2 Bangles

Returning to Dixon Place Theatre, Mira made her directorial debut in 2019, co-directing the 5th annual production of YKR (formerly Yoni ki Raat) and performed her original theatrical piece “2 Bangles” — a story of healing from trauma, pain, and grief, and finding life and joy again in the beauty of cultural mementos that strengthen one’s enduring ties with the Guyanese homeland.

Excerpt:

“They had been a gift from my parents many years ago, beautifully engraved traditional Guyanese bangles from King’s Jewelry — the kind you often see in the West Indies with the signature opening between the two arrowhead tips that don’t close all the way. Babies are usually given a pair at birth, and when they grow up a new pair is given to mark the transition. From the time I put them on, I hardly ever took them off. I wore them almost every day. Without them on, I felt naked and exposed, like some part of me was missing.

These two small pieces of precious metal were sources of comfort, a daily reminder of home that I always carried with me. A reminder of my rich culture and roots, a reminder of my people and our heritage, a reminder to never forget where I come from. The bangles had become as much a part of me as the very skin I live in.”

Watch the full performance below.

The final 4 photos capture the culmination of unbridled joy and celebration of self, spirit, and identity, manifested through Indian dance while in the glow of Guyana’s national colours.

Photos by The World is Rich // Rich Ramsundar