An Ode to Gandhi, from Lisa Punch

Oct 14, 2018 News

By Kemol King

Lisa Punch

Rising Star, Lisa Punch, has graced Guyana with yet another breathtaking performance. This time, the singer decided to cross into a new culture with an ode to revolutionary Indian activist, Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi, in honour of his 150^th birth anniversary.

On October 3, 2018, the Indian High Commissioner released a video of Lisa Punch singing Gujarati Bhajan – “Vaishnav Jan To Tene Kahiye Je”, a song which is said to be Gandhi’s favourite Bhajan. To date, the performance has been viewed 287,000 times and has been shared over 6,700 times on Facebook.

Bhajans, which are spiritual songs originating from South Asia, are said to often be difficult to sing, especially for someone like Punch, who has had no previous training or experience with this type of vocal performance.

Punch told Kaieteur News that she was approached by representatives of the Indian High Commission to Guyana, and asked to do a performance for their commemoration of Gandhi’s birth anniversary, which is celebrated on October 1, every year.

She explained that she was nervous about doing such a performance because she wanted to ensure that she did it right. The learning process, she said, took the complete dedication of everyone involved.

She recalled that, Dass, the music teacher at the Indian Swami Vevekananda Cultural Centre, helped her a great deal – “We had sessions where I’d spend learning to pronounce the words and singing them correctly. His guidance made it somewhat manageable and easy to deliver in the end.” The song, she said, took about two weeks to learn.

A Vaishnav, Punch explained, is a devotee of the Hindu God, Vishnu. The song describes the goodness of a true devotee to Vishnu; one who abides by values of peace, love and humility. Asked how the Bhajan aligns with her personal faith, Punch said, “We are all believers in some way, whether we call it God or a Higher Power.

“However, this message is a universal one; one that speaks of doing good to others and letting our ego and pride go. It’s about being blessed because of your good deeds, knowing that good karma will fall not only on you but your mother and everyone you care about.”

Punch said that the song is a powerful and fulfilling Bhajan, one that she is happy to have been chosen to sing.

One of the most captivating aspects of this performance is that Lisa Punch is an Afro-Guyanese woman singing a song that is traditionally associated with Indian culture. This, she said, was intimidating to her, but she knew that it had to be done.

She told Kaieteur News that she spoke to her grandfather about how important it was for her to perform this song. Punch said, “I’m obviously black and I’m singing a song that my Indo-Guyanese brothers and sisters revere and that’s something I didn’t want to mess up.”

She posited, however, that she was very cautious to be respectful and not culturally appropriate any aspect of Indian culture – “I was worried about cultural appropriation, and that is the reason you don’t see me in a sari,” referring to the fact that she wore traditional African garb.

“What that says” she explained, “is that I’m aware of who I am and quite comfortable in my own skin. Yet, I can embrace my brothers’ and sisters’ culture as well. We can celebrate and partake in each other’s culture. Nothing is wrong with that.”

Punch believes that though Guyana has done a commendable job living in harmony in spite of vast differences, the country has a long way to go if it wants to become an advanced society, competing on the world stage.

She said that Gandhi is exemplary of the qualities Guyanese people should emulate. “We’re obviously not where we’re supposed to be, but we’re not where we used to be, so that gives me hope that we will move forward.”

Gandhi, she posited, was an activist who inspired non-violent ways to protest. She recalled a quote by him, which goes “Strength does not come from physical capacity. It comes from an indomitable will. The weak can never forgive. Forgiveness is the attribute of the strong.”

Punch performs time after time at multiple venues. Just recently, she performed at the Blue Ball in the United Kingdom. She also said that, from Monday to Friday, she is a teacher in Manhattan.

Punch is set to star in an upcoming television series called ‘Growing Up Caribbean’, alongside renowned actress and producer, Terri Ann Peters, who is also the show’s creator.

The show is currently awaiting approval to go on air, and is likely to be carried by Netflix or Amazon Prime. Punch says that ‘Growing Up Caribbean’ will be similar to Blackish; a popular television show, which tackles a range of social issues related to the experiences of African Americans.