By Viju Mangalore
Pics by Dayanand Kukkaje and Viju
For Daijiworld News Network - Mangalore

Mangalore, March 9: They were child labourers once upon a time, but today are campaigners against child labour. With their campaign they have come to Mangalore.

History Expedition (HEX), an idea to record the history and working conditions of children and child labour in Karnataka, entered Mangalore city on Wednesday March 8.

The team of rescued child labourers who are presently trained at Born Free Art School, Bangalore, along with its director John Devraj traveled around the city on bicycles and also put up a street play at Kankanady market.

The expedition of children to visually and empirically document the travails and tribulations of the children of Karnataka also aims at raising the knowledge, awareness and information about the status of child labour in order to eliminate it.

HEX also emanates from the successful project ‘Of Legacies and Legends’ which attempts to create child historians. Throughout their journey, the children on their bicycles and with digital cameras took pictures of child labourers in the city. They visited slums, garages, hotels and market places of the city where child labour is rampant. It is noteworthy that the expedition so far has documented 4,000 pictures of child labourers in the state.

Began on February 14, the troupe visited Chamarajnagar, Madikeri, Mandya, Udupi and Dakshina Kannada districts. The expedition will travel all the districts of the state and will culminate by March 27.

At the street play held near Kankanady market John Devraj elaborated on the extent of child labour in our state.

“Behind all those delicacies served in shiny plates, is a tiny hand wearing out his body. Behind all those two wheelers that mob the city, sparkles a child mechanic. Behind all those bricks, which went up, to build the walls of the malls were pairs and pairs of small gentle hands! Behind all the matches that lit up millions of fires in homes for cooking were dexterous hands that counted 50 sticks in less than 5 seconds. Every time a cracker bursts in the festival of light shatters the dream of a child! Child labor has to stop in order to create an egalitarian society,” said famous artiste and sculpture John Devraj.

“History has to be written and re-written and retold on behalf of the children. Who best can say it, but children themselves,” he added.

A 20-member team consisting of 14 children and 6 Adults carries out the expedition. The team also consisted of Mioi Nakayma the co-ordinator of Gondwanaland Foundation who also performed in the street play.

The novel expedition gathered huge crowds. Local and state news channels too gathered to witness this unique show.