Elsa Angel Rose
Arka Kinari is a seventy-tonne sailing ship on voyage across the Atlantic, Caribbean and Pacific, which was launched in 2019. Arka Kinari organises a range of performances and initiatives, including The Port Performance, Artivism at Sea, a live documentary-style performance presented at land venues, and Laboratory of Sustainability, where visitors explore the ship’s small floating world and understand how it functions. Arka Kinari’s presence in Goa would further contribute to conversations around positive sailing practices and sustainable storytelling that highlights Goa’s beautiful landscape.
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A ONCE-IN-A-LIFETIME VOYAGE AT SEA
Conversing with Elka Rodrigues and Sachin Reyan Bhengra, more insights about the voyage are unravelled. “The Sailing experience was unique, Surreal and a grateful experience for me,” said Sachin Ryan Bhengra, the Goan artist. Sachin is an art historian who has documented the lives of fishermen, their culture, and work as part of his Goa water stories. It was his friend who had suggested to him about this once in-a-lifetime sailing opportunity. “They had a selection process there. They reviewed my portfolio, my educational background, and other relevant details. We also had an interview before the final selection was made,” said Sachin. For the other resident artist, Elka, it was through her college professor that she got to pursue the opportunity. “My professor shared a link about Arka Kinari and explained the voyage, saying anyone interested could email their CV. I was open to exploring new places, so I applied and was selected. During the interview, I spoke about my college work, especially my project on Freshwater Ichthyofaunal Diversity and Fishing Practices in the Sal River (Freshwater Ichthyofaunal refers to a variety of fish species in inland water bodies like rivers, lakes, and wetlands). I also mentioned my interest in marine studies, as the voyage would allow me to explore sailing and related fields,” shared Elka. She is a third-year Zoology student at Parvatibai Chowgule College of Arts and Science
ARTISTS REFLECT ON A UNIQUE SAILING EXPERIENCE
For both artists, this was their first time sailing. Through the four days of sail from Kochi to Goa, they learned the traditional methods of sailing, climate change, water conditions and more. “We weren’t just passengers on the boat; we were part of the crew and given various tasks to assist in different departments. As we sailed, we learned how to tie knots, how the ship operates, and how the crew works together. We also had night watches; my shift was usually from four to six, where we had to stay on duty and keep a lookout,” said Sachin. Elka mentioned that she was a bit anxious about the voyage initially, but immediately, as she met the crew, she felt relieved. The people aboard were really amiable and supportive. Her favourite part of the voyage was the night watch. Elka shared, “The captain assigned us to night watch, where I assisted another crewmate during my shift. While on duty, we got to see many stars and even bioluminescence. Night watch was definitely the best part of the experience.” The ship, as it reached Goa, held numerous workshops, but Elka was unable to attend as she had to prepare for her exams. “I would definitely recommend it to young people because it’s something you should experience at least once in your life. I learned the basics of traditional sailing and how it was practised in the past. Since the crew members were from different parts of the world, I also got to learn about diverse cultures and traditions,” shared Elka.
A VOYAGE FOR CLIMATE ACTION AND OCEAN AWARENESS
The purpose of the voyage is to promote awareness shows climate change and create re-engagement with the sea. “It’s not really about being taught anything there; you learn through experience. Even when we were out at sea, I noticed patches of trash in the water. That’s when I realised there is hardly any place on Earth that is completely free of waste or truly pristine. Even when no people were visible around, I could still spot a floating water bottle or a plastic bag. It became less noticeable further away, but it was still there,” shared Sachin, informing about the man-made dilemma. The only solace in between was the breathtaking view. “During the day, visibility was limited to about 12 miles because of the Earth’s curvature, so you can’t really see beyond that. Since the Earth is round, you only see a portion of it, which makes you feel like you’re the only boat out there. That feeling was quite nice,” said Sachin. He added, “However, at night, the many fishing boats around us were a bit disturbing because of their bright lights; it almost looked like a city glowing in the distance.” Arka Kinari is in Goa till March 5th, after which it is travelling to Turkey. After it reached the Goan docks, they had hosted workshops and a performance on Sunday. It was a music performance held on the sailing ship. The songs were performed in the artists’ native language and focused mainly on themes of the environment and water. Grey Filastine & Nova Ruth were the main performers.
