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Cultural Group Finds Its Groove On The Water

D'Ann Lawrence White, Tribune photo

The first-time Vallamkali attracted five men's teams and three women's. The men's and women's Chundan Club teams, both of which have competed successfully in Miami, took home the winning trophies.

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By D'ANN LAWRENCE WHITE

The Tampa Tribune

Published: May 31, 2008

TAMPA - Making friends and maintaining ties to her homeland were the only things on Annie Kavumkal's mind when she got together with a group of women from southern India.

The informal social group of about 25 women living in the greater Brandon area has been meeting for about 12 years. Kavumkal, a Valrico resident, joined the group five years ago.

It did not occur to her or the other members of the group that they would one day compete in an activity that signifies their national heritage and may become an Olympic sport: dragon boat racing.

"It's kind of exciting," Kavumkal said as she and her teammates, who dubbed themselves the Super Women, prepared to compete in their first dragon boat race May 24 on the Tampa Bypass Canal at Harney Park.

"We've only been training a month," said teammate Nicy Sebastian of Valrico. "We don't really expect to win. We're just doing it for fun and to help support the event."

It was the first Tampa Bay Boating Association Champions Trophy Vallamkali dragon boat race. "Vallamkali" is a south Indian word meaning boat race, event coordinator Francis Vayalumkal of Tampa explained. The event, he said, is modeled after dragon boat races held during the "Jalamela," or water carnival, in Kerala, India.

Organizers said they hope to use some of the entry fees for health fairs and seminars for migrant farmworkers and other low-income area residents.

Vayalumkal was born and raised in Kerala, where an abundance of lakes and waterways spawned the tradition of dragon and snake boat racing thousands of years ago.

"However, there's no comparison between these dragon boat races and the ones in south India," said Sonny Mattamana of Temple Terrace.

Mattamana is team captain of the St. George Boat Club, a group of men from Mar Gregorius Syrian Orthodox Church in Tampa, established by immigrants from Kerala.

The club formed last year to participate in south Indian dragon boat races in Miami. There were no formal races for the Indian community in the Tampa Bay area until the association's event at the Bypass Canal.

"There are a lot of backwaters in south India, so every year there's a huge water festival," Mattamana said. "I grew up watching it and was fascinated by the dragon boats. But in south India, they're a lot different. They are very ornate and large. A single boat can carry 100 to 120 people. It's very prestigious for a family to sponsor a dragon boat in south India."

Vayalumkal said dragon boat racing in southern India is considered the largest team sport in the world. There are usually 110 paddlers, 15 drummers helping the paddlers maintain their rhythm and six people helping steer the boats.

"Our intent, though on a smaller scale, is to help keep that tradition going here in the United States and to expose the tradition to a new generation," he said.

Karen and Christina Cherian of Valrico represent that new generation of people born in America to parents of southern Indians. Their father, Daniel Cherian, said he wants them to experience the traditions of their homeland and encouraged them to participate in the dragon boat races hosted by the nonprofit Tampa Bay Boating Association.

"I think we have a duty to help preserve our culture here," said Karen Cherian, 20, a University of Miami student. "Plus, it's great exercise, and it promotes team spirit and a competitive sense."

"I'm not really an athlete," said her sister Christina, who will graduate this year as valedictorian of Hillsborough High School's international baccalaureate program. "But training was a nice break from all the tests and studying. I discovered muscles I didn't know I had."

The sisters are members of the Super Women and trained with teammates by sitting on top of milk crates next to a swimming pool and paddling into the pool.

"It was actually harder than the real thing," said team member Sheela Cherv. "In the river, when we started going real fast, it was really easy."

Vayalumkal said poolside training is common because it's expensive to rent dragon boats. The Tampa Bay Dragon Boat Institute loaned the association the boats used for the races. The nonprofit institute supports The Florida Aquarium and the H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center & Research Institute in Tampa and sponsors two teams that participate in dragon boat races nationally.

"Dragon boat racing is a growing sport," Vayalumkal said. "In fact, it's on its way to being an Olympic sport."

Vayalumkal said the first-time Vallamkali attracted five men's and three women's teams. The men's and women's Chundan Club teams, both of which have competed successfully in Miami, took home the winning trophies.

The 4-foot-tall trophies were designed and donated by Valrico residents Ricia and Jolly Mathew and were custom-made in India. Winners also took home cash awards of $1,500 for first place and $750 for second place in both the men's and women's categories.

Vayalumkal said the association plans to make the dragon boat races an annual event and hopes to attract teams from across Florida and other states. He said some of the teams have expressed interest in training for the 2011 International Dragon Boat Racing Championship on Seddon Island Channel in downtown Tampa.

For information, contact Frances Vayalumkal at (813) 719-0303 or cevaya@gmail .com.

Reporter D'Ann Lawrence White can be reached at (813) 657-4524 or dlwhite@tampatrib.com.

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