ಚೀನಾದಿಂದ ಎಲ್ಲ ದೇಶಕೂ
ಬಂದೇ ಬಿಡ್ತು ಕೊರೊನ ಮಾರಿ
ಎಲ್ಲ ಮಾಯಾ ನಾಳೆ ನಾವೂ ಮಾಯಾ
ಎಲ್ಲ ಮಾಯಾ ನಾಳೆ ನೀವೂ ಮಾಯಾ
BASAVARAJU, A SOLIGA/ADIVASI POET & THEATRE ARTIST FROM YERAKANA GADDE, BR HILLS
One of the few wonderful events that I watched unfold amidst what was otherwise a miserable COVID-19 2nd wave episode since May 2021 in Chamarajnagar district has been Basavaraju and team’s ಕೊರೊನ ಮಾರಿ folk-theatere performance that has till date been performed in 78 Adivasi settlements (and counting).
When the vaccine uptake among the Adivasi population in the district was low, Basavaraju was among the first people that the Solega Sangha and we (from IPH Public health research station & VGKK) contactted to help us with improving the public engagement with COVID vaccination among the Solega. The result was this lovely song ಕೊರೊನ ಮಾರಿ, which he performs woven into a street-theatre style song, dance and skit.
This eventually became popular along with a film featuring several Solega Adivasi from the district made by Ram Alluri both of these featured at national level webinars and panel discussions as good practices of community engagement in COVID-19 vaccination.
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