Episode 2: Roots of Wisdom

This episode of Zubaani by Peerbagh delves into intergenerational storytelling and how memory-sharing helps parents or elders pass on wisdom to the next generation. Researchers argue that intergenerational storytelling is a developmental resource and is often inequitably available. This injustice impacts everyone but marginalized communities that need them the most.

We speak to writer and publisher Anusha Velluswamy. She talks about this topic through the lens of her children's book about a sweet bond between a child and her grandmother. Anusha shares her life experience as a child of Indian-Burmese refugees and the stories that help us shape our sense of identity and place in our families and communities. We end with an understanding of how empowering stories can help those who don't see their stories in dominant narratives.

The name Zubaani was selected by Peerbagh's late founder, Vatsala Kakroo. The episode art was made by Upasna Kakroo. Krista Rodrigues⁠ supported the episode research. The background soundtrack features Slim Finger Pickings by artist Heston Mimms (2021), sourced from Imuno. 
The Zubaani podcast artwork (separate from the episodes) has artwork from Anushka Singh, a grade six student from Mount Abu Public School, Delhi.

This program is supported by the Elevate grant from the City of Austin’s Economic Development Department and Texas Humanities. 

About: Peerbagh is an award-winning 501c3 nonprofit organization incorporated in Austin, Texas. The nonprofit produces storytelling events and workshops and produces an illustrated South-Asia-inspired children’s quarterly magazine Bento. 

Website: ⁠peerbagh.com/bookstore⁠

Instagram: ⁠instagram.com/peerbagh.stories

Guest

Anusha Veluswamy, Children’s Book Author & Publisher, https://www.instagram.com/thelittledipperpublishing/

Research and other writing:

Indigenous Storytelling and Cultural Preservation by Linda Tuhiwai Smith (Decolonizing Methodologies, 2012) https://nycstandswithstandingrock.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/linda-tuhiwai-smith-decolonizing-methodologies-research-and-indigenous-peoples.pdf   

Traditional storytelling: an effective Indigenous research methodology and its implications for environmental research https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/1177180117741351  

Intergenerational Storytelling and Positive Psychosocial Development: Stories as Developmental Resources for Marginalized Groups https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/10888683241259902  

Horizontal Identities, Andrew Solomon: https://andrewsolomon.com/reviews/jaacap/