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.