Fall 2023 Semester in Review.
Thank you for your support at our many sponsored and co-sponsored events!
We hope that everyone had a great fall semester. We are grateful to all of you who came to our events this fall and hope to have your continued support in the spring. If you weren’t able to make it this fall, you can still view some of what you missed online on our YouTube channel. We hope you have a wonderful break and we look forward to seeing you in the spring semester.
For our final newsletter of the semester we wanted to take a look back on the many things we did over the fall semester.
Happy Holidays. We hope you and your loved ones have a wonderful winter break. See you next year!
Anna Stirr, Director
Mari Martinez, Coordinator
CSAS Fall Gathering Featuring Our J. Watumull Scholarship Awardees
At the CSAS Fall Gathering in September, we had the pleasure of listening to presentations given by our J. Watumull Scholarship Awardees. Our Awardees for this 2022-2023 academic year are Kavya Bhagawatula and Alia Jeraj.
Kavya Bhagawatula has completed 18 years of training in an Indian classical dance form called Bharatanatyam, which originated in the state of Tamilnadu, India. As a part of her research she traveled to India, with the support of the J. Watumull Scholarship for the Study of India award. Kavya underwent technical, theoretical, and choreographic instruction to attain advanced Bharatanatyam training at the Kala Pradarshini Dance School, directed by Kalaimamani Parvathi Ravi Ghantasala, in Chennai.
Alia Jeraj spent eight weeks in Lucknow, India, studying Urdu with the American Institute of Indian Studies. This provided a unique opportunity for Alia to be immersed in the language and culture. In addition to researching songs, Alia is a singer, and learning Urdu added depth and nuance to her performances of Urdu songs. As a South-Asian American who grew up speaking only English, speaking Urdu has allowed her to connect more deeply with her communities and personal history.
If you missed these wonderful presentations, you can still view them on our YouTube channel.
Click on the images to see the presentations.
Bharatanatyam Week
Bharatanatyam week was co-sponsored by the Center for South Asian Studies, the Department of Theatre and Dance, and the Edward A. “Skeep” Langhans Award. It included a Bharatanatyam workshop with Mesma Belsaré, a Bharatanatyam workshop with Dr. Anita Vallabh and a Seminar with Dr. Anita Vallabh. For more information on Bharatanatyam Week, Mesma Belsaré, and Dr. Anita Vallabh visit our website.
Image credits: UHM Dance Department.
Push Palanchoke Residency
Photos include Pushpa Palanchoke with Paul Cosme (piano) and CSAS Director Anna Stirr (flute).
We were thrilled to host the Pushpa Palanchoke Residency with events featuring Nepali singer and indigenous community music activist Pushpa Palanchoke, on October 31 to November 1. Her performance, “Bhavanas from the Hills,” was mesmerizing, and those who attended her workshop learned how to perform a song in the Dapha genre that originated in the courts of the Kathmandu Valley many centuries ago. Her public talk, in which she details her work with Dapha groups, is available to view on our YouTube channel. You can also view a clip of her performance and rehearsal on our YouTube channel.
EWC Research Speaker Series with Dr. Amar Patnaik
On November 9, the Center for South Asian Studies in collaboration with the East-West Center interviewed Dr. Amar Patnaik, MP in India’s Rajya Sabha, for the EWC Research Speaker Series webinar “Odisha’s lessons in governance: case studies of natural disasters and the pandemic.” This webinar can be viewed at the EWC YouTube channel. This event was moderated by CSAS Director, Anna Stirr.
Giving Tuesday
We closed out this semester with a successful Giving Tuesday. Thank you for all of your generous donations
https://giving.uhfoundation.org/funds/12109104
Donations are welcome at any time.
Thank you for joining us this semester, see you in the spring!
Reminders
The J. Watumull Scholarship is now open! This scholarship for the Study of India provides support for University of Hawai`i System undergraduate or graduate students with focused and well-developed proposals to study for a minimum of two months in India. The scholarship will support students in any field, including the professional schools and community college programs.
Applications must be submitted through the UH System Common Scholarship Application website.
For more information please visit our website. Deadline: March 1, 2024.
You can view the presentations done by our 2023 J. Watumull Scholarship awardees! To view the presentations by Alia Jeraj and Kavya Bhagawatula visit our website.
We are pleased to announce the Call for Papers for our upcoming Spring Symposium 2024, on South Asian Futures. The symposium aims to provide a platform for scholars and visionaries to engage in discussion, share insight and explore the diverse dimensions of futures as imagined, and as people have striven to realize them, from South Asian perspectives, including diaspora and transnational perspectives.
Abstract submission deadline: January 31, 2024.
DATE: April 10-12, 2024
LOCATION: Center for Korean Studies Auditorium
For More information and submission guidelines visit: tinyurl.com/dwjfbv56
Spring 2024 South Asia Related Course Offerings
Are you looking for classes to take this coming spring 2024 semester?
Here is a list of courses related to South Asian Studies that are available this coming spring semester!
Assistance for Maui
Our hearts go out to everyone affected by the fires on Maui.
The banyan tree in the background of the image above was a gift shipped from India 150 years ago, and is located in central Lahaina town. It still stands after the fires.
Here are some verified ways to donate to relief funds:Hawaii Community Foundation MAUI STRONG FUND: https://www.hawaiicommunityfoundation.org/maui-strong
Hawaii Salvation Army: https://hawaii.salvationarmy.org/
Kakoo Maui Fund: https://www.memberplanet.com/campaign/cnhamembers/kakoomaui
Aloha United Way: https://www.auw.org/ Maui Mutual Aid: bit.ly/mauimutualaide Maui Food Bank: https://mauifoodbank.org/
UH Foundation Urgent Student Relief: https://giving.uhfoundation.org/funds/12949504?appealCode=24AG6
UH Foundation Urgent Faculty & Staff Relief: https://giving.uhfoundation.org/funds/13035204?appealCode=24AG7
Nearest Foodland: https://foodland.com/store-locations/
Hawaii Restaurant Association (assisting with evacuees on Ohau):https://hawaiirestaurant.org/
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