From: The Jurni newsletter@thejurni.
io
Subject: Spice Up Your Life
Date: 13 September 2021 at 8:02 AM
To: mohika@thejurni.io
LONDON / NEW DELHI
CULTURE
WORLD CULTURES
The Sea Link
Koli fisherfolk near the Vasai Koliwada (Koli neighbourhood)
Mumbai is a city of movement, sounds, and above all, the Arabian Sea. Residents of the metropolis
have their own personal bond with it (if you have one too, reply below and tell us more!).
The Kolis, one of the earliest fishing communities in the region, perhaps have a more significant
relationship with the waters than we can imagine. For many, they are the ‘original’ inhabitants of
Mumbai (after all its named for their patron goddess, Mumbadevi). For over 500 years, the Kolis
have relied on fishing as a way to sustain themselves. Generations of Kolis still function in areas
like the historic Sassoon Docks, trading in fish goods with finesse and speed (and in colourful
sarees).
Kolis pray to the sea as their god, and sing and tell stories of it. Gradually, the world has changed
around them, and the seas are changing too. While next-generation Koli fisherfolk like Ganesh
Nakhwa have strived to modernise the fishing industry and help the community cope with
lockdowns, they can sense the threat of climate change. Challenges like overfishing, loss of marine
biodiversity, and reclamation of coastal areas have also impacted their livelihoods.
The Kolis present long-standing roots to the city, and an invaluable understanding of coastal
ecology. Imagine-- they can even sense incoming storms by looking at fish. We’re in awe.
HOW WE LIVE
Spice Up Your Life
The pumpkin spice season has arrived early this year
Come autumn, and the festive season for pumpkin spice will be upon us. While many wait eagerly
for October to finally taste the warmth of their favourite fall drink, this year it seems to have come
much sooner.
While the week after Labour Day has unofficially been regarded as the beginning of fall, this year,
Dunkin Donuts announced their pumpkin spice menu much earlier than ever before – in the second
week of August! Starbucks too followed through soon enough, with their own earliest ever
announcement of pumpkin season.
What’s behind this rush to reach fall? “Part of it is nostalgia. Part of it is the warmth the season
brings. But it could also just be the events of the past 18 months that are causing many of us to feel
ready for fall early,” an article in a CNBC publication noted. According to Richard Lopez, professor
of psychology at Bard College, it is the anticipation more than the reward that has got everyone
excited.
With the air in India too beginning to get a little nippy (and the winter festival season is also starting
here, gang!), we’ll soon start seeing customers flock to Starbucks for their own taste of the iconic
PSL – in case you’re wondering about its nutritional benefits: the way to make it healthy is ordering
a non-fat latte with no whip or pumpkin sauce and pumpkin spice blend sprinkled on top.
TRAVEL
POSTCARDS
Sisterhood of the Travelling Diaries
Last year, many of us were coping via food and planning Zooms simply to discuss our TV binges.
You gotta do what you gotta do. We couldn’t travel, but some found a safe way around it-- by letting
their diary entries do the travelling.
Kyra Peralte, a woman living in New Jersey (NJ), started keeping a lockdown diary. She noted the
difficulties of living through a year like 2020, in a notebook that she recognised from her schooldays
(nostalgia FTW). Looking for connection, she sent this diary to strangers, inviting them to add their
entries, and forward it. When it ran out, another one was circulated. These diaries have been
travelling the world for over a year, including in the US, Canada, UK, South Africa, and Australia,
among others.
The diaries created a community of diverse women who’ve written about their pandemic
adventures, day-to-day lives, joy and grief, and historic moments like the BLM protests. Some
added drawings, pictures, and collages too. Gradually, while the original notebook returned to Kyra
in NJ, there are others circulating. There’s a website to queue up for one.
Kyra believes the idea resonated as “a vessel to capture people’s thoughts, hopes, dreams, ideas,
information that they wish to share during this time in isolation with other women, with the world… in
a space that feels safe, welcoming, and warm”. As the community grows, so does our faith in
humanity!
TIP OFF
Paris in the Rain
A green rendition of Champs-Élysées in Paris
As if there weren’t enough reasons to visit Paris, mayor Anne Hidalgo recently announced a full
makeover of the Champs-Élysées, an iconic avenue in the central area of the city. The avenue was
named after the mythical Greek paradise, Elysian Fields, but has gradually moved away from this
description with busier, more polluted streets. In recent years there was a growing dissatisfaction
from the locals regarding the “the world’s most beautiful avenue”. The shared sentiment was that
the area had become too touristy with over-priced shops and heavy traffic.
The renovation plans are focused on reducing the space allotted to vehicles by half, and instead
The renovation plans are focused on reducing the space allotted to vehicles by half, and instead
expand its tree cover exponentially to make the area greener and more pleasant. The biggest
changes however, will be seen at the Place de la Concorde. The area that is currently completely
cemented will be reshaped into a beautiful garden.
This dream of a lush vehicle-less Champs-Élysées is still distant, as the city will be starting the
beautification after the 2024 Paris Olympics. However, the changes to the Concorde will be starting
soon to kickstart the process and reclaim the world’s most beautiful avenue in the world’s most
romantic city.
WORKLIFE
STATE OF FLOW
Unblocking the Mind
If you’re an independent creative professional who has to frequently use words like “self-motivated”,
you might have some semblance of a routine that helps you, and encourages the creative process.
Whether you’re looking for some inspiration, or just a change after lockdowns, we’re here with
ideas!
For Morgan Jerkins, an NYC-based editor and author of bestselling books like This Will be My
Undoing, working alone during the pandemic was surprisingly productive-- she actually managed to
publish two books. She notes (albeit begrudgingly) how having a morning routine helps her finish
writing a fixed number of words before she has to tend to her editing material-- until it’s time for a
restful midday nap.
Setting goals for yourself is necessary, but make sure they’re manageable to keep stress at bay. As
Morgan demonstrates, rest is necessary too, so try allowing yourself time in between for
“psychological distance” from your creation.
Walking and physical activity is always a great idea, but as a productivity hack, also consider riding
the wave when you know you’ll be most active in a day (maybe monitor it in a diary?). We know that
sometimes working creatively for a living might diminish creative expression and fulfilment (there’s a
study explaining this), so if you’re ever stuck, remember to trust your gut (especially if it’s telling you
to go easy on the coffee)!
HACKING LIFE
Phir Hera Pheri
Remember those Nigerian princes who would email gullible individuals requesting money transfers
with the promise of much higher returns – in lieu of them being princes and all? Well, there’s a new
scam on the market, and this time, it is taking advantage of the job losses seen in the last few
years.
Sarah Magno, a 27-year-old freelance digital-media editor from New Jersey had applied for a
number of jobs across several digital portals. One day, she received a message from a hiring
manager of the Humane Society, offering her an opportunity to interview for one of their openings.
Over the next two weeks, she was put in touch with other members of the organisation and
eventually offered a job. The catch? She needed a company approved laptop, for which they would
reimburse her.
So, she was sent to a company-approved dealer’s website, where she paid for her new office
system, but neither did she receive her order, nor did she ever hear from the company again. They
had even sent two digital cheques which bounced, leaving her at a loss of about $7000.
Similar scenarios are also growing in India, where authorities in both Guntur as well as Vizag in
Andhra Pradesh have warned citizens to not fall for any employer asking potential or new
employees to pay any money, irrespective of the platform or company through which they
approach.
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