CHAKRA PUBLISHING HOUSE
10 Swami Avenue
Don Miguel Road, San Juan
Trinidad and Tobago, West Indies
Tel: (868) 674-6008 Tel/fax: (868) 675-7707
http://www.geocities.com/chakrapub/index.html
October 4, 2007
Art and short story competition on Caribbean Folklore Figures
Interested individuals are invited to submit illustrations and/or short stories for a competition on Caribbean South Asian/East Indian spirits. These characters include the Saphin [Snake woman], the Raakas [Demonic baby], Dee Baba [Protector of the land], the Chu-raile [ghost of pregnant woman] and the Jinn [fire spirit].
The prize for the first place of each medium of expression is TT $1,000., second place is $600., and third place is $300.
All winners will be given certificates and their works are likely to be published in a story book with illustrations on Caribbean Indian Folklore Spirits.
Artists and authors can send any number of entries, but only one entry can be submitted on a theme/character.
The competition is open to beginners, enthusiasts, students, amateurs and professionals in
any part of the world. There is no fee for participation. Children must have the written consent of their parent or guardian who must be 18 years or older.
Entries must be entirely the original work of the artist or author. Adaptations or reproductions should not be submitted.
Entries can be e-mailed to [log in to unmask] or posted to Chakra Publishing House, 10 Swami Avenue, Don Miguel Road, San Juan, Trinidad and Tobago. E-mailed artwork can be sent in a jpeg format. Actual artwork must not have frames, mounts, lamination or glass, and must not be smaller than a letter-size page. If entries are posted, they should not be folded, and should be padded for protection.
Illustrations can be done in any medium except crayons, pencils and markers. These two-dimensional paintings should be in watercolor, acrylic, pastel, paint, oil, etc., or be computer created.
Chakra Publishing House does not accept any responsibility for late, lost, misdirected and damaged entries. Every attempt will be made to return all actual artwork by post.
Writers and artists have the copyright of each entry, but must grant Chakra Publishing House the irrevocable royalty-free license to reproduce, publish, adapt or perform - in the case of stories - all or part of the entry in any form or media.
Chakra reserves the right not to award any of the advertised prizes should entries fail, in the judges' opinion, to meet the required standards.
Writers must include the name of the folklore character in the subject line of their story. The folklore figure must play a central role in the plot.
The style and language of the stories must be suitable for children about 10 years old.
Entries must not be more than 900 to 1,200 words, and must be in Standard English, except perhaps for dialogue.
The last day for entries is Monday November 19, 2007.
Entries will be judged by a panel on the basis of creativity, authenticity, interest and style. Decisions of the panel will be final, and no communication will be entertained about the results.
Only prize winners will be notified once judging is complete.
Entry implies acceptance of all the terms and conditions stated above.
The following are character sketches of five Indian folklore spirits in the Caribbean:
(1) Saap-in - a woman with blue veins in the shape of a snake on her inner thighs, back or spine. At a certain time of the year when the moon changes, she turns into a snake on her bed in the night. All her husbands (about seven) die through mysterious circumstances. The shape of the snake comes to life at the time each husband dies.
(2) Raa-kas - a deformed demonic newborn child with long nails, vampire-like teeth, and long hair covering all four limbs. Its eyes, posture and movement are like that of a tadpole. This type of child has to be killed at birth by the midwife, or else, it would pounce upon the mother's neck, puncture her throat, and escape by leaping through the window.
(3) Dee Baba - Protector of the land from dangerous forces. He has to be fed periodically with biscuits, white rum, a black rooster, sardines and cigarettes. Some sources say he is a white man with a cork hat riding a horse like a colonial slave-master. Some say he is a black rooster; others say he is a black dog.
(4) Chu-ra-ile - the spirit of a pregnant woman who has died while giving birth, or has committed suicide during pregnancy. She is depicted with long hair draping over her face, roaming the streets nights. She has an aborted baby in her arms that has some semblance of a cat/kitten. Her unborn child can be heard crying for milk like a cat in the dead of the night. The churaile's likely victims are pregnant women whom she possesses out of envy.
(5) Jinn - a spirit of Middle-Eastern origin which takes the form of fire. There are good and bad jinns. Some holy men become the medium of good jinns through which people with problems are counseled, advised and healed. Bad jiins wreak havoc on innocent people.
Artists and writers are encouraged to do some field research to gather more information that would enhance their work.
Dr Kumar Mahabir
Chairman, Chakra Publishing House (CPH)
10 Swami Avenue, Don Miguel Road
San Juan, Trinidad and Tobago
West Indies
Tel: (868) 674-6008
Tel/fax: (868) 675-7707
Cellular (868) 756-4961
E-mail [log in to unmask]
|