We lose our history and culture as we lose our language, says activist and filmmaker Leela Santhosh. Leela is an elder member of a tribal community in Wayanad. She is worried about how little the current generation of her tribal community cares about the old ways, and this forms the crux of cultural vignettes in the short documentary film, Kanavu. Conceived and directed by young actor turned filmmaker Nebish Benson, the seven-minute docu-film released recently by actor Mammootty through his Facebook page throws light on the vanishing tribal cultural diaspora.
Nebish and crew stayed in the area for around a month last year. “We were welcomed by Leela, a homemaker as well a strong woman filmmaker. She was an alumnus of Kanavu school and talked about how the school preserved vernacular poems and cultural anecdotes. The school even had students from big cities who came to learn from the nature-friendly school. Despite having lived outside the community, Leela is particular about conserving the old ways,” he says.
Nebish also introduces Bellan, another native of the tribal settlement, who has a treasure of traditional songs passed down the generations. “Bellan finds his living by selling gooseberries from the forest. They learn these songs through word of mouth and sing them in groups. Bellan’s language is a mix of Tulu, Tamil and Malayalam. He lives among wild animals, whom he calls children of the forest. His humble principles in life make us rethink ours,” he says.
“Leela and Bellan, who represent the elder generation do not ignore their traditional values. But many times, the new generation tends to forget the roots when they adapt modernisation,” says Nebish. Kanavu is co-produced by Nebish’s brother and actor Shebin Benson. The video won applause from many mainstream artists, including actor Roshan Mathew, who had attended theatre lessons at Kanavu back in the day.