Salidaa Newsletter
09/01/2007

SALIDAA WISHES YOU A VERY HAPPY NEW YEAR!

WELCOME to SALIDAA’s January newsletter. This month, we are very excited to launch Back Chat, an online anthology of creative responses by great contemporary writers in the UK to the SALIDAA digital archive – find out more about the launch event in SALIDAA News . Check out reviews of recent events in the Voicebox , and see the Spotlight on featured artists. Get In the Picture about recent book and film releases and browse the January Events Listings . View information for students, researchers, academics and arts practitioners in Calls for papers /Opportunities .

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Nine Nights at Camden People’s Theatre…
The small auditorium in the Camden People’s Theatre was laid out simply with rows of chairs facing an empty space adorned only by a few colourful cloth banners hanging from the ceiling. When the lights went down, the storyteller, Vayu Naidu, stepped out onto the floor in a glittering black sari, accompanied by the musician Colin Seddon who carried several unusual instruments which he introduced and demonstrated before the storytelling began. At first the performance space seemed bare and empty but as Vayu began to tell the tales of the Ramayana, the four black walls disappeared and the sound of traffic outside on the busy Euston Road faded away. With just words and voice, simple gestures, movements and music, Vayu and Colin began to weave a story around the audience, bringing the tale of Rama and Sita to light up a cold London night. We saw Rama growing up into a handsome and beloved prince, and in his youth we travelled through enchanted forests along with the demons and heroes who stalked and stole through them. We saw Sita as a beautiful young princess catching sight of Rama for the first time and were as captivated by this meeting as they were with each other. With apprehension, we witnessed Kaikeyi's spiral into destructive jealousy and we felt the sadness and the bravery of Rama and Sita as they were thrust into exile from Ayodhya. With a twist of the tale, we moved from an idyllic life in the forest to being transported across the ocean separating India from Lanka where Ravana takes Sita against her will. Then, in pursuit of Sita, we flew with Hanuman across the waves to the beautiful island that is soon ravaged as Rama strides over the ocean on a miraculous bridge to win back his bride. This performance is original, imaginative and wonderfully performed and Vayu inserts contemporary humour into her telling of the tales to connect with her diverse audience who range widely in age and cultural background. If you ever have the chance to catch a performance, go, and rediscover the experience of being captivated by storytelling and your own ability to exercise your imagination.

Nine Nights is touring again in 2007 – for more information click here

Do you have a review of a recent event, book or film that you’d like to share with the SALIDAA community? We invite you to sound out the Voicebox for yourself. Write in with 200-300 words to sharanya@salidaa.org.uk and let us hear your voice. Please write in before the 21st January 2007 for February’s issue.

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The Conversations of Cow - Book, 1985
Suniti Namjoshi (1941 - )
Copyright: Suniti Namjoshi
The Conversations of Cow by Suniti Namjoshi was published by The Women's Press Limited in London, in 1985. The novella is a mixture of satirical fiction, fantasy, and fable and examines the relationship between Suniti, a feminist lesbian, and Bhadravati, a Brahmini cow. The illustrations accompanying the text are by Sarah Baylis. The fifteen digitised images in this item include an extract of a chapter and an illustration.
Click here to see the Suniti Namjoshi Collection

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**BACK CHAT LAUNCH AT THE MUSEUM OF LONDON**
24 January 2007, 17:00- 21:00
SALIDAA launches Back Chat Anthology. Abdulrazak Gurnah, Suniti Namjoshi, Marina Warner and Moniza Alvi, among other contemporary writers, respond to SALIDAA’s digital archive, unlocking stories in the photographs, manuscripts, marginalia and letters held in it. The BBC will record the artists’ readings on the evening. This is to be followed by a Q&A session. The evening will end with a reception in the Terrace Gallery. We have pleasure in inviting you to this free event but please note that booking is required. Please email collections@salidaa.org.uk or call 020 7359 7666 if you would like to join us.

Researcher’s Directory : We aim to provide a forum for ongoing engagement with our collections, and invite all those interested in South Asian Diaspora literature and arts to contribute to a Researcher’s Directory that will appear on our website. The list may be used as a point of contact for those interested in debate, discussion and collaboration with others and it will foster a research community around the SALIDAA digital archive. If you are interested in being included in the directory, please send your name, affiliation, areas of research/interest, and email address to sharanya@salidaa.org.uk.

Forthcoming Events : If you would like the SALIDAA Newsletter to list your forthcoming events please email sharanya@salidaa.org with all details including Event Title, Dates and Times, Location, Description (max. 200 words), Admission Fees. Please notify us about your forthcoming event by the 25th of each preceding month, i.e. to have your event listed in February’s newsletter, please send information by 25 January.

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The Curry Mile by Zahid Hussain
(Suitcase Press, 2004)
This is Zahid Hussain’s debut novel which explores the lives of an Asian family in the restaurant business in Manchester’s “curry mile,” one of the city’s busiest thoroughfares populated by Pakistanis, Arabs, Kurds, Indians, Jamaicans, Somalis, and uniquely reflecting a side of Britain that is often left unrealised in contemporary writing. Written through the perspectives of a father and daughter, it engages with family dynamics, obligations and traditions, as well as personal desires, dreams and motivations. In a recent interview with the BBC, Hussain says, “the father’s journey is about survival and succession and the daughter’s journey is about identity, recognition and self-determination. It’s an old story rewoven for modern times. It’s very much a Mancunian dish that gives, I hope, a sense of the raw energy of life on the Mile.” Hussain began to write poetry at the age of 17 after moving to Manchester where he joined the Identity Writers’ Workshop run by Lemn Sissay, the acclaimed author and playwright. He has won the North-West Poetry Slam but says that writing fiction was his first love.

Don’t wear it on your head, don’t stick it down your pants by John Siddique
(Peepal Tree Press, November 2006)
John Siddique is a British poet of Irish and Indian heritage who draws on his roots to create poems for both young people and adults. Siddique works with schools to create accessible, innovative and vibrant writing for children and many of the poems in this volume were created in primary schools. Siddique has published several collections included Poems from a Northern Soul and his work has appeared in anthologies such as The British Anthology of South Asian Poetry (Redbeck,) and Kiss (Crocus). At the moment he is planning a tour, in conjunction with Faber & Faber and The Reading Agency, to bring a fresh approach to poetry for non-poetry readers. He has held commissions and residencies at Commonword, BBC Manchester, The Lowry, Ledbury Festival, and Ilkley Literature Festival.

Kabul Express directed by Kabir Khan
(India, December 2006)
Written and directed by Kabir Khan and starring John Abraham, Arshad Warsi, and Salman Shahid this newly released feature film documents the experiences of two Indian journalists in Afghanistan shortly after 9/11. Jai (Arshad Warsi) and Suhel (John Abraham) are chasing after the scoop of an elusive Taliban interview. The film shifts a post-9/11 focus onto the ravaged landscape of Afghanistan as the two journalists are kidnapped and taken across the country in a twist on the road movie. Khan made this film after producing several documentaries in Afghanistan and he reveals that the story is loosely based on his own experiences in post-Taliban Afghanistan. Much controversy has accompanied the making of the film with cast and crew reportedly being sent death threats by the Taliban and having the unusual experience of often having more armed soldiers than crew on location. However, filming in Afghanistan was essential for as Khan says, “the country was not just a location for filming; it was a character in my film.” The film, which had its world premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival and its UK premiere at October’s London International Film Festival is now on general release.

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Conform or Out: Your Shout
Thursday 11th January 2007, 10:15-16:00, University of Birmingham
Questions to be raised: Are community faith leaders destroying our communities? Student politics: is it more about “open all hours” than open minds? Should third world debt be kept to the third world? Neighbourhood watch: does anyone care about community cohesion? Are we breeding a generation of religious androids?
Topics of the Day: Keeping the faith: should be delegating politics to God? Rooting apathy out: is it time for a new grassroots? Charity starts at home: do minority ethnic communities care about development work? “Racist relations: we should all stick to our own kind”
Panelists on the day include: Ted Cantle, Associate Directore, IDeA; Tahir Abbas, Director, Centre for the Study of Ethnicity and Culture, Birmingham University; Karen Chouhan, Executive Director, the 1990 Trust; Ruqayyah Collector, Black Students Officer, NUS; Ruth Thompson, Campaigner, Oxfam.
To register for this event contact CultivAsian at events@cultivasian.org.uk or Vik on 07956 341375/ or the 1990 Trust at Ruhul@blink.org.uk or 07908 750748

Creative Projects Coordinator
MakeBelieve Arts is a theatre and education company that believes in the importance of making the arts accessible to everyone, starting from the youngest child and working upwards. The company delivers high quality participatory drama and theatre experiences to Nursery, Primary and Secondary Schools pupils, ranging from storytelling/story acting sessions based on the work of Vivian Gussin Paley, through to workshops and performances that use drama and theatre techniques to compliment children's learning various areas of the curriculum particularly in Literacy, Numeracy and Citizenship. We are looking for an enthusiastic candidate passionate about the role of theatre in education and its promotion in the wider community. This new post will work closely with the Artistic Director in coordinating, devising and delivering creative theatre and education projects for MakeBelieve Arts under the four strands of our work – Storytelling: Bringing stories to life with and for children as young as 3 years old; Creative Approaches: Innovative approaches to the curriculum; Moving on Up: Empowering pupils to face the challenges of Secondary Transition; Making Theatre Accessible: for children, their parents and their teachers. Located in Lewisham, South East London this is a 1-year fixed term contract starting April 2007. (Salary: £20,000 - £25,000)
Deadline: 12:00, 22 January 2007

Lisa Ullmann Travelling Scholarship Fund
Supporting individual journeys in movement and dance. Enabling movement and dance practitioners to travel to enrich their practice and pursue a personal passion. The aim of this small charity is to provide financial support to individuals who wish to travel abroad or in the United Kingdom to attend a conference, to pursue a research project or undertake a short course of study in the field of movement of dance. Successful applicants will have convinced the Committee of the importance of their journey and what it means to them to undertake it at this time. The impact of the journey both personally and/or for the wider dance community will be considered. Each application is considered according to its merit and the decision of the Management Committee is final. ELIGIBILITY: Applications must be from individuals, not institutions, groups or companies; Support is for TRAVEL ONLY. LUTSF does not pay fees; LUTSF does not pay subsistence; Travel must originate in and return to the United Kingdom; Applicants must have been resident in the UK for a minimum of two years; Support is not given for travel to and from institutions for fulltime or 'long courses', that is courses extending over 1, 2 or 3 years; these include most degree and post graduate courses; projects which directly support the work of institutions and professional companies, and which should most appropriately be funded by them, are not eligible for support; Scholarships are not given for setting up projects or festivals; Applicants must be at least 18 years of age. Print your application form from the website or send an A5 SAE to the Secretary, LUTSF, 24 Cuppin Street, Chester, CH1 2BN.
Deadline: Application Forms must be sent BY POST to arrive by 25 January 2007.

Beyond the Five Senses Auditions
Nupur Arts are holding open auditions for our next dance production “Beyond the Five Senses.” Dancers will have the chance to work with the leading dance exponent of Bharat Natyam, Chitraleka Bolar who will be choreographing the production dance pieces. Dancers should have basic experience in Bharat Natyam or Contemporary Dance and should be able to demonstrate good dance technique. This dance project will be ideal for dancers who are looking for further performance opportunities and would like to further their dance skills in choreography. The production will be performed in April 2007 (TBC) and you will need to be available for dance workshops and rehearsals from January to April 2007. Please contact Nupur Arts to arrange an audition and for further information. info@nupurarts.org.uk / 07801365779/ www.nupurarts.org.uk
Deadline: 31 January 2007

Kali TalkBack Festival 2007
Kali is looking for innovative and inspiring short and full length theatre scripts by Asian women for the TalkBack Festival 2007. Submitted plays must be original works and not previously performed or performed professionally. For more information visit www.kalitheatre.co.uk
Deadline: 02 February 2007

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Please note: This archived version of the SALIDAA newsletter does not contain the monthly events listings. If you would like to be signed up to receive the full newsletter please email sharanya@salidaa.org.uk.

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