Leaving Reunion for in two weeks for Goparla Maroudé. Officer in the United States, it was a New Yorker who asked him to be present. The departure is scheduled for July 17.
Goparla Maroudé is “poussari”, celebrant of Malbar ceremony. He will soon go to the United States to officiate.
It all starts with singing lessons on the internet and one of his students from New York.
Throughout the lessons she learns songs, she is very happy to have this ancestral tradition. “Then she tells me about seeing that I did the firewalk. Like in the days of his grandfather“, says the Reunionese. She then asks if it is possible to do a walk on fire, there, in New York.
As the priest explains, “they are Malbars who come from Guyana, who come from India. I think by the way, it’s a bit like us. They arrived in Guyana and then they left for America for a better world“.
Robina, his student, first wanted to reconnect with his Hindu roots. Her grandfather was himself a Poussari, she even undertook to come to Reunion to participate in a walk on fire
“AInstead of it being only me who can participate in this event, I said to myself it’s an old practice that we no longer have. Let’s light it up again here in New York for everybody to see. And next year somebody else will do it,” so they can “integrate it into our work, show it can be done,” says the young New Yorker.
For Goparla, it is also an opportunity for future singers, priests or walkers on fire.
He is very enthusiastic about the idea of taking the Tamil tradition on a journey. “I apprehend this trip there with a lot of joy, sadness also because when I think of my parents, a memory comes to me today mom dad looks where I’m going. I’m ready. Spiritually, for a pushari it’s like for a professional boxer, a preparation yes it will be done but, he must always be on top”.
2023-06-30 02:40:00
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