Poskem: An unheard saga

This acclaimed fashion designer had earned the title ‘Guru of Minimalism’ during the initial years of his career. Also a noted social activist, Wendell Rodricks has penned his first fiction novel — Poskem. The designer-turned-storyteller opens up about the book’s premise in a chat with DC. “Poskem is a fictional story based on the factual tradition of young children being adopted by wealthy Goan homes. The storyline follows the lives of four Poskim. Poskem is a word for a female child, posko for a male child and poskim is the plural. Goans are presently experiencing the last generation of poskim. Young children are taken in by wealthy families and retained most often as servants,” explains Wendell.

The book mixes the shadowy world of a Goan community hidden from the outside world in a magical, realistic tale infused with recipes. Wendell stresses that the story of the poskim needed to be told as this facet of Goa is barely discussed. “In this day of human rights’ awareness, the poskim tradition will not happen (even though we still have some old poskim alive in Goa). This topic is taboo because in some cases, the children were mistreated and I have mentioned it in the book,” says the author, adding, “The characters in the book were inspired by some poskim events that actually happened. In fact, every event mentioned in the book did happen — including the most ugly and horrific ones.”

In a narrative that spans the days of Portuguese Goa to the happening state that Goa is today, Poskem takes the reader to locales from Bombay to Lyon, Pune to Paris and then into the world of the poskim people and Goan recipes. Through happiness and hope, despair and delusion, Wendell takes the reader on a voyage of the unspoken, unheard and shamefully silenced world of Goa’s poskim. This is the Padma Shri designer’s first attempt at fiction, told in a rich, lyrical style that will stay etched in the reader’s memory for days altogether.

He says, “It was initially difficult to weave the storyline as a cohesive narrative because there were so many incidents against the backdrop of Goan history. I linked the poskim with a passion for cooking. The recipes are all real, tried and tested. Another bonus in the book are Mario Miranda’s splendid illustrations. The cover is by renowned photographer Pallon Daruwalla from Bengaluru.”

When asked if there are there any personal experiences in the book, he responds, “I interacted with one poskem in our family. But what set the book off was a poskem who lived opposite my house in Colvale. Most of the stories I heard were by word of mouth from my mother, friends and family,” shares Wendell. The book is a tribute to Goa’s last generation of people that would have soon been forgotten if it were not for Wendell Rodricks’ story who tells their story for posterity.

(The book will be launched today at Folly, Amethyst at 7 pm)