Encyclopedia Kashmir Pandit Culture and Heritage - C.L. Kaul _Part3
Transforming Narratives – Kashmir Voice – Research ... · Kashmir culture and traditions. •...
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This work has been carried out by Shafaq Hussain & Associates in response to a call out for a piece of work to discover narratives within the British Kashmiri community in Birmingham, to update our understanding of contemporary culture, people’s.engagement with the city and experience of the city’s cultural life. Find out more Executive Summary Introduction Transforming Narratives is a three-year project led by Culture Central with works towards Birmingham becoming a leading international centre for contemporary South Asian arts practice The initiative expanded from its original remit to include Kashmiri communities. The brief was to provide a profile, explore themes, interests and relationships with traditional cultures and country of origin for the community. In addition, the projected explored what cultural forms Kashmiris most enjoy and capture an understanding of their life in Birmingham. Research was undertaken through a mixture of quantitative and qualitative methods using an online questionnaire, face to face interview with the use of paper questionnaires and facilitated focus group session. It emerged some participants spoke little English, others who could speak but were not able to read or write. This was reflective of Birmingham City Council’s 2011 statistics record of Households where 23.1% of Alum Rock’s population of 6,735 did not have person aged 16 and over who had English as main language and 21.9% of Bordesley Green’s population of 3645. This gave opportunity to use duel language of Pahari and English, interactive; semi picture story and photo voice so participants could communicate their views. Transforming Narratives – Kashmir Voice – Research Birmingham 2019 Shafaq Hussain & Associates
Transcript of Transforming Narratives – Kashmir Voice – Research ... · Kashmir culture and traditions. •...
This work has been carried out by Shafaq Hussain & Associates in response to a call out for a piece of work to discover narratives within the British Kashmiri community in Birmingham, to update our understanding of contemporary culture, people’s.engagement with the city and experience of the city’s cultural life. Find out more
ExecutiveSummary
Introduction
TransformingNarrativesisathree-yearprojectledbyCultureCentralwithworkstowardsBirminghambecomingaleadinginternationalcentreforcontemporarySouthAsianartspractice
TheinitiativeexpandedfromitsoriginalremittoincludeKashmiricommunities.
Thebriefwastoprovideaprofile,explorethemes,interestsandrelationshipswithtraditionalculturesandcountryoforiginforthecommunity.Inaddition,theprojectedexploredwhatculturalformsKashmirismostenjoyandcaptureanunderstandingoftheirlifeinBirmingham.
Researchwasundertakenthroughamixtureofquantitativeandqualitativemethodsusinganonlinequestionnaire,facetofaceinterviewwiththeuseofpaperquestionnairesandfacilitatedfocusgroupsession.
ItemergedsomeparticipantsspokelittleEnglish,otherswhocouldspeakbutwerenotabletoreadorwrite.ThiswasreflectiveofBirminghamCityCouncil’s2011statisticsrecordofHouseholdswhere23.1%ofAlumRock’spopulationof6,735didnothavepersonaged16andoverwhohadEnglishasmainlanguageand21.9%ofBordesleyGreen’spopulationof3645.
ThisgaveopportunitytouseduellanguageofPahariandEnglish,interactive;semipicturestoryandphotovoicesoparticipantscouldcommunicatetheirviews.
Transforming Narratives – Kashmir Voice – Research Birmingham 2019
ShafaqHussain&Associates
Therewere60participantsinitiallywhosedatawasanalysedandadditional12participantswhowishtotakepartintheprocessafterourdeadline.Themethodologyincludedsevenfocusgroupsinvolving28participantsalongwith6onlinequestionnairesurveysand26facetofaceinterviews.
Focusgroupsandinterviewswerevideoandaudiorecordedandsomeparticipantsconsentedtophotosbeingtaken.
AliteraturereviewwasconductedwhichalsolookedatdataonKashmiriswhoself-identifiedas‘Kashmir’inthe2011NationalCensus.ThiswasusedtocomperethepresenceandprofileofKashmiricommunityinBirmingham,howeveritshouldbenotedthatinabsenceofKashmiricategoryontheform,mostKashmirisselect‘Pakistani’asanavailablecategory.
ThismeanstheactualnumberofKashmirisinBritaincanonlybeestimatedyet.ThefirstestimationprovidedwasbyRogerBallardinEconomicandPoliticalWeeklywhenheasserts:“Somewhereintheregionoftwo-thirdsofallBritishPakistanisareinfactofAzadKashmirorigin”.(P514,1991).Theotheracademicstudieshassupportedthisfinding,forexampleSereneHussainpublishedfigureaspotentiallynearingamillioninherpaper‘MissingfromtheMinorityMainstream’andVirenderKalrainthisstudy‘UnknownandUnseen’,statethat,“over99%KashmirisinBritainoriginatefrom‘Azad’Kashmir”.However,thusfarthishasnotbeenverified.
ThedataofKashmiriswhoself-wrote“Kashmiri”in2011censusasthereisnoseparateKashmiriCategorywithintheNationalCensus.ThiswasusedtocomparethepresenceandprofileofKashmiricommunityinBirmingham.
KeyFindings
• InregardstoKashmiriArtsprovisions98%respondentsstatedtherewaslackofKashmirartformsavailableinBirmingham.
• Duringtheresearchinformationdissemination,identifyingpotentialparticipantsandthroughindividualinterviewsandfocusgroupsprocessespeoplewerevery‘surprised’onbeingvalued,withthefocusonthemandtheKashmiricommunity.
• 16%hadattendedCannonHillParkforEidMelabutnotforMACspecifically,othersattendedlocalcentresforartactivities,68%womenattendedwomenonlyartformsessionsatthewomencentreinAlumRock,62%menhadattendedMelasatWashwoodHeathandSmallHeathPark.
• OtherswerekeentosharehistoricaltraditionscarriedoninEnglandwhichevidencedtheneedfortheircultureandheritagetobeconserved.Forexample“buyingyourownhome"inEngland,wastheKashmiritraditionofbeingsecure,
“namingBusinessafteryourfather,motherorchild’sname”,“sendingmoneybackhometobuildKoti”(House).
• “Hospitality”,‘language’,‘food’,‘clothes’cameoutstronglyasadistinctfeatureofKashmircultureandtraditions.
• IntheabsenceofArtforms,Radio,TVprogramminginBritainofKashmirculture,YouTube,WhatsApp,andFacebookarefrequentlyusedtokeepintouchwithcountryoforigin,culturaltiessuchasmusic,artanddevelopments.‘Visiting’Kashmireveryyearormore,‘marrying’childrenfromfamiliesinKashmir
• Thekeepingholdoflanguagethroughartformsofsinging‘Gaalian’(weddingsongs),listeningtoSufimusic,storytellingandreminiscingemergedas‘essential’tokeeptraditionsandculturealive.Therewasfirmaspirationfromself-helppromoterstokeepidentityandculturealivebyorganisingeventstopromote‘Sufiwisdom’,localartists,encourageyoungergenerationstotake‘interest’and“preserverichproudhistory”.
• Themajority92%ofparticipantshadneverbeeninterviewedindepthforresearchandneededsupporttounderstandtheconceptofSurveys.
• Therecentfiguresestimatedthatthereareover200,000‘Pakistani’sinBirminghamandifthisrepresents75%KashmiristhentheArtsectorprovisionsarenotreflected.
• LifeinBirminghamprovidedverypositiveresponses“it’stheBest”,“ourhomelandnow”,“BeautifulCity”,“proud”,“wishmoreofourculturewasputon”andfewnegatives“rubbish”,‘”knifeCrime”,“Unemployment”“thingsforyoungerpeopletodo”
KeyThemeFindings
Profile
“Dothemainstreamknowweexist,whatwesing,playordo”A.Hussain-AzadKashmirFolkgroup
The2011CensusBirminghamfigureof144,627Pakistaniandwithonly29,403Urduspeakers’andassociatedtowardsWashwoodHeath(3,463),Springfield(3,428),Sparkbrook(3,299)andBordesleyGreen(3,283)locallyknownasKashmirpopulatedraisesconcernontheaccuracyofthedata.The2011censusBirminghamfigurealsostates10,827PakistaniPaharispeakers.
ThisisasurprisingasPaharilanguageisonlyassociatedwithKashmirisandthereisnodescriptionofPahariasalanguageofPakistan.Thisraisesconcernsonhowequalitydataisaccuratelycollectedandmonitored.Thenon-availabilityofseparateKashmiricategorytotickordescribethemselvescontributestotheKashmiricommunityconfusionabouttheirownidentityandpotentialdiscrepanciesinactualnumbers.ArecentfreedomofInformationresultstated43peopleofKashmiriheritagewererecordedoutofBirminghamCityCouncilsover10,000employees.
Itwasinteresting,thegenderdescriptionof1personnottosaypreferencewasdoneononlineandwewerenotabletogainanyotherinformationortheirviewonthischoice.
Wewereabletogetagoodagerepresentationanddiverseexperienceswithearlysettlersfrom50stoasrecentasjustoverIyear.
Wewantedtoseekeconomicbackgroundofparticipantsespeciallytocomparetheaffordabilityandaccessibilityissueforartforms.
Wewantedtogainsomeunderstandingonhowlanguageandcultureisassociatedandpracticed.ItwasinterestingtonotesomepeoplewereusingMirpuriasthiswasthelanguagerecognisedandusedbypublicandHealthsectors.SomeoftherespondentswereusingPahariandMirpuriathometo‘conserveandpassonthelanguageofmyparents’tomychildren’.
CulturalPracticesandOffer
RespondentsstatedArtandcultureismissedbyjustonceayearMelasorEidevents.
Thereis‘self-help’organisingofculturaleventsbythecommunitybutlackprofessionalandfinancialsupporttoreachtowidergroupsuchaswomen,familiesandthewidernonKashmiraudiences.
LocalartistsreportedthattheywantedtolearnandupskillthemselvesbutwerenotgivenchancesinlocalandmajoreventsinBirminghamasInternationalandrecognisedartistswereused.TheywerestrugglingtodedicatetimetotheirprofessionduetoearninglivingelsewheresuchasTaxisdrivers.
86%statedvenuesoutsidethecommunitywerenotaccessibleforthemandwantedarteventsatlocalcommunitycentres,libraries,womencentres.
TheeventsthatareprogrammedthatincludeKashmiriartistsweresaidtobeexpensiveby78%ofrespondents.68%statedtheywantedwomenonlyartformssuchasjewellery,craftmaking,andembroideryworkshops.
Theonlyculturalpracticesavailablewereweddings,birthday,Jamaal(haircuttingceremonyfornewbornchild),Milaads,cinemaorfundraisingeventsasartforms.96%statedtheywouldattendifthereweremoreKashmiriartformsavailable.
TherewasacknowledgementthatBirminghamwasnotreflectiveintermsofKashmiricultureandpresenceofartforms.Only7peoplehadattendedKashmiri‘associated’arteventsatthemainstream,2hadattendedaKashmirifilmatMAC,twoattendedBirminghammuseumforaKashmirArtfestivalin2017.
SomerespondentsusedcinemaasaformofentertainmentbutreportedmostlyBollywoodorfewPakistanifilmsscreened,howevertheuseofNetflixforotherfilmsandFacebook,WhatsApp,YouTubeforKashmirimusicandentertainmentisused.
KashmiriVoiceandTNwerepromotedthroughlotofconversations;informalnetworkingatshoppingmalls,garages,parks,outsideschoolgates,visitstoorganisations,mosques,andsportscentresestimatedtobequantifiedtoover200people.
Participantswereverykeentosharetheirstoriesonculture,identity,heritage,artforms,oneexampleofaprofessionalwhocompletedhisquestionnairewithverybriefanswerslaterrequestedtobevideoed.Thisresultedintheendspentagood90minutescoveringin-depthtopics.
Identity
Kashmirwomenrespondentslikenedearlymigrantsas“sherneeyan”(lionesses)astheylivedwith10-15othermaleswiththeirhusbandinonehousehold.ThesewomencontributedtootherwomenbeingcalledtoEnglandbytheirhusbands.Othersreferredwomenasthefirstoneswhocreated‘entrepreneurs’,‘cohesion’and‘integration’byhaving‘white‘families’livingaslodgerstocreatefinancialsecurity.
Othersgaveexamplesofhowlearntartskillssuchasclaymakingwereusedtomake‘tandoors’ingardenstocookchapattis,grillfoodandpracticetheold“Saad”(Call)traditionofgatheringstosingtraditional‘Gaalian’(wedding,party),Saif-ul-Malook(JourneyofLove)-KashmirimostfamousPoetryandfolksongs.
ThefirstandsecondgenerationKashmirisusedartforms,traditionalsports,cookingandclothingtopreservetheiridentityandculture.BusinesseshaveestablishedrecognitionoftheiridentitybythenamesassociatedtotheirancestralhomelandsforexampleDadyalcashandcarryandKashmirijewellers.
ArtFormsandArtist
TherewasoverwhelmingrecognitionArtformsespeciallymusic,poetry,songsandfolkstoriesofwisdomwerepartofKashmiriculture,heritage,identifyandwerecontributingtothepreservationoflanguage,traditionsandasoneartiststated‘ourdistinctPechaan’(recognition)
Themajorityof60participants,96%thatstatedtherearenotenoughartformsforKashmirisinBirminghamandwouldattendartformsiftherewerelocal,accessibleandreflectedtheirculture.ThefocussessionsraisedthelackofinterventionbymainstreamartorganisationsandexclusionofKashmiriartforminmainstreamofferswasevident.SomerespondentsstatedyearlyMelasandfeweventsatlocalvenuesdidnotreflectordojusticetotheartforms.
Onsuggestion,howtoimproveartformoffer,therespondentswantedmorepresenceandprofileofKashmiriartform,thelocalartistsraisedsupportin‘upskilling’,‘mentoring’,‘coaching’andaccessibilityfordevelopmentgrants.
Otherissuesraisedwereartisthavingtoworkastaxidriverstocompensateprofession,“thereisstillbelittlingandderogatorywords,usedtodescribetheseprofessionandstrongprejudiceagainstsomeartformsbasedonassociationwithCastesuchasDhollPlaying.Theincreaseof‘orthodox’interpretationofreligiousvaluewhereArtandCulturewas
‘forbidden’andactivelybeendiscouragedincertainareaswasaconcernforartistandparticipants.
Severalsuggestionswerenoted“Ladyonlyeventsduringthedayduetochildcareissues”“advertisementsonsocialmedia”,acommenttoengageyoungpeoplestated“MoreproductsshouldbeproducedfromKashmiriartistsforYouTube,Facebook,”
Language
TheimportanceoflanguagesurfacedasoneofthekeyfindingsforKashmiris,theuseofsocialmedia,YouTube,WhatsAppforKashmiristowatchhousesandstreetsinMirpur.
PreservingKashmiricultureandheritagethroughkeepingandcampaigningforlanguagedidnotcomeeasyforthefirstandsecondgeneration,thereweremajorcampaignsandpressuregroupstocampaignforthisaspectoftradition,identityandculturetobeprotectedandpromoted.
ThelanguageofPahariisoneoftheoldestinsouthAsiaanditsrichhistorygoesbackto16thcenturybutduetonon-recognitionitsuffereddevelopmentincludingitswrittenform.ThemostsignificantwayitsustaineditsexistenceandrecognitionwasduetothefamousKashmiripoetMianMohammedBakhshwhowroteandsanginpaharianditsfamousSaif–ul–Malook(JourneyofLove)isworldrenownedpoetrysangbymostfamousartistsfromsouthAsia.
Theimportanceanditslinktopreservingofpartofculture,pahariisspokeninKashmirihouseholdsasonerespondentsstated“wanttopassthelangueofmyparentstomychildren“
Recommendations
1. ItisrecommendedthatallmainstreamArtsorganisationsandpartnersincludetheKashmircategoryintheirethnicmonitoringsystemssotheservicesoffered,deliveredandtakeupisinclusiveandhelpdeterminefuturepolicies,strategiesandresources.
2. TheBirminghamKashmiricommunityanditsorganisationstoworkwithinstitutionsforspecificstudyonKashmirnumbersandneedsandhowfairermonitoringsystemscanbeimplemented.
3. CreationofaKashmiriArtsforumsupportedbymainstreamArtorganisationsthatcreatesnetworking,jointprogrammingofKashmirartforms,addresseslanguage,cultureandidentityusinglocalartistsandparticipants.
4. BespokeandspecialKashmireventssuchasKashmirArtFestivalsupportedandofferedbyMainstreamorganisationswillhelptheKashmircommunityfeel‘included’andconfidentthatitscultureandpresenceisvalued.Thisofferorganisedand
deliveredincollaborationwithKashmiriartorganisationswillplaceequalityofopportunityatheart.
5. MainstreamartsorganisationstoencourageKashmiriartiststobementored,coached,performandattract‘bursary’andothergrantsupportavailable.
6. ArtOrganisationshelpreviveKashmiriArtFestivaltocelebratethediverseartformsandtalentsofKashmiriartists.
7. ArtorganisationsraiseawarenessineducationalsettingsofKashmiriculture,poetryandliteraturebyintroducingheritageenrichedassemblies,KashmiriartintheCommunity.
8. ArtorganisationsthroughTransformingNarrativestakeupelementofartformthattheycanofferassupportin-kindcontributioni.e.MACfreeCinemaspaceforKashmirifilms
9. BritishCouncilandTransformingNarrativesandPartnersexploreandencouragemakingMirpurDistrictaHub
10. BritishCouncilandTNtoinvitespecialdelegationfromKashmirtoformpartoftheiroffer
11. ArtsCouncil,BritishCouncil,TNandMainstreamArtorganisationsinvolvetheKashmiriCommunityinitsInstitutionalstructures,Artsofferanddeliveryofservices.
12. ArtsCouncil,BritishCouncil,TNandMainstreamArtorganisationsembedpolicies,strategiesandperformancetargettosupportKashmiriArtorganisationsengagementandaccessInstitutionssuchasBirminghamCityCouncil,DFID,ArtPhilanthropyCommunity
13. ArtCouncil,BritishCouncil,TNanditsmainstreamartorganisationsshouldempowerandsupportKashmirArtorganisationswhoarelaggingbehindotherSouthAsiancommunitiestoofferdiverseArtforms
14. ArtCouncil,BritishCouncil,TNanditsmainstreamartorganisationsshouldempowerandsupportKashmirArtorganisationsthatarefacingchallengesandincreasingbarrierssuchas‘narrow’interpretationofIslamandculturalpracticesfromwithinsomesectionsoftheBirminghamcommunitytodiscourageArtformssuchasmusic,dramaandcelebrationofculture.
15. BritishCouncil,ArtsCouncil,TNandpartnersshouldexplorepreviousConnectionswithKashmirsuchas‘BirminghamMirpurFriendshipTreaty‘andBritishCouncil’s‘ConnectingMirpur–UK’asfoundationstobuildonor‘lessonsLearnt’topursuenewcollaborativeinitiatives.
