As we celebrate South Asian Heritage Month with the theme ‘Free to Be Me’, I reflect on my unique journey and the challenges I’ve overcome as a South Asian woman. Growing up, there was an expectation that I would pursue a traditional career in engineering, medicine, law, or accountancy. While I did study engineering initially, […]
The history of Bengal is the story of multiple interwoven threads. Celebrating the plurality of voices, culinary traditions, textiles, and music that have shaped East and West Bengal is central to our event. Our event, ‘Restitching Heritage: A Journey through Bengali Textile, Music, and Food,’ will weave together these different threads of heritage.
We aim to bring people from across the Bengali community and other communities together to celebrate the heritage and culture of Bengal. By focusing on forms of sensory heritage through food, textiles, and music, we aspire to provoke discussion on themes of identity, heritage preservation, and community.
The UK Premiere of Bindu Shah’s feature-length documentary “Threads That Tie Us: An Oshwal Odyssey“: Embarking on a poignant journey through the landscapes of memory, Threads That Tie Us unveils the narrative of the Halari Oshwal community. In this nostalgic odyssey, the filmmaker, driven by a deep-seated connection to her roots, traverses the lands that have […]
UK Screenings of Bindu Shah’s feature-length documentary “Threads That Tie Us: An Oshwal Odyssey“: Embarking on a poignant journey through the landscapes of memory, Threads That Tie Us unveils the narrative of the Halari Oshwal community. In this nostalgic odyssey, the filmmaker, driven by a deep-seated connection to her roots, traverses the lands that have cradled […]
I’ve often been asked where I’m from and when I respond in the hope that it’s a sufficient answer to the question, there’s usually the expected follow-up question; ‘yes, but where are you really from?’ It’s a familiar question for most people of colour. Some people respond to the ‘where are you from?’ question stating […]
My dad was just a teenager when he arrived in Bradford in the 1970s. With the support of extended family he found work, learnt the language, and a few years later returned to Pakistan to marry my mum. I was born in the 80s, the second girl in a house of five children. We found […]
Hiranya’s debut album, Frangipani & Daisy Chains, grew from her experience of race and identity following the 2016 Brexit vote. At turns tender, at turns fierce, she explores migration, colonialism and lineage. Part personal nostalgia, part history lesson; it contemplates belonging through the plants that are rooted in England and Sri Lanka’s folk traditions. The musical […]
My name is Shaz Khan (Shahzadgai Khan). My story is very simple but my parents’ is not. I stumbled across an article that I wrote when I was 17 years old for my English A-level coursework. It was all about “Being an Asian in Modern British Society”, which is where the inspiration for this podcast […]
We all have stories to tell. Mine is about being ‘one of the few’. I am incredibly proud of my South Asian heritage story. I am British-Mauritian-South Asian and I was born just north of London. Growing up in the 1980s, we probably were the only Mauritian family in our non-ethnically diverse town. I […]
Recognise, respect, and reclaim our names. Come together with Pagrav Dance Company, Tooting Works and Wandsworth Council for kathak dance and rangoli workshops, performances, and more to celebrate, explore, and reclaim the stories behind our South Asian names. A chance to express yourself, feel connected to your heritage and community, and reconnect with your body. […]
The first of the Trust’s projects is the South Asian Heritage Month (SAHM), which first took place in 2020 and runs from the 18th of July to the 17th of August each year.
SAHM seeks to commemorate, mark and celebrate South Asian cultures, histories, and communities.
It seeks to understand the diverse heritage and cultures that continue to link the UK with South Asia.
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