and preservation of the ancient musical legacy.
Pre-pandemic, FAR Founder and Executive Director Karen Lukas spent at least two months annually over 25 years living with the Merasi in India. When state side, she and her team communicate daily with the Merasi, bearing witness to heartening and heart-wrenching updates.
In 1996, when he founded the Merasi NGO, LKSS Director Sarwar Khan believed the musical legacy would die out with the current generation. Their resistance to the marginalization, coupled with a lack of written records, endangered the heritage. When Sarwar first met Karen, he believed Merasi children wouldn’t even want to learn how to play their native instruments, let alone pass along their musical legacy to a future generation. Sarwar recognized that the Merasi youth felt traditions of patronage, were a form of modern-day slavery.
Today, the music is thriving as literate young Merasi play multiple instruments such as the nagara (a drum), khartals (percussion instrument made of two pieces of wood) and murli (wind instrument that looks similar to a recorder).
The Merasi completed three tours in America, selling out shows on a variety of stages such as community arts centers and universities for 137 audiences, all ending with a standing ovation and inspiring fans to support their cause.
“I am able to stand up against those who it used to be difficult for Merasi to stand up to. I am able to speak good English, I’m able to sing my old legacy songs. My strength is my voice and to be able to speak for our rights and what we deserve” - Satar, a young woman in the Merasi community
FAR and LKSS have welcomed over 800 participants and students to the Merasi School, where they take classes across subjects such as language, math and computer. In addition to monetary donations, supporters contribute supplies such as gently used laptops. Since March 2020, donations were also leveraged to secure food during the pandemic lockdown.
The students host gatherings that are known as sammelans. During these events, children celebrate their intangible musical heritage by playing instruments together. Peers empower each other to advocate for themselves using education and music, despite the tough conditions in their daily lives.
Already deemed “untouchable” in their community, reality for the Merasi worsened as the world faced multiple pandemic lockdowns. Merasi School remained in full operation, and its influence continues to span surrounding villages. Current and former students become inspirational role models and serve as examples of realizing their full potential.
“What is unseen is the scale up change, with students educating their extended families. Those who once said girls should stop studying to learn domestic skills now encourage everyone to learn.” - Sitara, a young Merasi woman
When asked how they keep their faith in the mission after decades of violence and injustice, Karen and Sarwar easily agree they do it for the Merasi children. The results are evident when speaking to graduates. Armed with education, these rising youth activists believe they can change the perception of their community and bring about a better quality of life for future generations.
“Girls’ education has changed the ideas. There was a time when girls were not going to school. Now they speak English. Other families want their girls to be educated as well. In the marketplace, math is helping with the cheating that was normal.” – Saina, a young Merasi woman
If you are inspired by the Merasi’s sheer will to flourish despite their circumstances, please consider donating to FAR. Your gift, no matter how big or small, stocks their school with supplies and impacts Merasi families’ current food crisis during April, the upcoming holy month of Ramadan.
Credits
Josephine Ali has been a volunteer at FAR since 2015. Inspired by the magical music as well as the motivated Merasi, she spends her free time fundraising and working on communications from the organization. Josephine has prior experience in corporate events and now works in HR for the financial industry. She is a Bangladeshi-American, born, raised and based in New York City.
India: a land of beautiful diversity and syncretism, and, and, and yet a land of heinous discrimination and bigotry. Of discrimination and apartheid.