Roots or Routes – What does it mean to me?

What does it mean to me?

‘Roots to Routes’ means bringing our history to light and telling it as it truly was.

My mother’s journey from Karachi, Pakistan to the Liverpool docks is something we didn’t discuss until I was in my late thirties, prompted by my 8-year-old son’s project for Windrush.

Hearing my mother recount her month-and-a-half voyage with a young baby and two older children was fascinating and eye-opening.

I could see how traumatic it must have been for her.

Imagine a young South Asian woman leaving her country for the first time, not knowing English, with only instructions on where to go and the knowledge that my father would meet her at Liverpool docks.

Departing from Karachi port, she would have seen the bustling harbor teeming with life, the Arabian Sea stretching vast and blue before her. As the ship made its way to Aden, she’d witness the stark, rugged coastline of Yemen and the bustling port city, a blend of Arab and African cultures.

At Port Said, the entrance to the Suez Canal, she’d encounter a marvel of engineering, with ships from around the world waiting to navigate this crucial link between East and West. The canal itself would offer sights of sandy deserts juxtaposed with the glistening waters and the occasional glimpse of small settlements along the banks. She’d also have been thrilled by the playful dolphins, a stark contrast to her otherwise daunting journey.

Approaching Gibraltar, she’d see the iconic Rock of Gibraltar, a towering limestone promontory that has stood guard over the gateway between the Mediterranean Sea and the Atlantic Ocean for centuries. The narrow strait would be bustling with maritime traffic, a testament to the region’s strategic importance.

Finally, reaching Liverpool docks, the sight would be a stark contrast to the vibrant and warm landscapes she’d left behind. The industrial skyline, with towering cranes and warehouses, would signal her arrival in a new, unfamiliar world.

My brother also shared a memorable experience on the ship; he befriended a ginger-haired boy. Seeing someone with pale skin and red hair was a shock for a South Asian boy—it was not the norm at all.

To me, ‘Roots to Routes’ means taking our parents’ stories, cultures, and traditions—stories they may have forgotten or hesitated to share due to trauma or thinking no one cared—and preserving them in our own words. We are the keepers of these narratives.

Safirah Irani

The RMS Circassia’s route from Bombay, Karachi, Aden, Port Said, Gibraltar, and Liverpool marks the path of this historical journey.