Newham Heritage Month, which started in 2020, has been providing a platform to showcase and celebrate the stories of the diaspora through various mediums such as films, online records, craft activities, and talks. The annual heritage festival organised by Newham Council has returned this year with the theme ‘Our Creative Newham’.
Newham Heritage Month 2023 commenced with its opening ceremony on June 1 and features a diverse range of events celebrating the history of the diaspora, the queer community, culture, arts, and more. Among these events, 'Hear My Voice' took place on June 2. The event aimed to narrate the stories of the South Asian diaspora in Newham, focusing on their journey from their countries of origin to making Newham their new home. The event highlighted how they embraced their new surroundings by infusing art, culture, and traditions from their own heritage. It served as a platform to recognize and appreciate the contributions of the South Asian diaspora in shaping the cultural fabric of Newham.
Farzana Hakim, author and host of ‘Hear My Voice’ talked to Asian Voice about the event and the importance of representing the stories of the diaspora.
Her need to give women a voice and use the art of writing as a tool of empowerment led to the start of ‘Hear My Voice’ as a writing workshop, which has now grown into a platform where people can share their stories. “I know fantastic people from the South Asian Diaspora in Newham- women who have been housewives since the day they arrived in the country from as early as the 60s or 70s, and they have colourful and diverse stories hidden inside them. I wanted to open up these stories and make these women heard”, Hakim said.
Hakim takes pride in sharing not only the well-known stories of the diaspora but also researching and recording the ones that one wouldn’t normally go looking out for. “This project was different because it set out to engage the voiceless hidden residents, who in their own little families have been heroes and have raised children and made a good life for themselves overcoming struggles like racism, and prejudice along the way.”
“These residents needed a celebration and my project gave them that sense of being appreciated outside the four walls of their own homes”, Hakim added.
Farzana strongly advises taking pride in one’s heritage and believes that no one should ever shy away from the culture they grew up in. Currently, she is collecting stories for Newham’s ‘South Asian Heritage Month’ which runs from July- August this year. Her focus is on representing the stories of the Afghani community and bringing their voices and stories to the forefront.
“I’m hoping to expand the ‘Hear My Voice’ brand and take it further. The South Asian diaspora has been working hard and has played a significant part in Britain’s history. These stories should be written, recorded, archived and never forgotten”, she added about her future plans for ’Hear My Voice’.
Since its inaugural in 2020, the festival has represented South Asian voices through events such as "Designs That Travel," which delved into the history of Newham and South Asian sailors who worked on steam-powered liners in the 1900s. This initiative aimed to uncover and share the stories of these individuals and their contributions.
Another noteworthy project involved Ellie Burkett, Shofa Miah, and a group of Bangladeshi women who showcased embroidered pieces that had travelled from Bangladesh to Newham. They organized practical workshops to teach the embroidery techniques they had learned, sharing their cultural heritage and craftsmanship with others.
Apart from ‘Hear My Voice’, the 2023 edition of the festival also hosted a cultural extravaganza featuring Bharatnatyam and a DJ set with live percussive performance, called ‘Cultural Newham: Celebrating South Asian Dance & Music’. The event took place on June 3 and was organized by the Malayalee Association of the UK (MAUK).
