KOZHIKODE: Kerala Sahitya Akademi is holding Kadalez-huthukal, a literature conference, to bring fishers close to the world of literature. Three seashores — Thaikadappuram in Kasaragod, Vizhinjam in Thiruvananthapuram and Nattika in Thrissur — will host Kadalezhuthukal. The aim is to chronicle how the sea and the lives of fishers were represented in literature and to dwell in depth on it.
“Kerala boasts of a long seashore, but there are only a few works where sea and the fishing community figure. That was not the case in world literature. So the Akademi decided to speak with the community and record their exciting lives,” said Akademi president Vaisakhan. “The Akademi sees largely unrecorded life in coastal Kerala where the travails of people who set out to sea, their fortunes, sorrows, love and its uncertainty possess the perfect blend of literature.” Various names of fish itself are notable for its diversity and creative tone, he feels. During these conclaves, veteran fishers would narrate their sea life to record.
“We are planning to publish their lives for the posterity. Writers from fisherfolks, apart from historians and the general public, will also participate,” Mr Vaisakhan said. The organising committee meeting for the first such conference will be held at Thaikadappuram at Marokkap Government Fisheries School in Kasargod on April 30. Sea-related films and ‘Chavittu Nadakam’ would be exhibited at the venue. Thakazhi’s novel ‘Chemmeen’ is the major work in Malayalam depicting coastal life.
