Greater Govanhill - Issue 7 - Young Voices Takeover

Issue 7

Summer 2022

THE STORIES THAT MATTER TO YOU UIT GRAT E TSIZ • ÜCR • TIS • G RA • RMO • ZADA ATNO BESPL

FREE

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YOUNG VOICES

TAKEOVER

new perspectives from first time writers INCLUDING: What it means ‘Being Mixed’ • Glasgow’s Graffiti Culture • Sound of Refugee Voices Basketball in Queen’s Park • Living with Hearing Loss • Empowering Roma Youth Objects Exhibition • Explaining Human Rights • The Rise of Sober Spaces • Asian Intuition Quitting Retail Therapy • Romanian Recipe • Musicians in Exile • What’s on • and so much more!

ZANELE MUHOLI - SOMNYAMA NGONYAMA (HAIL THE DARK LIONESS) EAST QUADRANGLE, UNIVERSITY OF GLASGOW 1ST OCTOBER - 6TH NOVEMBER 2022 Presented in partnership between Street Level Photoworks, The Hunterian and Belfast Photo Festival Image: Isiqhaza I, Philadelphia, 2018 © Zanele Muholi, courtesy of Belfast Photo Festival

Letter from the Editor

Featured Contributors

Dear Readers, One of the reasons this magazine was set up was to provide a platform for voices you don’t typically hear in the media and to empower people to tell their own stories in their own words. This issue does just that. The incredible diversity of stories in this magazine is a culmination of journalism skills workshops provided to young people from all different backgrounds. We’ve also been fortunate to be joined by journalism student Sorana Horsia this summer, who has brought a fresh perspective to new stories.

In case you missed it, you can also listen back to the radio show produced by a very talented group of people we worked with, all of whom have experience of the asylum system: bit.ly/soundofrefugeevoices And we were delighted to be runner up in the ‘Local Media’ category of the Scottish Refugee Festival Media Awards, as well as highly commended in the ‘Local Hero’ category of the AOP Digital Publishing Awards. These events are an opportunity to introduce a wider audience to this magazine and our approach to doing journalism differently.

As part of our mission to make journalism more accessible, we hope to soon be taking on the lease of a new premises in the neighbourhood, which will be a space for people to share the stories and issues that matter to them. This feels like such an exciting time for Greater Govanhill. If you want to be part of the journey and help us grow, visit greatergovanhill.com/members.

Rhiannon J Davies and the Greater Govanhill team

A special thanks goes to our advertisers: Al Khair Foundation, Ando Glaso, Cibo, Fair Deal, Garolla, Home Energy Scotland, Street Level Photoworks, Studio 70, The Hunterian, Tramway, Women on Wheels.

This issue was also made by possible with support from: The National Lottery Community Fund & The KFC Foundation Want to advertise in our next issue? Email becki@greatergovanhill.com

Zanib Ahmad

is a 21-year-old graduate in Politics and International Relations. She has lived in the Southside all her life and loves the vibrant culture and community spirit which exists in this part of Glasgow.

Read her exploration of graffiti culture on page 38.

Maisie Wilson

This magazine would not be possible without the support of our community. If you want to help keep it going, become a member to be the first to receive each issue: greatergovanhill.com/ support

has been based in the Southside for the past two years. She is a legal caseworker who feels strongly about the importance of volunteering, especially for rights-based organisations and film festivals.

Find out all about human rights in her article on page 44.

Editor-in-Chief Rhiannon J Davies Creative Director Laura Hurst www.paperarcade.co.uk Cover Image Portrait of Shanine Gallagher for the Being Mixed project by A. Ponce Hardy @aponcehardy Words by Becki Menzies, Danny Macpherson, Donna Harley, Dorota Gombarova, Giacinta Frisillo, Inayah Jamil, Jiaqi Zheng, Jack Howse, Marzanna Antoniak, Patricie Zbila, Paulina Gombarova, Rhiannon J Davies, Serena Gombarova, Shanine Gallagher, Sorana Horsia, Summer Jamal, Zainab Ashraf, Zanib Ahmad Editing Support Becki Menzies, Mikey Jarrell, Sorana Horsia Featuring the Photography of A. Ponce Hardy, Alex Popa, Alexander Hoyles, Dylan Lombard, Jack Howse, Morwenna Kearsley, Paul MacAlindin, RADA, Rhiannon J Davies, Simon Murphy, Virginie Chabrol, Zainab Ashraf, Zanib Ahmad

Zainab Ashraf

is an aspiring journalist. She has a passion for social activism, sustainability and normalising conversations about mental health.

Learn how she managed to kick her shopping habit on page 30.

Illustrations by Alice Brown, Alistair Quietsch, Jiaqi Zheng, Laura Hurst, Norrie Millar, Ragini Chawla Translation support from Romano Lav, Sorana Horsia Printed by Gladstone Media Ltd

All content, unless otherwise stated, is copyright © Greater Govanhill CIC. All rights reserved. No part of this independently published magazine may be reproduced without permission.

Greater Govanhill CIC is a community interest company registered at Langside Lane, Glasgow, G42 8BH, Scotland: SC656194.

Any queries, comments or letters, get in touch via: hello@greatergovanhill.com To make a complaint, visit: greatergovanhill.com/complaints

Contents FEATURES

REGULARS 06

25

News in Brief

All the latest from around the neighbourhood

FONDS: Objects Speak Louder Than Words

08

Celebrating Govanhill’s diverse community through objects and their journeys

Like My Grandmother Used to Make

Papanași (Romanian Cheese Donuts)

09

19

Volunteer Spotlight

Being Mixed

Beti Brown at Amma Birth Companions

10

Roma News and Views

Local youth get empowered through workshops

RO M AN IA

What it means to have mixed heritage and the importance of finding community

N

22 CZ EC H

Occupy! Occupy! Occupy!

12

Extract from new graphic novel featuring Govanhill Baths

Your Govanhill

With Ramazan from Party Cake

24

Sounds Like Home

14

Behind the Portrait Featuring Alice Brown with photography by Simon Murphy

The Musicians in Exile community ensemble

30

Fast Fashion Detox

Could you quit shopping for one year?

32

16

What’s With the Rise in Sober Spaces?

Style Icon

With Hank of G41

Why more and more events are going alcohol-free

17

Meet The Maker

33

Design collaborative, Future Practical

17

My Life Before Govanhill

With Marius Varga

The Sound of Refugee Voices

New series

Listen back to our radio show and hear the story of one of the participants

34

Hoop Dreams

Get to know the Queen’s Park basketball scene

36

Women on Wheels

A new community cycling hub 4

Language Quiz Issue 7 Summer 2022

38

Art or Vandalism?

A closer look at Glasgow’s graffiti scene

42

Asian Intuition

Or learning to trust your gut

44

What about our Human Rights?

The changes happening in UK laws that will impact our rights

46

Noise Pollution

By Marzanna Antoniak

‘YOUNG’ IN DIFFERENT LANGUAGES As this issue of Greater Govanhill has been shaped by local young people, here’s how to say ‘young’ in some of the languages spoken in Govanhill.

Draw lines to match words with their languages. How many did you get correct?

And the impact it has on hearing loss

νεαρός (ne-a-ros) ja-vaan

Uzbek

młody (m-wo-deh)

English

mladý (m-la-di) yosh

young fiatal (fee-atal)

All the regular local events and classes

French Georgian

genç (gench)

Ukrainian

jeune (zhen)

Slovak German

50

(a-khal-gaz-da)

Cold Feet by Donna Harley

молодий

Poetry Corner

50

(mo-lo-dey)

Turkish Persian

Hot Shot

By Dylan Lombard

FOLLOW US jeune - French gench - Turkish

mladý - Slovak

shab - Arabic

młody - Polish

joven - Spanish

javaan - Persian

fiatal - Hungarian

nearos - Greek

@greatergovanhill

akhalgazda - Georgian

greatergovanhill

yosh - Uzbek

@govanhill_mag

molodey - Ukrainian

Answers:

If you like what you read, scan this code to support the magazine by becoming a member or making a one-off donation! Or visit: greatergovanhill.com/members

What’s On

shab

Arabic

jung - German

GREATER GOVANHILL

48

joven (ho-ven)

Hungarian

young - English

SUPPORT

Polish Greek

jung (young)

TO CLOSE

Spanish

5

news in brief

By Sorana Horsia

Radio Buena Vida Successfully Crowdfund to Open New Venue Govanhill-based online station Radio Buena Vida has successfully raised the money needed to finish off renovations of their new dedicated space at 535 Victoria Road. At the time of going to print they had raised nearly £9k of their £10k stretch target.

Due to the rising costs, Radio Buena Vida launched the Crowdfunding campaign at the beginning of July. Susan O’Neill and David Fleming, better known as Suz and Speedy, have been using their own savings to fund the renovations and the rent so far. "It's really hard for us to ask for help for a project where we've been so hands-on, but we're really trying to build something that we hope will be recognised as offering a lot back to the community," says Suz. Previously operating out of the window of local café and record shop Some Great Reward, the station is set to have its own dedicated venue. The plan for Radio Buena Vida is to be fully accessible and provide a sound-proofed space for the radio station as well as for a studio where DJs of all levels will be able to access equipment. It is also going to function as a café where people can get together and enjoy the music.

GAMIS Opens the New Phoenix Cinema Glasgow Artists’ Moving Image Studios SCIO (GAMIS) will be opening a new cinema in Govanhill for the Govanhill International Festival, and hopefully beyond.

For the past few years, GAMIS has been putting on movie screenings in local parks, abandoned buildings and on the streets of Govanhill. Now, they are looking forward to permanently occupying the Phoenix showrooms at 138 Niddrie Road, a former factory building, then furniture warehouse.

GAMIS hopes to set up a permanent cinema, a cafe, and a public-facing gallery for moving image artists, believing there is exciting potential in: “bringing together artists who work in time-based practices, under one roof, to form a community of practitioners who are interested in similar working methods to share resources, equipment and expertise". The New Phoenix Cinema will also allow GAMIS to develop an educational programme targeted at local residents, Scottish and international arts audiences and artists.

For this year's festival, between the 4-14 of August, GAMIS will be screening films in two venues: at the Phoenix cinema and at Bat. Lab. Short films made by local artists, movies presented by local associations, such as Romano Lav and G42 pop ups, and discussions with UK based and international directors are all in the program.

Changes to Three of Govanhill’s Most Loved Cafes There are changes afoot amongst Govanhill’s cafe scene with three stalwarts stopping serving up our regular caffeine fix.

Milk Cafe, a social enterprise on Victoria Road, dedicated to supporting refugee and migrant women, is changing from being a cafe into a social enterprise hub.

This means it will be more available for classes, workshops and pop up events.

Meanwhile on Cathcart Road, Bluebird Cafe, run by Mirella and Dino for more than 40 years has closed, with an emotional send off from the local community who were fond of their warm service and nostalgic interior. The cafe has now reopened as Kozi, serving up a tasty menu for breakfast, lunch and dinner.

And just a couple of doors down, Canary Girl Coffee has sadly also shut up shop as owner Robbie embarks on a new adventure. For now though, you can still get your fix by ordering coffee from his online shop at canarygirlcoffee.com.

6

Extra Funding for the Govanhill Baths Renovation Due to factors including Brexit, the pandemic, rising cost of materials and a shortage of labour, the cost of the renovation project of Govanhill Baths has risen to £11.9 million.

To cover the additional costs, Glasgow City Council will help with £500,000, while the Scottish Government is providing an additional £2 million from their Regeneration Capital Grants Fund.

The city convener for housing, development, built heritage and land use, councillor Kenny McLean, believes that the efforts of the community should not be let to falter. “Refurbishment of the baths has been a long term project that will eventually bring considerable health and social benefits to Govanhill. The project is also adding to the continued regeneration of the area.”

The pool is expected to reopen in 2023, as a Health and Wellbeing Centre, to serve the needs of the people of Govanhill.

New Picnic Benches in Queen's Park Gifted by Roma community Thanks to the work of local Roma group, Rom Romeha, Queen's Park has more picnic areas for friends and family to gather around. The idea stemmed from exploring the needs of the Govanhill community through surveys and events initiated by the Roma association. "We progressed this after listening to what people in the area wanted, and we feel proud to have facilitated something good for the community of Govanhill.” said Sona Balogova, a member of the group.

Rom Romeha is a project supported by the Community Renewal Trust.

The initiative was welcomed by the Glasgow City Council and funded by People's Health Trust through money raised by Health Lottery Scotland.

news in brief Greater Govanhill Plans to Open Media Hub

The magazine, which was started from a kitchen table during the height of the pandemic, has finally found a home.

We are hoping to soon be taking on the lease of a new premises in the heart of Govanhill – alongside other independent media organisations. We want this to be a public-facing space where Govanhill residents are invited to come in, share news and talk about local issues – as well as be a space for events, meetings and training.

Keep an eye on our website and socials for more info!

G42 Pop ups Community Market Returns on 13 August Govanhill Food Stories Community Market celebrates local multicultural communities’ stories through food as part of the Govanhill International Festival and the Year of Stories 2022. It will be held on 13 August from 12-4pm at the Batson St Laboratory venue, G42 8SL. Batson Street will turn into a bustling community market celebrating the most culturally diverse neighbourhood in Scotland with a focus on the power of food as a doorway to diversifying cultural perspectives. The day will include story sharing performances and workshops, gardening info sessions, taster sessions, a community food market, street cinema and much more!

Take part in an Eritrean coffee ceremony, explore how migration and colonialism influenced our food culture, create a pop-up exhibition of your favourite recipe stories, make a zine, learn about street gardening and listen to a children’s story in different languages. From 12-12:45pm, Greater Govanhill will be holding a launch event for this magazine so come along then to meet the team.

Greater Govanhill x The Ferret – Seeking Solutions to Health Inequalities Greater Govanhill was part one of just ten projects across Europe to receive a grant from the Solutions Journalism Network and the European Journalism Centre for projects which encourage solutionsfocused approaches to development reporting.

A collaboration between Greater Govanhill and investigative journalism outlet, The Ferret will bring together investigative and solutions journalism for a deep dive into health inequalities in Scotland. Combining The Ferret’s experience in Scotland-wide investigative journalism with Greater Govanhill’s hyperlocal solutionsfocused community approach will result in stories that bring together the national and the local, the macro and the micro, to explore solutions to the health-related issues facing Scotland’s communities.

Karin Goodwin, journalist and co-editor at The Ferret, said: “At The Ferret we believe that good journalism changes things. And increasingly it feels that good journalism means not stopping at highlighting the problem, but also looking – with our characteristically critical eye – at the solutions too.

“Many exciting, embryonic solutions to health inequalities are to be found in communities across Scotland. So we are delighted to be teaming up with Greater Govanhill magazine on this project to draw on their experience of working closely with their local community in their reporting and content creation. We reckon together we’re going to be a force to be reckoned with.”

Govanhill International Festival and Carnival is back!

The annual festival returns between the 2 and the 14 August and will feature movie screenings, exhibitions, concerts and events all over the neighbourhood. The carnival parade will take over the streets on Saturday 6 August. And from 12 August, look out for the pictures and the stories part of the exhibition "FONDS: Objects speak louder than words", a project lead by Greater Govanhill magazine. For more info, check out our online noticeboard at greatergovanhill.com/noticeboard

Govanhill Housing Association Plans to Retrofit Westmoreland St Tenement Plans have been submitted to refurbit and retrofit a tenement at 97 Westmoreland St that had fallen into disrepair.

Retrofitting would involve improving their energy efficiency, resulting in more comfortable living with lower carbon emissions and lower energy bills for future tenants.

After seven flats in the building were compulsory purchased by Glasgow City Council, all eight homes in the close are now owned by Govanhill Housing Association. If plans are approved, the housing association aims to start work next spring.

T: 0141 423 8884

509 Victoria Rd, Glasgow G42 8BH

Fancy a party? Hire the cafe in the evening for your private event OR book us for catering.

Like coffee? Come try our in-house blends, available for retail.

ITALIAN CAFE AND DELICATESSEN

like my grandmother used to make

Papanași

Romanian Cheese Donuts

By Sorana Horsia There’s nothing quite like your grandmother’s cooking to transport you to a more familiar setting. And the kitchens of Govanhill tenements are filled with the aromas of a multitude of different cuisines reflecting the diverse make-up of the neighbourhood.

In this series, we ask people to provide a recipe that tastes like home.

Got a recipe to share?

Get in touch: hello@greatergovanhill.com

In my group of friends I am something of an exception. Everyone enjoys cooking something nice once in a while or, at least, they love food more than just for filling the tummy. I never liked cooking. I always thought of it from a practical point of view and don’t find it especially enjoyable.

Growing up, my mum would spend one day a week batch cooking for the rest of the week.

It’s common practice in Romania. Cooking traditional dishes is quite labour intensive, but food is made to last longer.

Thinking back, I don’t think mum really enjoyed cooking that much either. She never said it, but I could tell that taking a day to cook felt more like a duty that had to be accomplished. It went without saying that women must like cooking.

What my mum loved was going to a restaurant. She liked the idea of not having to serve everyone else at the table. She never made papanași – she considered it too complicated. Getting the puffy texture of the doughnuts is a challenge she was not willing to take. Instead it was always a sweet treat that we would get. It was a delicacy.

However, my partner in Glasgow loves cooking, and wanted to try out a Romanian recipe.

The only dessert I could think of was papanași. It turned out not to be that difficult to make – me saying this should motivate everyone to try it. I loved sharing this recipe from my home country with my partner. I learned that I like cooking with others, especially when I get to share childhood memories that I associate with the dish.

Papanași

Serves: 6-8 (depends on how many doughnuts you are making)

Ingredients

500g cottage cheese 300g plain flour 75g granulated sugar 2 eggs 1 sachet vanilla sugar or a few drops of vanilla aroma

1 tsp baking soda a few drops rum aroma grated lemon peel Some salt

Enough oil to allow the doughnut to be fully covered and suspended while (10cm/ 4 inches in the pot). In Romania, sunflower oil is most commonly used.

To serve 200 g smântână sour cream, or crème fraiche 150 g runny berry jam

Method 1. Drain the excess water from the cottage cheese and put it into a bowl.

2. Add the eggs, the granulated sugar and some salt as well as the vanilla sugar (or a few drops of vanilla aroma) and some rum aroma.

3. Blend the ingredients with a blender into a rough paste. It shouldn’t be too smooth.

4. Mix the flour and the baking soda, then add them to the cheese mixture.

5. Blend with a wooden spoon. This is going to be the dough 6. Ready to get messy? Spread some flour on your counter and put some on your hands.

7. Empty the dough onto the surface and knead it into a ball. The dough should be sticky but easy to work with. If the dough sticks too much and rips, add a little bit more flour on the surface.

8. The dough has to be divided into doughnuts. Depending on how big or small you want them, you can make between 6-10. If you choose to make 6, divide the dough into 7 balls. Roll 6 balls into thick cylinders and link the ends into a circle. Make sure to have a hole in the middle! Turn the last ball into 6 little ones. They will be the top of your papanași.

9. In the meantime, heat the oil in a deep pan. You can check if it reached the right temperature by throwing a bit of batter in the pot and waiting for bubbles to form around it. Once the oil is hot enough, turn the heat down to medium level.

10. Fry two or three papanași at a time. They should be able to float around freely. Turn the doughnuts around a couple of times with a slotted spoon. Cook until the papanași are golden brown. It should take around 5 to 7 minutes for one batch. The little balls only need about 3 or 4 minutes.

11. Prepare plates with kitchen paper. Place the fried papanași on the paper to absorb the excess oil.

12. To serve, pour plenty of smântână or crème fraiche on the doughnuts and then add the jam.

Place a little fried ball on top of each doughnut.

Volunteer Spotlight Beti Brown Amma Birth Companions

As told to Rhiannon J Davies Portrait by Virginie Chabrol

I

did an art degree a million years ago, then floated around doing art teaching and other jobs. A couple of months into the pandemic, a friend of mine involved with Glasgow Mutual Aid dropped a load of nappies off to Amma Birth Companion and texted me to tell me about them.

I always felt I had a wee bit of a calling to work in this area.

I did think of applying to study midwifery, but attending some births has put me off. We see the sharp end of the system that birthing people from marginalised backgrounds experience.

It’s not that midwives are themselves bad, but the state of the system they are in leads to bad care.

For example, there is often a lack of consent for vaginal exams, or lack of interpretation provision. There are also high rates of intervention, like inductions for dubious reasons. Sometimes these interventions can be necessary and lifesaving, but they are massively over-used – particularly with women of colour and those who have histories of trauma, poverty, or experience in the asylum system – as is the case with most of our clients.

When I did my training, it was during the pandemic so it was online. Now it’s in person as some of it can be quite rough going and we need to make sure that everyone feels supported. It digs into the context of asylum process, trauma and sexual violence, as well as the physiology of birth and how to support people through it, as well as maintaining boundaries, postnatal care, breastfeeding support and lots more.

The women we support are vulnerable, marginalised and facing birth alone, and the majority are in the asylum process.

Birth is such an intimate and vulnerable time, it can be so hard if you are isolated from family and community. Birth companions get in touch with the client at the start of the third trimester.

From week 37, you’re on call and need to be ready for the call at all times!

With the first birth I attended, when I got the call she was moving to the labour ward, I’ve never moved so fast in my life!

She was incredible, but having been induced days earlier she’d had hardly anything to eat and very little rest so eventually had to go for an emergency caesarean section. Some aspects can be difficult to witness, but I was glad to be there for her. She was a young Kurdish woman who couldn’t speak English. When we heard this little baby cry, the light just came back on in her eyes.

I cry at every single birth. I try not to, but I can’t help it. It’s a privilege to be a witness to that moment.

The first six births I attended all went to emergency caesarean sections. Medical staff are so risk averse and use interventions to try to minimise risks, particularly with our client group – it’s the way they try to deal with the fact that Black maternal mortality rates are so high. But they’re so focused on avoiding the low chance of catastrophic injury that they actually cause much higher risk levels of further interventions, complications and birth trauma.

When births don’t go to plan you’re there to hold space for them to say no to interventions if that’s what they want, or support them if they say yes. After the birth, we also provide post-natal support and have a peer support group which has weekly drop-ins and sessions on things like yoga, baby wearing and making baby food.

It has been completely life changing. I’ve done a lot of work in the third sector, but I’ve never come across an organisation that puts so much energy into supporting volunteers.

Twice a month there are group supervisions with a psychotherapist. That’s almost unheard of, but it’s Amma Birth Companions necessary. take applications for volunteers There is trauma, but it’s also really beautiful. on a rolling basis. If you wish You get to work with the most incredible to take part in the September/ October 2022 training programme, women, many of whom have done terrifying you must submit your application journeys, they’ve faced so much hardship and

by August 26, 2022. Interviews now they’re entering a new part of their life. will take place in person in Being able to be the person there to hold her as Glasgow throughout July and she gets ready to hold a little person is amazing.

August. For more info, visit: ammabirthcompanions.org It’s a very meaty volunteer role, with a lot to do and a lot to learn, but a very amazing way to do it.

Govanhill’s Roma Youth Get Empowered

Romska Mladež z Govanhill se zmocňuje

By Dorota Gombarova, Serena Gombarova, Paulina Gombarova and Patricie Zbila

Autor: Dorota Gombarová, Serena Gombarová, Paulina Gombarová a Patricie Zbila

Photos by Alex Popa

Fotografie Alex Popa

Ron Daisy Street is normally a fairly plain looking space.

MDaisy Street je normálně docela obyčejný prostor.

oom seven of the Govanhill Neighbourhood Centre

But for one evening in June, it was turned into an exciting pop-up photography studio. A black backdrop hung from the wall, the room was lit with flashing disco lights. In one corner a makeshift make-up studio was set up. The models took their turn to step in front of the camera.

Amongst the sound of a fair bit of giggling, the shutter fell.

The group were recreating images of famous Roma people to bring focus to some of their less well known role models. The workshops were part of a collaboration between Romano Lav and Street Level Photoworks’ Culture Collective project – working with Govanhill’s artists in residence Morwenna Kearsley and Alex Popa.

As well as learning skills in photography, local Roma youth have been learning about their rights, how to fight for them and how to build community power through a ‘Community Catalysts’ programme. More recently they have been learning journalism skills with Greater Govanhill and are also developing their videography skills with Govanhill Baths.

Group member Dorota Gombarova was directing the shoot. Speaking about the experience, she said: “It felt good to be directing. It made me feel in charge and confident and boosted my communication skills. The photos were displayed in an exhibition called ‘Astar e iag’, which means ‘Feed the flame’. The title is a reference to a speech by Holocaust survivor Raymond Gurême who said: “You must resist the discrimination, racism, violent evictions to which the Roma and Travellers are falling victim across all of Europe... We, the old ones, have lit the flame. Now, it is up to young people to feed it, make it grow, so that we become stronger.”

Reflecting on the exhibition, Paulina Gombarova said: “It felt weird at first. But once I got used to seeing my face and pictures in the exhibition, I felt proud.” Serena Gombarova felt similar: “At first I felt uncomfortable with my picture being on display but once people said they liked it, I felt good.”

These workshops are not all that’s on offer in the area.

The Govanhill Roma Youth Project run by Community Renewal brings together young people and youth workers to collaborate in organising a range of opportunities for Roma young people, including football, bowling and days out. Speaking about the project, Patricie Zbila says: “I really enjoy all the different workshops they offer and the opportunities they provide.”

The exhibition received national media coverage and for many young people, the workshops have been a chance to show the world how hard they have worked, and prove what they can do. This summer, look out for the short film they have created which will be shown on 12 August as part of the GAMIS programme at the Govanhill International Festival and Carnival.

CZECH

ístnost sedm v Govanhill Neighborhood Center na

Ale na jeden červnový večer se z něj stalo vzrušující popup fotografické studio. Ze zdi visela černá kulisa, místnost byla osvětlena blikajícími disco světly. V jednom rohu bylo zřízeno provizorní maskérské studio. Modelky se dostaly na řadu a předstoupily před kameru. Mezi zvukem slušného chichotání spadla závěrka.

Skupina vytvářela obrazy slavných Romů, aby se zaměřila na některé z jejich méně známých vzorů. Workshopy byly součástí spolupráce mezi Romanem Lavem a projektem Street Level Photoworks’ Culture Collective spolupráce s umělci Govanhill v rezidenci Morwenna Kearsley a Alex Popa. Kromě toho, že se místní romská mládež naučila fotografovat, učí se o svých právech, o tom, jak za ně bojovat a jak budovat moc komunity prostřednictvím programu “Community Catalysts“. A v poslední době se učí žurnalistické dovednosti s Greater Govanhill a také rozvíjejí své dovednosti v oblasti videa s Govanhill Baths.

Natáčení režírovala členka skupiny Dorota Gombarová.

Když mluvila o této zkušenosti, řekla: “Byl to dobrý pocit z režírování. Díky tomu jsem se cítil nadřízený a sebevědomý a posílil mé komunikační schopnosti. Fotografie byly vystaveny na výstavě nazvané ‚Astar e iag‘, což znamená ‚Nakrmte plamen‘. Název je odkazem na projev přeživšího holocaustu Raymonda Gurêmeho, který řekl: “Musíte odolat diskriminaci, rasismu, násilnému vystěhování, jehož oběťmi se Romové a Travelleři stávají v celé Evropě. My, staří, máme zapálil plamen. Nyní je na mladých lidech, aby ho nakrmili, nechali růst, abychom se stali silnějšími.”

Paulina Gombarová o výstavě řekla: “Ze začátku to bylo divné. Ale jakmile jsem si zvykla na svou tvář a obrázky na výstavě, byl jsem hrdý.“ Podobně se cítila i Serena Gombarová: “Zpočátku jsem se cítila nepříjemně, když byl můj obrázek vystaven, ale jakmile lidé řekli, že se jim líbí, cítila jsem se dobře.“ Tyto workshopy nejsou vše, co se v této oblasti nabízí.

Projekt Govanhill Roma Youth Project provozovaný organizací Community Renewal sdružuje mladé lidi a pracovníky s mládeží, aby spolupracovali při organizování celé řady příležitostí pro romské mladé lidi, včetně fotbalu, bowlingu a dní v přírodě. Patricie Zbila o projektu říká: “Opravdu mě baví všechny různé workshopy, které nabízejí, a příležitosti, které poskytují.“ Výstava získala celostátní mediální ohlas a pro mnoho mladých lidí byly workshopy šancí ukázat světu, jak tvrdě pracovali, a dokázat, co dokážou. Letos v létě se podívejte na krátký film, který vytvořili a který bude uveden 12. srpna v rámci programu GAMIS na mezinárodním festivalu a karnevalu Govanhill.

Tinerii romi din Govanhill sunt susținuți să se emancipeze De Dorota Gombarova, Serena Gombarova, Paulina Gombarova și Patricie Zbila

R O M A N IA

N

Fotografii de Alex Popa

CNeighbourhood Centre), de pe strada Daisy este de

amera șapte a Centrului Comunitar Govanhill (Govanhill

obicei un spațiu destul de obișnuit. Dar, într-o seară de iunie, a fost transformat într-un studio spontan de fotografie. Un fundal negru atârna pe perete, iar camera era luminată cu lumini colorate intermitente. Într-un colț a fost amenajat un studio de machiaj. Modelele au pășit pe rând în fața camerei. Printre chicote, obiectivul camerei s-a închis.

Grupul a recreat fotografii ale unor persoane celebre de etnie romă pentru a atrage atenția asupra modelelor lor, mai puțin cunoscute de restul lumii. Atelierele au făcut parte dintr-o colaborare dintre Romano Lav și proiectul Culture Collective de la Street Level Photoworks – lucrând cu artiștii rezidenți din Govanhill, Morwenna Kearsley și Alex Popa. În afară de fotografie, tinerii romi din cartier au învățat despre drepturile lor, despre cum să lupte pentru ele și cum să construiască o comunitate puternică printrun program numit „Catalizatori comunitari”(‘Community Catalysts’). Mai recent, au dobândit cunoștințe despre jurnalism de la echipa revistei Greater Govanhill și au căpătat abilități video cu ajutorul Govanhill Baths.

Dorota Gombarova face parte din grup și a ajutat la îndrumarea sesiunii de fotografie. „M-am simțit bine ca director de imagine,” a spus ea despre experiență. „M-a făcut să mă simt responsabilă, încrezătoare și mi-a îmbunătățit abilitățile de comunicare.” Fotografiile au fost expuse într-o expoziție numită „Astar e iag”. În limba romani, titlul înseamnă „Hrănește flacăra” și este o referință la un discurs de Raymond Gurême, un supraviețuitor al Holocaustului: „Trebuie să rezistați discriminării, rasismului și evacuărilor violente a căror victime sunt romii și călătorii din toată Europa... Noi, cei bătrâni, am aprins flacăra. Acum depinde de tineri să o hrănească, să o facă să crească, astfel încât să devenim mai puternici”.

Vorbind despre expoziție, Paulina Gombarova a spus: „La început mi s-a părut ciudat. Dar odată ce m-am obișnuit să-mi văd fața și pozele în expoziție, m-am simțit mândră.” Serena Gombarova s-a simțit la fel: „La început m-am simțit inconfortabil văzându-mi poza afișată, dar când oamenii mi-au spus că le place, m-am simțit bine.”

Aceste ateliere nu sunt singurele oferite în zonă.

Proiectul „Tineretul Rom din Govanhill”, (The Govanhill Roma Youth Project) condus de „Renovarea Comunitară” (Community Renewal), reunește tineri și lucrători în domeniul tineretului pentru a colabora la organizarea unei game variate de oportunități pentru tinerii romi, inclusiv fotbal, bowling și alte activități în aer liber. „Îmi plac mult toate atelierele și apreciez oportunitățile oferite”, a zis Patricie Zbila, o membră a grupului.

Expoziția „Astar e iag” a fost mediatizată la nivel național și, pentru mulți tineri, atelierele au reprezentat o șansă de a arăta lumii cât de mult au muncit și de a demonstra de ce sunt în stare. În această vară, puteți vedea scurtmetrajul creat de ei, difuzat pe 12 august ca parte a programului GAMIS, în cadrul Festivalul și Carnavalul Internațional Govanhill.

11

R

amazan Aktaş runs Party Cake on Victoria Road.

Originally from Hatay in Turkey, he learned the tricks of the trade from his father before he moved to Glasgow.

The shop serves up traditional Turkish goodies such as peynirli gözleme (a sort of savoury pancake stuffed with cheese), tahini flavoured biscuits and all types of crispy baklava, oozing with syrup and sprinkled with bright green pistachios. There are also elaborately decorated cream cakes for those special occasions. But as much as it is known for the food on offer, the shop has become synonymous with the friendly hospitality that Turkey is famous for and the ear to ear smiles of its owner.

Interview and photos by Jack Howse

What do you love most about running a cafe in Govanhill?

Govanhill is one of the most popular places in Glasgow. We’ve got people from all around the world here. Most of them are friendly and welcoming to guests. I think that’s the best part of Govanhill for me.

Do you have a favourite place in Govanhill?

My favourite place is Queen’s Park. I go for a walk every day there. It takes away all my stress.

Then I come back to my shop as a new man!.

What is your favourite dish that you serve?

My favourite dish is called baklava. I serve 20 kilograms of baklava everyday. It’s a traditional Turkish dessert. Baklava is made with thin phyllo dough, pistachios and syrup.

I eat baklava everyday after my dinner.

Everyone should come to Govanhill and visit our place to try this international dessert.

Your

Govanhill Why did you open your own bakery?

I’ve been doing this job for over 40 years. I started to do this when I was 10. My dad taught me all my skills and sales techniques. I’m grateful to him. I’ve decided to open this bakery because Govanhill is the most welcoming place in Glasgow and I’m very happy to be here.

What is your favourite Turkish dish?

My favourite Turkish dish is kebab. I struggle to find the real authentic kebab shops in Glasgow, but there are some quite good ones in Govanhill.

What type of music do you like to listen to?

I’ve got too many recommendations but my top three are all Scottish: The Proclaimers, Deacon Blue and The Blue Nile.

What is the secret to good baklava?

I have never shared my secret with anyone. But I love Govanhill so I’ll give one of the best tricks to you. Once you decide to make baklava, go to your mobile phone then open a map, search for 410 Victoria Road, then get there and come in. You will get the best baklava ever!

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BEHIND THE PORTRAIT Alice Brown

1

Photo by Simon Murphy Interview by Rhiannon J Davies

Alice Brown is an illustrator and graphic designer based in Govanhill. She grew up in Dumfries and then studied art in Aberdeen, graduating from Gray’s School of Art in 2016. She lived in Prague, Madrid and Edinburgh before moving to Glasgow. You may have seen her work – a vibrant pink tenement painting –adorning the electricity box outside Langside Halls.

She sells bright, colourful paintings, prints, cards and origami mobiles from her online shop at alicesillustrations.com or on Instagram @alicesillustrations. See her Govanhill-inspired illustration on the final page of the magazine.

The photo was taken by Simon Murphy as part of a series of portraits of locally-based artists. He said: “My portraits tend to come from chance meetings in the streets of Govanhill but because of the self imposed theme, I had to seek out artists. This was a trickier assignment than my usual process. Some of the images, even though I really liked them, felt more ‘set up’ than I would have normally shot and in some ways more conceptual. I had to find a balance where some of the more set up portraits would sit alongside the looser street shots. The shot of Alice was inspired by the origami birds that she makes. I had noticed a small tattoo of a bird on her shoulder and wanted to visually connect the artist with the artist's work. Alice has an uplifting personality and a calmness that I hope the image has captured.” Follow @smurph77 for more.

I’m not good with words, that’s why I paint pictures. I come from a loving home but there was a bit of conflict when I was young and drawing and painting was my way of coping.

I had an amazing art teacher, Mr Davies. In my last year of school, most of my time was spent in the art department. He would leave me looking after his first-year class when he went out on the balcony for a cigarette.

I applied to art schools all over Scotland but only got accepted into Aberdeen. I was straight out of high school and in hindsight I would have liked to go to college or take a year to learn and grow before going to uni.

I spent a few months in Prague and it was magic. It really changed me. I did an Erasmus at the fine art school. Everyone was an amazing artist, skateboarding in the halls, smoking and bringing their dogs into life drawing classes. With such freedom and no real direction from lecturers, this was the place my drawing style first began taking shape.

I was obsessed with dreams and memory. I had a feeling I had a really bad memory so I started making drawings about it. States of consciousness are always in my work.

I lived in Edinburgh and Madrid but didn’t love either. There’s this disparity of wealth in both cities where there are a lot of very poor people and extremely wealthy people and it didn’t sit right with me.

I have lived in Govanhill for three years and it’s the best place I’ve ever lived. I love the way people are here. If you walk down the road and look upset, somebody will talk to you.

Everybody is pals, but not in a small town way.

I’ve always been in love with art that is heavily detailed. But I also love colour. If I was to say I was good at one thing it’s probably colours. When I was little, I was into surrealist art and dreams.

Recently I’ve been making motivational works – but not ‘live, laugh love’. It derives from when my mum passed away in 2017. She used to put all these Post-Its around the house, as little messages to remind her why she’d made some big life changes.

‘You’re not just a drop in the ocean, you’re an entire ocean in a drop.’ That’s a quote from Rumi I really like. It reminds you you’re capable of being amazing and awful and you’re still you. It’s easy in society these days to make someone into a good or bad person. That quote speaks to a more realistic view of ourselves and others.

I have always made origami, since my mum died. I found when I was really struggling, I needed something do with my hands. I used to work in a gallery called Flamingosaurus Rex in Edinburgh. I learned how to make origami when I was there for a window display idea and kept on making them. It was a therapeutic thing for me.

I have decided to embrace that I don’t have a linear way of working. I like to do automatic drawing, which means not having a destination in mind. I have quite a skill set for improvising and making use of scraps. That’s where I thrive.

I’d like to use an upcycling project to make a statement about the rubbish in Govanhill. I was thinking about making a massive snake and parading it around the neighbourhood while picking up litter.

I always paint on things people give me or I find. There’s an element of chance with what I’ll paint and what size it will be. It reflects how I feel about life. You can’t predict what will happen and plan for it. You have to just go with it.

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Style Icon

Interview by Becki Menzies Portrait by Alexander Hoyles

Hank

Hank is a local creative. Having lived in the Southside her whole life, her local postcode also inspired the name of her mixed-media textile brand, G41. Hank’s vibrant block colour crochet designs range from shrugs and skirts, to crochet bottle holders and customised bags. You’ve probably already seen folk sporting the brand around the Southside. Visit her online shop at: g41.bigcartel.com Hi Hank! Tell us what you’re wearing today.

My top is from a local charity shop, the vest is House of Sunny and trousers are from Urban Outfitters. Oh, and my shoes are Adidas. I just wanted to be comfy today!

Tell me a bit about where your style influences come from?

I would say 90s hip hop and early 2000s.

And why do you like that era in particular?

It’s the era I was born in and those were the people around me I looked up to – the music I listened to and people I was inspired by.

I love baggy clothes, low waists are my favourite.

As much as I love baggy cause I want to be comfortable, I also want to feel sexy and confident. I like to be a bit femme and a bit masculine, so prefer clothes that can give me both.

So you also have your own brand, what’s the name and why did you start?

It’s called G41. I started it in 2018 when I lived in Manchester studying textiles and print, but I was missing Glasgow. That’s where the postcode comes from. I started off doing printed T-shirts and then it’s just evolved with me.

What type of things have you made?

I’ve embroidered, screen printed and now I mostly make crochet pieces. I’d say I’m a mixed-media textile artist, because I like to explore different techniques and methods.

What’s your favourite piece you’ve created?

I always like my most recent item the best. So right now it’s a shirt I got in a charity shop that I’ve embroidered with tribal patterns and the text: ‘MAIN CHARACTER’.

Is there something you can’t live without when it comes to your style?

Sunglasses! And my jewellery, I always have my rings and necklaces on and don’t feel myself without them.

How do you decide what to wear each day?

It depends on my mood, and what I want to represent that day.

Mainly ‘sexy dad’ is my energy.

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MY LIFE BEFORE GOVANHILL:

MARIUS VARGA Interview by Marzanna Antoniak

Meet the Maker:

Future Practical by giacinta frisillo

Dobresti

Where do you come from?

I'm from Romania. I was born in Oradea but I lived in a small area called Dobresti. Our village was surrounded by a forest. It is a great place to explore.

How did you enjoy spending time as a child?

When I was a kid, I just had fun with other kids outdoors.

We played a lot of games and we would stay out until 11pm, but I never missed school. After school, from the age of 13, I would go to work. I needed to as I was one of 10 siblings. I’m the second oldest, so I had to support my family. I started off chopping wood. Later, I worked as a handyman, mainly in agriculture and then as a helper at a construction site.

What are some of the things you like doing?

I enjoy painting and dancing. As a kid, I used to paint a lot, on glass and on canvas. But I couldn't do it anymore because I had to leave the country. Like many Roma, we were facing poverty so I had to go and try to make money to support my family.

Where did you go?

When I was 17, I went to Belgium as I have a sister there. I worked as a paperboy, throwing newspapers at people’s front doors. At the age of 19 I moved to Spain with my parents and one of my brothers. I worked there for three years harvesting garlic and onions, and picking grapes.

When I was 22, I moved to Ireland where I worked as a waiter in Dublin.

You must speak a few languages?

Well, I speak English, Spanish, Romanian, and Roma. And I understand a little French.

What made you come to Scotland?

I came to Govanhill because my parents were here and they needed my help with English. I didn't speak much English at the time either, but I had to try to learn to help them communicate. I enrolled into local ESOL classes and I learned by speaking with friends and colleagues.

How do you feel in Govanhill?

I feel really good in Govanhill. Maybe even better than in my country. I like living here because I feel people are supported, so it’s possible to live a life without worrying too much.

What is your dream?

My dream is to find a stable job. Once I’ve got that, I can settle down and buy a house in Scotland. And maybe in the future, who knows, I may get married here…

Future Practical is a research-based emerging design collaborative working from Govanhill’s Torrisdale Studios.

The duo, Peter Large and Maria Lander, utilise local materials and manufacturing, work toward building participatory networks through open-source design sharing and implement the circular economic principle of waste elimination through sustainable materials and their reuse. “We’re interested in craft, but we want to make it accessible, not exclusive,” says Large.

This ethos is what first piqued the interest of Scott Brotherton, Gallery Manager at V&A Dundee, who invited them to participate in Design for Our Times, an exhibition featuring seven designers with projects that, according to the V&A’s exhibit text, featured a “sustainable future by…re-visiting time-honoured materials and practices, and proposing practical solutions to issues of waste and overconsumption”.

Future Practical’s contribution was a modular display system to be used in the show as plinths with the intention that these structures be repurposed and reused afterward, rather than binned, as many bespoke display pieces are. These elements are made of large aluminium sheets with interlocking keyhole cutouts.

Easy to disassemble, they lay flat for storage and transport. When stacked flat, they have the appearance of very large unfolded pizza boxes. When constructed, however, they can take on various sizes and can accommodate differing weights. Intuitive to reconstruct, these panels may go on to become added storage for the V&A or even a stage for their auditorium.

Though the keyhole cutout design itself leaves little waste, Large points out that aluminium is often not recycled, as it’s so prevalent, and the team wants to spotlight the importance of this material “as a concept of how [they] might encounter a future, where waste isn’t an option”. Utilising their small studio furnace, they will melt down the offcuts to work on a run of a forthcoming product.

In the future, Large and Lander hope to work with others to collaborate not only on manufacture, but on designs themselves. “We believe that by sharing [process], we can accelerate innovation towards a better future for people and planet”.

GOVANHILL CULTURE COLLECTIVE 4TH - 28TH AUGUST AT TRONGATE 103

GORBALS CULTURE COLLECTIVE 1ST - 25TH SEPTEMBER AT TRONGATE 103

FRANK MCELHINNEY - FLIGHT

20TH AUGUST - 30TH OCTOBER AT STREET LEVEL PHOTOWORKS OFF-SITE EXHIBITIONS DAVID GORDON - FISHING THE MINCH AT THE ROCKFIELD CENTRE, OBAN IAIN McLEAN - HOMELESS IN COVID AT HILLHEAD LIBRARY, GLASGOW JOHN MAHER - NOBODY’S HOME AT DUNOON BURGH HALL COULSON & TENNANT / HELENE SCHMITZ AT THE TOLBOOTH, STIRLING PART OF STIRLING PHOTO FESTIVAL

C H A M P I O N I N G P H O T O G R A P H Y I N S C O T L A N D S I N C E 19 8 9 STREET LEVEL PHOTOWORKS, TRONGATE 103, GLASGOW, G1 5HD Image: © Morwenna Kearlsey

0141 552 2151 / streetlevelphotoworks.org / reception@streetlevelphotoworks.org

By Shanine Gallagher Portraits by A. Ponce Hardy

T

here is still a windy place at the core of my heart… I struggle against the windy place.

I sometimes even forget it. But there it is.”

I remember reading these words from Jackie Kay’s ‘Red Dust Road’ out loud in my Higher English class. When Kay realised that her skin was a different colour from the rest of her family, her curiosity had already planted a seed. One day she would undertake a courageous, revelatory and emotional journey to find her biological parents that would hopefully put her mind at ease.

There was something about Kay’s compelling memoir, which explored themes of adoption, race, family and complex relationships that made me feel vulnerable and raised questions in my head about my mixed identity; something that I chose not to interrogate through fear: ‘Why am I still missing something? Do you ever think about me? What if we stayed together?’ It was a painful reminder of ‘what ifs’, so I tried to avoid it. Although I was surrounded by friends who made me feel loved, I felt like there was a type of love that I craved that I wasn’t receiving from my family.

I lacked a sense of belonging at a time I really could have done with it. It ached then, but I was good at hiding it. It aches now, but I'm less good at hiding it.

I look at a picture of my mother standing next to a dog and a ‘passing place’ sign on a remote road with a stunning mountainous backdrop. I think she looks like me but I’m not sure that she looks all that happy to be there. There’s a shadow cast across her face, so it’s hard for me to tell. I think I’d look happy if it was my photo, because the Highlands breathe life into me, but I think she felt isolated and the idea of this leaves a lump in my throat. I can’t imagine what it must have been like for her, not speaking great English, far away from her family in the Philippines, trying to raise two children in a rural, foreign country without family support.

I don’t know much at all of how my parents ended up to be together or their story, and I’m not sure that I’ll ever get the full version. What I do know is that my mother (Filipino) had a dysfunctional relationship with my father (Scottish), and that leaving the Highlands for Edinburgh was best for her. The day we left I had no idea that I’d only get to see my dad once a year and the struggles that would begin around my mixed identity.

My memories of growing up in Edinburgh were unpleasant – I was constantly attacked with racial slurs at school that were not even about my own race. I was called out for my mum having skin that was darker than other parents and also my hairy arms drew a lot of attention. From the age of nine I was shaving my arms over the bathroom sink with the words ‘girls don’t have hairy arms' echoing in my ear, just so that I would be perceived the way that people wanted to see me.

I was torn between two worlds, because as well as feeling too Filipino at school and hating that I couldn’t seem to fit in, with my mum, I never felt Filipino enough.

I didn’t speak Filipino like the other children I met at get-togethers with my mother’s Filipino friends, and I often felt the pressure to do well all the time. I was constantly seeking my mum’s approval and praise, wondering if any of my achievements would be acknowledged but more than anything, I desperately wanted her to show me love back. I recall being chased around the house with a bottle of sunscreen because freckles were forming on my face, and apparently this is not what I was supposed to look like either. In fact, I remember her telling my dad off over the phone for me being let loose into the wild and allowing the sun to swallow me when I was outside playing in the Highlands. I am fascinated by these little dots that cover my face now. They are part of my mixedness, we are on a journey together, and it's only now that I feel brave enough to start joining these dots together.

19

When I was eleven, my relationship with my mother, my Filipino identity and having a female figure in my life was severed and I moved to the Highlands with my dad and my brother. My teenage years were difficult and my curiosity has been feasting on me ever since. Now I am hungry wondering if I will ever be able to build a relationship with her again. I often have dreams about my Filipino family that I haven’t had the opportunity to meet yet, a warm place where my freckles would be dancing, the taste of the food that my mum used to make that nobody else could, hearing her speak Tagalog to her friends, seeing her look happy.

I wonder what my mother might think of me now? I did everything she told me not to – I spent hours in the sun, I did dangerous sports such as horse riding and played football which was seen as a men’s sport in her eyes. I was not academic, I dyed my hair, I got my body pierced and I covered myself in tattoos. These are all things that are part of me, so why can’t that be okay? I wonder whether I would be the person I am today without the turbulent journey I have been on? Would my imagination be the same and help me the way it has to write music, films and everything creative I chose to do in between? It is intense, it is beautiful, it can be painful but I am so grateful that I have found it within myself to explore this captivating place again and finally help to create a community and find people who are on a similar journey to myself.

B

eing Mixed was born out of a photography project created by Glasgowbased Scottish-Mexican photographer, A. Ponce Hardy. In 2020. Aph decided that they wanted to meet other mixed folk and share experiences around their mixed identities. They wrote a set of questions and sent them to mixed folk interested in getting involved in the photo project, participating in the interview and sharing their own journeys.

I met Aph through participating in the project myself last summer. Scrolling through some of the images and interviews that Aph had shared, I realised that there were a lot of things that people were saying that I was really able to resonate with. I was nervous about reaching out because I was unsure about exploring that part of myself even though it was at the back of my mind all of the time, but I am really glad that I did. Aph made me feel safe, comfortable and in a bizarre way I felt whole for once and I did not want to leave after our short meeting.

As restrictions began to lift, Aph posted about arranging a meet-up for mixed folk. We held it in the Wild & Kind CIC studio, where I was working at the time. It was a very relaxed occasion, consisting of tea, snacks and more people than we expected to come to our first, lowkey event. Workshops we have held include a collaborative t-shirt making session where everybody made a design to print onto the same t-shirt, and also an intimate poetry workshop with Sean Wai Keung. When people open up and share their own experiences around mixed identity, it makes me realise the importance of this community and the need to provide this space.

Alongside creative workshops, Aph and I have been hosting a potluck every second month because we have found that food plays such a large role in connecting people with their mixed identity and also a way to share and connect with other people. The variation of dishes, the time put into each one and the stories behind them make it a magical event where we hope each person leaves with a full heart and a full belly.

Something that we hear people say about almost every event is that they have never been in a room with this many mixed people in their lives before. We decided to create a dedicated quiet space at each of the events in case anyone feels overwhelmed. We have created a WhatsApp group for future events and for people to share any projects or events they might be hosting themselves or suggestions they may have for future workshops. We have several ideas for the future, funding permitting. We would like to organise a market to uplift the mixed folk within the community in selling goods that they make, and promoting themselves. We have an array of creatives whose work we would love to share including photographers, jewellery-makers, DJs, crafters and tattoo artists.

As Aph says: “It has been a really wonderful experience to meet other people whose experiences are widely different, however there always seem to be similarities where we can relate to one another. It’s also been so lovely to be able to bring people together and see friendships flourish within and outside of the Being Mixed meet-ups.”

Keep your eyes peeled for our posters and on the @beingmixedproject Instagram page for more information.

The following are extracts from interviews carried out for the Being Mixed project.

To read them in full, visit: aponcehardy.com/being-mixed

Laura Barton (she/her) What is your mix and how do you identify within it?

My dad is from Nevis in the Caribbean and my mum is from Essex and her family is from Scotland. I identify as a Black woman.

Have you experienced othering?

Can you give an example?

I grew up in a very white part of Scotland where my family really stood out. For me it was normal for people to stare at me and my family wherever we went. When people used to ask me where I was from I would say Scotland, then say but where are you really from?

That used to really annoy me and thankfully that doesn’t happen much anymore.

Where do you feel most at home?

I feel most at home in Glasgow. I moved here when I was 16 and at that time I loved the anonymity of the city. Now I live in the Southside and through having a yoga studio, I’ve gotten to know the local community really well.

Do you feel represented/seen in mainstream media?

I don’t really consume mainstream media anymore because I got so sick of the narrow beauty standards.

For so long I felt I needed to conform to white beauty ideals and it really didn’t serve me! This was mainly to do with how my hair looked. It’s hard to feel good about yourself when all you see is women with long flowing locks in the magazines. I reached a point where I just thought f*ck it and got an afro. Now I like using platforms like instagram because, to an extent, I can curate what I see and who I want to follow.

Sam Goodrich (she/they)

Yasmin Hackett (she/her)

Peter Clark (he/him)

What is your mix and how do you identify within it?

I typically tell people and identify as half Korean and half American; however, it’s a bit more than that. On my mother’s side, my grandfather escaped from North Korea post-war and met my South Korean grandmother making me both a quarter South and North Korean. While from my father’s side I’m supposedly a mix of several European ethnic groups: English, Czech, and Polish.

Additionally, I’d like to believe that was brought up as a global citizen, as I had quite the nomadic lifestyle moving every 2-4 years between many states in the US, South Korea, and the UK.

What is your mix and how do you identify within it?

On my dad’s side I’m white British, and on my mum’s side my heritage is Black East African (Tanzanian) and Gujurati Indian. I try to identify with all of them but having three racial identities can be quite a confusing experience at times. I love that I’m mixed race, and I feel very proud to be who I am now, especially because in recent years I’ve tried to take more ownership of my identity and culture. Part of that is acknowledging my privilege as a light-skinned woman.

What is your mix and how do you identify within it?

How do you feel about speaking or not speaking multiple languages? (if this applies to your heritage) My mum speaks six languages, so anything I do next to her is always going to feel inadequate. When I lived in Nairobi, and because I travelled to Nairobi a lot as a child, I picked up bits of Kiswahili, but it went away when I moved back to the UK because it’s not a very widely spoken language here. I’ve recently been trying to learn it again by having lessons with my mum and it’s coming back to me, and I love feeling closer to my mum because of it. I know she’d love it if I spoke Kiswahili fluently. It also opens up the opportunity for me to go back to East Africa in the near future. I would want to go and feel able to speak the language rather than being just another tourist. Other than Kiswahili, I know how to ask my dog if he wants to go for a walk in Gujurati, and can recite parts of a dua in Arabic, but that’s about it.

Were you brought up learning/ knowing about your different cultures? If not, have you become more interested in this?

I remember, while I lived in Belgium, meeting lots of Bolivians and Latin Americans, getting together for carnivals where we would dance in the street and eat authentic Bolivian food. When we moved to Scotland, there was suddenly no Latin American community at all and I almost fully embodied my British side, and all I had was a fond memory of those events. It wasn’t until I moved to Glasgow that I gained an interest in learning more about my culture. I got more in touch with family I had in Bolivia, and tried to visit more. It also meant I became more aware of how much Glasgow, and Scotland in general, is lacking in a Bolivian community.

I am now trying to reconnect with Latin Americans and hopefully some Bolivians through my own photography project.

Are there any objects/practices/ things that you relate or connects you to your different cultures?

I feel food is the most accessible way I have been able to connect with my Korean heritage. Unlike the Western/American style of eating where each person has their own plate which is theirs alone, the Eastern/Korean style of eating has always been shared and communal.

While I know that this is not included in the official categories for ‘Love Languages’; sharing food has always been a favourite form of intimacy. Making Korean food not only strengthens my mixed identity but also allows me to share these precious dishes that are tied to my most precious memories.

Additionally, to my mother’s disapproval and dismay, I’ve started a collection of tattoos that represent parts of my Korean heritage and upbringing that I treasure so dearly.

These little mementos sprinkled on my body remind me that I choose to celebrate my mixedness.

21

I identify as Scottish/Bolivian.

Although my background is a little more mixed than that. My father’s side of the family come from England, however, he worked in Brussels where I was born and it wasn’t until I was 8 years old when we moved to Scotland. My mother is fully Bolivian by blood, but she too moved around various countries in South America before she met my father and moved to Belgium.

We then moved to Scotland when I was eight.

UNITED WE WILL SWIM

This is an extract from a new book, Occupy! Occupy! Occupy! A People’s History of Occupation, produced by Govanhill Baths & Magic Torch Comics. The book features a number of different artists. This page is part of a section by Danny Alderslow and Jean Adair, with artwork by Norrie Millar.

The graphic novel will be launched during Govanhill International Festival & Carnival between 4pm and 6pm on 12 August at the Glasgow Zine Library, 636 Cathcart Road, Glasgow, G42 8AA.

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Sounds Like Home MUSICIANS IN EXILE

T

By Summer Jamal Photo by Paul MacAlindin

he low song of the cello mixes with the strum of the guitar.

They are punctuated by hits of the tambourine, while palms move rhythmically on an Indian hand drum. The song is a sixties classic called Mere Mehboob Qayamat Hogi (meaning ‘My Love, Doom is Coming’) from the Hindi film Mr. X in Bombay. The song may have Indian heritage, but the group playing it features instruments and rhythms from all over the world. These are Musicians in Exile.

The ensemble was founded in 2018 by The Glasgow Barons, a community-led orchestra named after the shipbuilding barons of the Clyde. Musicians in Exile nurtures the talents of musicians who have experience within the long journey… and such processes can be quite life changing asylum system, by providing them with instruments and a because you leave everything behind – your family, your space to play. loved ones, your instruments. When you get here, the first One of the members, Angaddeep Singh Vig, explains how thing you are seeking to gain, as a musician, apart from just it allowed him to create music again: “When I came to Govan sanctuary, is the opportunity to perform.”

I didn’t have a single instrument. Now I have a violin, guitar, For those who are not familiar with the instruments, it mandolin, tabla, harmonium and many other things.” can be a learning process that also provides a release in The project began as a way to support vulnerable people both a mental and physical way. One of the players of the through music. Since its inception, the number of its cajon (box-shaped percussion instrument) who goes by the members and audience have grown. The musicians have name of Mr President, explains: “When I am at home I am performed for the Scottish Parliament and at COP26. For stressed and then I come here and I am not stressed. I bang Angaddeep, these have been significant milestones that he on this (cajon) and when I go home, I feel zero stress – so it has been able to share with his dad, Parshotam Singh Vig, helps me a lot.” who is one of the lead singers in Musicians in Exile. “My dad Musicians in Exile also allows people to seek adventure performed for the parliament”, he says. “It’s something that and take a break from the routine of daily life. The cajon he was very happy about and I remember it very well. He is player could easily be mistaken for a performer at a summer very proud of that moment and even festival with his shorts, sneakers, the community in the Sikh temple windbreaker and bucket hat. It is ”THROUGH MUSIC, YOU CAN evident he is not bound by others’ remembers it too.”

The group has gained popularity HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO norms when he orders a cup of tea over the years, but their ethos and a coffee mixed together during EXPRESS FEELINGS, THAT’S remains the same – they seek to share the break. “This cajon has taken me to HOW MUSICIANS GET RID experiences authentically through the new places,” he says. “And I meet new universal language of music. The band people.”

OF ALL THE DILEMMAS members’ stories highlight the cruelty The musicians’ latest concert was THAT THEY’RE FACING.” of the asylum system and what people centred around the theme of ‘Home’. are being forced to endure to simply Through their musical performance, seek safety and solace. These realities are critical to share a combination of original songs as well as songs native to and even more urgent since the Nationality and Borders Bill their home countries, they communicated the difficulties has come into effect. that come with leaving your home – and the worries for the Musicians in Exile allows people to connect with other future that are amplified by the UK’s hostile environment musicians and immerse themselves in a form of art that policy. grants a period of release while also ensuring autonomy to Paul MacAlindin, the project’s founder, says that: “The tell their stories. Aref Ghorbani began as a member and now theme was called home because all the songs that they sing, also performs and facilitates the project. Speaking about the it doesn’t matter what they sing about, they are all rooted in group, he says: memories of home, or insecurity about here and now, or a “Through music, you can have the opportunity to express dream for the future”. feelings, that’s how musicians get rid of all the dilemmas To keep up with updates and future performance, visit that they’re facing. Their journey could have been a very www.glasgowbarons.com 24

FONDS: Objects Speak Louder Than Words

By Sorana Horsia Photos by Morwenna Kearsley

The 25 images that make up the FONDS exhibition will be on display in the windows of shops and cafes all around Govanhill from the 12 August. For a map of locations, audio recordings of stories and all the information about the project, visit: greatergovanhill.com/objects

“I

t feels like an artefact. It's like something I took, Indiana Jones style, from a temple and swapped with a bag of sand. I am the custodian over this thing which does something to me, that brings me emotion, but that doesn't necessarily belong to me."

You can really get to know someone by asking them the objects that they treasure. Above, Sam Gonçalves describes a little picture box that once belonged to his greatgrandmother. When she bought it on a beach in Brazil 50 years ago, she never could have imagined how far it would travel – or what it would mean to her grandson to have something that she had once pressed her eye against, the same way he does now.

What I realised after interviewing over twenty people is that their most valuable objects are not special because of their physical characteristics or monetary value. Instead, they represent people's closest relatives, their best friends, a crucial moment in their lives or a connection with their roots. From a simple found feather, to a set of hearing aids, a 200-year-old blouse to an angel figurine – no object or story is alike.

In the photographs, the objects are suspended in radiant colours. Photographer Morwenna Kearsley, a resident artist in Govanhill as part of the Culture Collective programme with Street Level Photoworks captured the images with an innovative technique which showcases the objects in a whole new light. She used a 4x5 inch view camera and shot the images on colour film. Instead of using traditional lighting, she used a darkened studio and a moving torch to light up the image over an eight minute exposure. The end result is a shimmering silky look reminiscent of retro glossy advertising.

Speaking about the project, she said: “This set-up created such a special environment in which to photograph someone’s evocative object and simultaneously listen to them explain the story behind it. It’s been such an honour

to photograph these objects and to attempt to solve some of the visual problems that have cropped up in terms of composition. I’ve also met so many lovely and interesting people and feel as though I’ve been on a trip around the world through looking at the objects and listening to the stories behind them. I could continue with this project for much longer, maybe forever!”

The experiences of talking about their special object in the dark has left a mark on the interviewees as well. They brought their most sentimental belongings to the Southside Studios and got to see them in a way they never saw them before. "It's nice to tell people about it," said Katherine Midgley after sharing the story of her mandolin that used to belong to her father. Many described it as a therapeutic experience.

In order to bring his object to the shoot – a certificate – Ibrahim Kamara bought a frame. He found a place for it next to his bed. It made him realise so much more why this object is so important to him "Every day I look at it, I smile. I say 'Ooh, that's me! That's my certificate, yeah'."

The exhibition was inspired by the unveiling of the Govanhill mural which we featured in the last issue. Every letter of the mural is adorned with a pattern inspired by objects belonging to the people of Govanhill. This led to the development of the project, initially as a partnership between Greater Govanhill and Thriving Places Govanhill before also joining up with Morwenna.

While the objects are at the core of the project, they are merely a vessel for people’s memories and feelings. As the interviewer, they were an incredible tool for discovering the people that were sitting in front of me. It was a privilege to listen to the participants open up in the dark, all eyes and attention focused on the object lit by this moving beam.

It made me realise what I love about journalism: to ask questions and discover the stories of people I've never met before, stories that might otherwise never have been heard.

25

Name: Kate Samuels Object: My Grandma’s Red High Heels from Ukraine My grandma used to work in the fashion industry in Ukraine during the Soviet Union. It was quite difficult at the time to get a hold of a pair of red high heels made in Italy, so they were very special to her.

Last time I went to Ukraine she gave them to me. Surprisingly enough, they fit me perfectly, but I'm afraid of breaking them, so I don't really wear them. They lived in a cupboard for a long while, but, since the war started in Ukraine, I keep them on my shelf with my books so that I can look at them every day.

They are very valuable to me because a lot of people are losing their things right now because of the war. Everything can change in a second, from having your house, having your family history, to having nothing. So it feels like a lot of privilege to be here and have something from home.

Name: giacinta frisillo Object: Snuggle – teddy bear This is Snuggle. It's been my teddy bear since I was four. My mom bought it for me from the hospital when she was looking after my sick aunty in Ohio, a 14 hour drive from where we lived in New York. She bought one for me and one for my aunty. I have her bear now as well. It’s the exact same one, but so much lighter in colour and much puffier too.

When I first got him and my mom was away so much with my aunty, I was really sad that she was gone for such long periods of time. And she would always say, ‘if you give him a hug, then I'll feel it. I'll know that you're giving me a hug’. I think I still sort of feel that.

This bear has lived in France with me and now in Glasgow. When you're moving to a new country, and can only bring a suitcase with you, she's always something that needs to come. She doesn't come in the suitcase though because I'm terrified of anyone losing her.

Name: Rachel MacLeod Object: Hearing aids My relationship with my hearing aids has been a lifelong journey. When I was younger, they represented everything that was wrong with me. They were a symbol for all the barriers that I had experienced as a deaf girl growing up. My parents had to fight for me to get a diagnosis and have access to education.

As I got older, I started a journey of acceptance of my hearing aids and of my deaf identity. I've learnt about things like intersectionality and the role of access to opportunity. I'm a deaf mum to a hearing daughter and that in itself has been another part of my journey. I slowly realised that it wasn't actually me that was the problem. It was society.

Now, I see my hearing aids as a very valuable part of my life. They are also a valuable tool for teaching others about my community and deafness in general.

I want people to ask questions about them.

Name: Esraa Ben-Husain Object: Model Kuwaiti boom Kuwait was very famous for sailing, diving, anything related to the sea. And my father's side of the family used to live on this type of boat when they would travel – to South Asia for trading spices, pearls, and fabrics. The journey would take around six months or sometimes people didn't even come back alive.

It's mostly men on the boat when they go on these trips and my family were the folklore singers on the boat. So they used to sing and dance. They still have the band. It started officially in the 1948, but the band is still active, just not on boats anymore. They would be singing songs about nostalgia and family love – as a way for them to express themselves and find joy on these trips.

This boat was a gift from my father as a graduation gift I received after completing my master’s in Aberdeen. It is a reminder of my heritage, and a reminder of the connection to his side of the family.

Name: Alex Popa Object: A white feather My special object was a white feather. Last year, I found out that I was going to have an interview with Street Level Photoworks for the community artist job I’m now doing. I figured it would be nice for me to pop by and see the exhibition they had on. So I went in and it was just basically me in the room wandering around.

And at one point in the middle of the room, this feather was in front of one of the prints.

As soon as I saw the feather, it was like this magical moment happened. There was this ray of sunshine coming from outside that hit exactly on the feather. And it was just this divine moment that I couldn't really comprehend. But my instinct was like, ‘take it because it will be your lucky charm’. And I took it and I believed in it. And I think it was my lucky charm. It got me through the interviews and made me have a wonderful year working in the community.

Name: Donna Harley Object: Fluffy socks My special object is a pair of fluffy socks that belonged to my elderly mother. I picked them because they make me smile. My mum always had cold feet, and I just remember heating her socks up on the radiator, and when she put them on she just used to go ‘Oh, that's lovely’.

She came here from Donegal at the age of 14 to find work. She used to go to Ayr with her sister picking potatoes – ‘tattie hoaking’. They had nothing, but the way they’d talk about those days, it was the happiest times in their lives. To come to a different country when all they spoke was Gaelic, they really got discriminated against. Businesses would say ‘No Irish need apply’, because they didn't want Irish to work for them. What they didn't realise is that the Irish are one of the most hardworking people out there.

Mum was a hard working wee woman, and just loved her family. She took us to Ireland every summer so we would get to know the culture. So now my children go to Ireland every summer as well. I feel blessed for what I've had in my life.

Name: Muhammad Object: Palestinian Wallet I brought many things with me that remind me of my family: a scarf with the flag of Palestine from my mother, a watch my father bought in Germany in the 80s. But the most important one might be this small wallet because it's the only object I have from my grandmother. On the wallet it's written in Arabic ‘the mum of Muhammad’. My grandmother made the wallet when I was little and gave it to my mum.

My grandmother died many years ago. When I was little, I used to go with her to these sewing workshops. The women would chat and give each other ideas.

Once, my grandmother made a tablecloth in the shape of a duck. I remember it looked so real! That is one thing I really wish I had, but it's my aunt who took it.

We keep it safe in the house and don't use it at all. Sometimes we take it out to remember the history of it.

Name: Sam Gonçalves Object: Caixinha Fotográfica – picture box In Portuguese I would say my object is a caixinha fotográfica – a little picture box. In English the best word might be a viewfinder. In the 60s, it was popular in Brazil to get your picture taken on the beach and put it in these little cheap boxes as a souvenir.

I am still amazed with how immersive it is! You put it against one eye and you close the other. The blue of the box sweeps into the water of the swimming pool in which my great grandmother and her two sisters were posing. For a second, it feels like you are completely in that world. When I moved to Scotlandl, it was a big cultural shock. When I was missing home, it was very soothing to look through.

It's a very intimate act to look into the box. You have to get very close and then you touch it with your face. My great grandmother got that photo made so there's an interesting connection that, at some point she was the one touching the box on her face, and now I'm the one.

For all the stories and a map of where to see the images, visit greatergovanhill.com/ objects

This event has been supported by the Year of Stories 2022 Community Stories Fund. This fund is being delivered in partnership between VisitScotland and Museums Galleries Scotland with support from National Lottery Heritage Fund thanks to National Lottery players.

Fast Fashion Detox Quitting Retail Therapy

S

ix months into a one year challenge to not buy any clothes (new or second-hand) and I find I have accidentally rewired my brain.

Surprisingly, it didn’t take anywhere near the full six months to reach this significant mindset shift, where a recognition of my needs and wants is what drives my purchases. Now, halfway through, at a point where I honestly thought I might give up, I have not only reaffirmed my intentions to complete the year, but I am here to convince you to join me!

Shopping used to be fun – until my conscience kicked in. A climate crisis is looming and fast fashion horror stories are appearing more frequently in the news. I still feel as horrified today as I did in 2013 at the reports of the Rana Plaza garment factory collapse in Bangladesh, which claimed 1,132 lives and injured over 2,500 more. From fatal tragedies to the appallingly recent allegations of modern slavery directed at major retailer PrettyLittleThing, I have been feeling uneasy about the industry for years. So, when I set this challenge, it felt bigger than the personal benefits I knew it would bring, which made doubts from family and friends easy to brush off.

Although the challenge has been difficult for times like birthdays and weddings, I am motivated by recent positive shifts in society. For example, the second-hand shopping market increases year on year in the UK, we now hear terms like ‘slow fashion’ more often, and ITV’s reality show Love Island dropped their fast fashion partners for eBay. For me, however, a conversation with PhD researcher and sustainability champion Emma Kidd serves as the biggest source of inspiration.

Emma’s work to make the fashion industry more ethical and sustainable is inspired by her own experiences witnessing it from the inside. She spoke with me about the degrading treatment of factory machinists she saw in Hong Kong, describing that: “The humanity had been stripped out of the factories”. Horrified, she began asking questions about improving the industry, and soon founded The Fashion Detox challenge as part of her PhD research. To date, this challenge of giving up buying clothes for ten weeks and sharing weekly reflections on a private online platform has been taken up by around 400 people.

Just the knowledge that there is a community of people striving to be more sustainable through fashion and shopping habits has been motivating, especially as Emma noted my experiences were identical to that of the ‘detoxers’. “I keep seeing the same findings repeating themselves. So it was really interesting how you noticed your shift from recognizing needs and wants – that's one

By Zainab Ashraf

of the major findings, that even in just ten weeks the participants are able to notice the difference.

The impulse subsides and they can make more conscious decisions about what to buy, when to buy, and where to buy from.”

I also asked her to share some positive reflections from diary entries: “There are a few things, some of it is tied to emotion and psychology. What a lot of the participants realised is how emotionally motivated their overconsumption was. It could be something like they've had a bad day at work, or something else is not going well in their life, or they're bored.

“What a lot of the participants realised is how emotionally motivated their over-consumption was. It could be something like they’ve had a bad day at work, or something else is not going well in their life, or they’re bored.”

“To try and find a way to deal with these emotions, they've adopted this coping strategy of shopping – whether it's scrolling on their phone or going in-store. The process of stepping back from that for ten weeks enabled them to reflect on that happening. Noticing that, they realised they could release themselves, and they didn't need to use that coping strategy.

So one of the really beautiful findings I think, has come out of this is quite how empowering getting a hold on your shopping habits can be.

“It was also social stuff like going to a party and having the confidence to wear an outfit they'd worn before and realising that nobody even noticed, or if they did notice, it was celebrated! So I think that's really nice as well – realising that a lot of people don't notice and don't care. If they do, does it really matter?”

The answer to this question is of course ‘no’. As much as fashion is an amazing source of individualism, creativity and self-expression, the new societal trend of overconsumption is having detrimental effects on our climate, our mindsets, and the factory workers who are poorly paid and poorly treated (and are often women of colour, making this a race and women’s rights issue too). Giving up shopping may sound like a drastic measure, however gradual sustainable improvements are in reach for us all. On the following page is some advice – which I will be taking myself too, as I complete what once seemed like an impossible year of no clothes shopping.

30

6 TIPS

for Making Your Fashion and Shopping Habits More Sustainable

1. SEEK A COMMUNITY

From Emma: “Join The Fashion Detox – you can sign up online – because one of my tips would be to share your experience with someone. I think the value of the detox challenge is you can go online and read the diary accounts and see others have had the same experience as you and that they're having the same revelations.

Seek some sort of community, whatever it is – maybe it's someone you admire on Instagram – to realise you're not alone and that there are really strong personal benefits from doing this, so persevere.”

2. CONSIDER YOUR INFLUENCES

Scrutinise your social media feed and observe which ‘influencers’ you are consciously and subconsciously looking up to. Do you really value what these people are often being paid to promote? Consider the quick turnaround of the trend cycle and observe if you see items more than once in a feed. If, like me, you are unnerved by what you notice, an unfollow spree is wise. This allows you to recalibrate and look for accounts promoting sustainability. For example, TikToker @maheaf upcycles secondhand clothing items, sewing them into designs similar to what’s popular in the trend cycle – the best of both worlds!

3. REMOVE TEMPTATION

We are constantly bombarded with advertisements, whether on the streets outside or while scrolling on social media. This makes removing temptation much easier said than done! However, a major action we can take is unsubscribing from all marketing emails, deleting shopping apps and turning off cookies for personalised ads. Just as social media is specifically designed to keep us scrolling, targeted language and clever marketing ploys keep us reaching for our wallets. We should aim to shop with an intention, rather than simply shopping due to sales. Also, by constantly being tempted by ‘sales’, we aren’t saving much money!

4. SLEEP ON IT

Shopping can sometimes be fuelled by low moods as a sort of coping mechanism. To determine if you really want to buy something, or if you just feel like shopping while emotional, sleep on it. Normally you’ll wake up in the morning and have forgotten about the baskets filled. However, if it’s still on your mind and it’s a big purchase, wait a month. If you’re still thinking about the item, it will then feel genuinely worth purchasing. On the other hand, if you forget about it, you never really wanted it and there’s no harm done.

5. CLOTHES SWAP

This is probably my favourite thing to come from the challenge - I doubt I would have had the motivation to sew a bag otherwise! The best part is I used fabric from a £1 scrap bucket, so in total, this bag cost £1.51 and some TikTok tutorials to make!

Not only is it great for the planet, but I think swapping with and borrowing clothes from friends and siblings is a very special ritual. It can make your items feel extra loved, and really helps us to make the most of what we already have. We are also lucky in Glasgow to have R:evolve Recycle’s Swap Shop. Here, old items can be exchanged for points, which can then be ‘spent’ on other’s swapped items from the store. Swapping clothes is even more inclusive than thrifting, and I imagine will also help us keep possible over-indulgence in check.

6. LEARN SEWING SKILLS

Before my challenge motivated me to get creative, I would hand-sew tears and make minor adjustments (like shortening straps). I am lucky to get guidance from my mum, but I am certain there are people in our families and community who would love to skill-share or can recommend classes.

Easier still, with TikTok and YouTube at our fingertips, beginners can learn almost anything, and the more experienced will find endless inspiration for new projects. Also, the feeling of achievement from something new you have created or altered definitely beats the excitement of new parcels arriving!

What’s With the Rise in

Sober Spaces?

Sober spaces are being championed by more and more events and venues these days, particularly those aimed at marginalised communities. We spoke to organisers to find out what’s behind this move.

By Jack Howse

E

arlier this summer as the colourful explosion of Pride took over the city of Glasgow, one fringe event took an unusual step.

The ‘Sober Summer Sesh’ was held at the Glasgow Autonomous Space and hosted by QuTo, a solidarity network of queers who organise sober events in the city. It provided a space for those who wanted to come together after the march for food, dancing, entertainment in an alcohol-free zone.

QuTo are part of a growing trend of community organisations that are creating temporary and permanent sober spaces centred around accessibility for marginalised communities.

Another example is the Being Mixed Project (which you can read more about on page 19). The project seeks to hold space for people of mixed heritage with events such as potlucks, t-shirt printing and poetry readings.

For project founder A. Ponce Hardy, the definition of a sober space is: “A space that is accessible to all people, making sure those who don’t want to be around alcohol feel welcomed and supported”. In a space where a mix of cultural identities are expressed, there are invariably a variety of cultural intricacies in regards to alcohol and drug use. For an event that is all about accessibility it seems the obvious and logical step to make it a sober space.

Pink Peacock ( ), who describe themselves as a ‘queer, yiddish, anarchist, pay-what-you-can café’, is another alcohol-free space who spoke about their focus on accessibility: “A lot of people can't be in a space with alcohol – for example kids, people with religious obligations to not drink, people trying to stay sober or lessen their alcohol use, and people with bad experiences with alcohol.” The café prefers to call themselves a dry space because: “We know that some people still need a space that is alcohol free, even when they're drinking or using drugs outwith the space.”

The interior of alcohol-free space, Pink Peacock on Victoria Road

Whilst these projects are not prejudiced against alcohol and drug use, it shouldn’t go unsaid that drug and alcohol misuse is often more prevelant in queer and othered communities.

Studies of LGBTQ+ communities have found these groups are more likely to have dependency on alcohol and drugs compared to straight counterparts.

Pink Peacock see this as a result of the systemic discrimination and health barriers that queer people can face.

QuTo recognises these barriers and encourages conversations around them to be a part of their events.

Founder Georgios Pappas says: “We want people to gather in a physical environment where we can facilitate connections and conversations, especially in the queer scene where substance misuse is disproportionately higher.” Sober queer spaces can act as a vital resource for queer people who might not otherwise be able to access these services to discuss struggles community members may face.

Being Mixed is not a specifically queer event although the attendees are a mix of identities. As Aph says: “It is not explicitly a POC (people of colour) space as due to the nature of the mixed experience, many peoples backgrounds are varied or people may be uncertain where they stand racially. In this respect, it is useful to

have the events sober for the sharing of personal life experiences and it may feel safer than in a space with alcohol.”

By facilitating conversation from a sober standing point, people at the group can share as much or as little as they want to.

Socialising for many young people still very much centres around bar culture, and this can be particularly jarring for those with different cultural backgrounds. Aph says: “ I find that, especially within the UK, it is difficult to do anything in the evenings without having alcohol heavily involved.” This can also create financial barriers to inclusion due to the higher price of alcohol.

But there are seeds of change with sober spaces now popping up in Glasgow nightlife. Bonjour, a queer coop bar on Saltmarket has been trialling ‘Sober Mondays’. While Good Clean Fun run events that platform queer DJs and bring together people for a dance without any pressure to drink or do drugs.

In a recent survey run by QuTo, 95 percent of respondents said there was a need for more sober spaces in Glasgow. They are now actively seeking to set up a permanent sober space.

From those we’ve spoken to, it seems like this is something we’re going to see more and more around the city.

‘SOUND OF REFUGEE VOICES’ Radio Show

This June, eight New Scots from all over the world with experience of the asylum system took part in radio production workshops facilitated by Greater Govanhill.

The workshops included training in interviewing techniques, editing and DJ skills. Each participant was given their own mic to go out and record and produce the stories they wanted to tell. The show they created was broadcast on Radio Buena Vida as part of the Scottish Refugee Festival. It features a range of stories on topics as varied as shisha culture, Afrobeat in Glasgow, support for asylum seeking women and shared food cultures, all interspersed with music chosen by the members of the group.

This story was written by one of the participants.

I

was born and raised in Sierra Leone by a Muslim family.

After dropping out of college because of some financial problems, I started organising a variety of different social events like beauty pageants, sports meets for people with dwarfism, poetry readings, quiz competitions. I even sometimes acted as the host of wedding ceremonies and birthday parties.

Through this work I became a well-known young person in my community. I was encouraged by the manager of a radio station in Freetown to volunteer at the station, and I was trained as a radio presenter and reporter by the BBC World Service and received certificates for my work from BBC Media Action and Journalism for Human Rights.

A white man from Germany was listening and attending some of my programs. We met and later fell in love which is not allowed in my country. I started talking about the rights of people to live the life they love on radio and I was humiliated by my family and some people in the community. As a result, I left the radio station I was working at and joined another one in the east part of the city.

It was all good at the beginning, but I started having problems with the manager and team when they found out about my sexuality. I could not express myself on the radio and I could not talk to my family because they hated me. Eventually, I couldn't stand it anymore so I moved from the city to a town called Kambia to go into hiding.

My partner arranged for me to travel to the UK. I came to Glasgow 18 months ago after being in London during the start COVID. I am currently enjoying my stay here because people accepted me for who I am and I am free to express my sexuality.

I am so thankful and grateful to be part of the Greater Govanhill and Radio Buena training programme which has taught me a lot of new skills like recording with the microphone, audio editing and how to use the DJ equipment on the radio. Being one of the hosts on Radio Buena Vida with Arij for the ‘Sound of Refugee Voices’ show that was aired as part of Refugee Festival Scotland made me feel confident and gave me the chance to be back doing what I like to do.

I would like to continue with the radio workshops and would like to work on hosting my own show for Radio Buena Vida. So stay tuned!

To listen back to this incredible show, visit: bit.ly/soundofrefugeevoices or scan the QR code.

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in

Queen’s Park

By Danny Macpherson

I

picked a strange time to start my amateur basketball career. It was early lockdown, and inspired by Netflix documentary The Last Dance – about Michael Jordan and the 90s Chicago Bulls – I started going down to the empty court at Queen’s Park to shoot hoops by myself.

Solo basketball became a form of meditation; a way to get out in the fresh air, escape from the madness of the world and focus on nothing more than the simple cycle of shooting the ball over and over again. With countless hours of practice under my belt, I thought I would be ready to shine when the time finally came to put my skills to the test against real opponents.

Once the restrictions eased, I got the chance to find out. I was shooting some solo hoops when a big bearded guy wearing a baggy basketball top approached me and said: “Here, we’re playing a game down the other end of the court, come and join us pal! New players are always welcome.”

Any amateur sportsperson has experienced that moment of going up against someone who can really play and realising how far you have to go. When I was a teenager I played in my Dad’s five-a-side game a couple of times. One of his friends had been a journeyman midfielder for various Scottish clubs back in the 1980s. He may have been in his 50s with a beer belly, but it still felt like playing against Zinedine Zidane.

My introduction to real basketball was much the same. The illusion of being any good was soon shattered. My solo practice could only take me so far.

As it turns out, real-life opponents present more of a challenge than imaginary ones. Sinking a lay-up is infinitely harder when you have someone jumping up to try and block it. I may have missed 90 percent of my shots, and given the ball away countless times, but none of that mattered. I felt welcomed in the friendly

and inclusive atmosphere and was soon added to the group chat for ‘The Glasgow Southside Basketball Community’.

I have a theory that the less popular a sport is, the friendlier the sense of community there is that surrounds it. This definitely holds true for basketball in Glasgow.

A shared passion for the sport marks you out as a member of a special club. It helps that basketball carries such a strong cultural cachet through American film and TV as well as countless references in rap lyrics.

On a sunny evening in Queen’s Park, the court becomes a joyful place where people from all different backgrounds come together to play and enjoy a bit of healthy competition, all soundtracked by classic hip-hop beats played from bluetooth speakers. Close your eyes and ignore the accents and you might just be able to imagine yourself in Central Park or Venice Beach.

However, as we’ve seen time and again this summer, Glasgow’s climate is a wee bit different to that of southern California. Many plans have fallen victim to the rain, and the lack of indoor facilities – almost all council-run sports halls are unavailable – means games have had to be cancelled altogether.

While Queen’s Park is a gorgeous venue, the quality of the court leaves a lot to be desired. Basketball is a game of quick changes of direction, and the slidy astroturf surface has led to its fair share of twisted ankles. As regular player Mohsin says: “Every time I run I have to be conscious about injuring myself. It’s such a shame to think that we’ve got these local facilities but they’re in need of repair. I have seen people seriously injure themselves during recreational activities here.”

Basketball in this country has traditionally been underfunded and neglected compared to other sports. Nonetheless, statistics show that it has become one of the most popular forms of exercise among young people and also attracts a higher proportion of minority ethnic participants than any other sport. This is unsurprising given the game’s increasing popularity worldwide. Down at Queen’s Park, you’ll find players from all corners of the globe and all different walks of life.

Basketball is up there with football as an inclusive and accessible sport. No expensive equipment is required. Games can be played with a wide range of different numbers, from one-vs-one to five-vsfive. As soon as you step on the court, all external differences become irrelevant. You may be a group of total strangers from varying backgrounds, but once the ball’s in play, you’re all locked in the moment and working together for the same goal.

The guy who first invited me to play, Paul, acts as the de-facto leader of the group. He first got into basketball in high school and, like many people it seems, got back into the sport during lockdown. An active member of the breakdancing and street-art scene in Glasgow over the last two decades, he sees basketball as an extension of that same hip-hop culture.

Paul has big ambitions to transform the group from a loose collective of like-minded people into a more formal organisation to help foster and encourage the sport in the local area: "We currently have hoopers from ages 16–45 and from a diverse range of ethnic backgrounds. I really enjoy the games and community feeling. It's great to see everyone playing together and we want to grow our community and organise events to help develop the sport around here.”

The group remains a largely male space, but plans are afoot to make it a more mixed: “We are looking to get more female members as we want to facilitate an all-female session in conjunction with the regular sessions,” says Paul. “For the time being though, we will run mixed sessions until we get enough new people to make this happen.”

As for other long-term goals: “We’re aiming to improve and maintain outdoor basketball courts for the public and provide a community space for people to join and organise games and events. We’re aiming to start a team called ‘The Queen’s Rebels’ and we want to start a street league so that other people can start teams in the community. In the long-term, we’d love to raise funds to build a new outdoor, covered court so that we can have a place to enjoy basketball no matter the weather and offer classes and training sessions.”

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Saddle up, we’re going to take you on a journey!

T

his journey will take us along a road which although bumpy at times, has and continues to be one of the most exhilarating of rides.

In short, Women on Wheels is a cycling project which gets women onto bikes and keeps them in the saddle, for life.

Our journey started when a group of individual Muslim women came together by chance and through a shared joy of cycling, challenged the barriers they faced to biking.

Most people don’t have to think twice before climbing into the saddle but for many Muslim women even their clothing can be an issue. Long, flowing garments tend not to get on well with chains, brakes and pedals.

Of course, it’s not just clothing that poses a problem when it comes to cycling; we’ve faced other barriers too.

In our culture, cycling is just not the done thing for women, many see it as immodest, others see riding a bike as a climb down in terms of social status.

Then there are the barriers shared by everyone in Scotland, such as, not having a bike, lack of confidence, road safety, the lovely Scottish weather and of course, the potholes!

These barriers are shared by all but what you may not know is that women are still much less likely to get on a bike than men. In fact, men undertake twice as many cycling journeys as women in Scotland and three times as many in the UK and they travel four times as far.

On the other hand, we are well into our cycling journey - between us we have clocked up some impressive miles, and we have no intention of pulling the brakes on any time soon. We want to share our pedal power with other women so that they too can feel the wind in their hair, or even their hijab!

As a way forward we have started our own community cycling hub - one with a difference - a space led by, run by and for women. A space where women can feel supported whether they’re complete newbies, still a little wobbly in the saddle or even seasoned riders, all wannabe women cyclists are welcome. So come on, saddle up and join us on our wheelie adventures, both for the bumpy rides and the smooth, and together we can be Women on Wheels.

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What is on offer: Weekly Learn to Ride Group Lessons Mondays 10am, 6.30pm and Saturdays 2pm Weekly Confidence Building Led Rides Mondays 11.15am, 7.45pm and Saturdays 3.15pm Monthly Maintenance Classes

All services are delivered from:

All £0-10 per hour and booking via www.womenonwheels.org.uk/services

Govanhill Workspace Unit 4 69 Dixon Road G42 8AT

Tea/coffee drop in every Monday between 9.30am to 2.30pm

Also bookable on request: Bike Buddies and route planning 1 2 1 Learn to Ride Cycle Lessons £0-30 per hour and bookable via emailing community@womenonwheels.org.uk or 07927357140

Events We deliver cycling related one-off events such as talks, creative workshops, film screenings and more.

Sign up to our newsletter to find out more: www.womenonwheels.org.uk

Pay As You Can All of our activities are offered on a pay as you can sliding scale to match your circumstances. All income will help us deliver our services to more women in Glasgow.

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OR

m s i l a Vand

ffiti Scene a r G ’s w o sg a l G at k A Closer Loo

By Zanib Ahmad

I

the biggest art movements, with artists in cities and towns around the world absorbing graffiti culture and making it their own. Originally, graffiti was viewed as an extension to political statements, expressing gang culture and for some elements, reflecting hip hop into art. However, these classifications have relaxed over time.

The graffiti scene in Glasgow has really taken off, and has become even more evident since lockdown. Take a stroll around Glasgow Southside to check out local murals, or wander down to Glasgow Clydeside, where the Broomielaw wall is now one of the most visual art spaces in which graffiti can be spotted from far away.

However, it is interesting to consider why we haven’t embraced graffiti culture as part of the identity of Glasgow, like other cities have done.

There are currently only three legal spaces that are considered safe graffiti walls to paint without permission in Glasgow. This is unlike other Scottish cities such as Edinbrugh and Dundee which have committed to providing legal walls for artists to showcase their art. It’s evident that some graffiti is valued as street art whilst other works are considered a criminal mess.

In order to delve deeper into the culture, I met with graffiti artist, RADA, to get an insight into the local scene.

f you were to take a walk outside your home in any street in Glasgow, it wouldn’t be long before you’d see splashes of colour daubed across walls, bins, and shop shutters. Some call it vandalism, whereas others see Glasgow as a city becoming known for its vibrant street art, similar to the likes of Berlin or London.

While it can be argued that graffiti in one way or another has been around as long as humans have been able to make marks on walls, the contemporary style we’re used to today started in Philadelphia in the 1960s before exploding in New York around 1970. It has since evolved as one of

38

What do you class as graffiti?

Graffiti is an artistic form in which you can express yourself. By making graffiti in public places, everyone has to absorb it, as you're forced to look at it – unlike the willingness to choose to view something within a gallery.

Do you see a difference between street art and graffiti?

Street art is usually more acceptable, but a lot of this is down to it being stencilled like Banksy. Graffiti usually has the intention of rebellion – free styling rather than a concrete plan.

have never been done before and are blank. I feel a sense of accomplishment when I do a spot no one else has. I decided to create a pixelated ‘R’ which is all across Glasgow. It's almost like a trademark.

Why do you do it and what are the main goals you hope to achieve with it?

Graffiti leaves a mark on society, and I want to be a known artist. Unlike selling art, where only specific people can engage with it, graffiti allows for everyone to absorb it.

Is the Glasgow graffiti scene different to others?

Do you think there’s a difference between good and bad graffiti?

Glasgow’s scene was first conquered by a crew called Easy Riders. They made a name for Glasgow and no other local crew has done something like that. Other scenes have accepted graffiti spots though and some cities appreciate it more than Glasgow.

100% there is a difference. Everyone starts off bad, some stay bad and some get good. Graffiti requires a lot of practice to get good. However, some people will adopt styles that are intentionally bad, like antistyle.

What paint do you use?

Do you feel there’s a difference between commercialising graffiti and doing it because you want to?

I use dulux house paint for my rollers. When it comes to graffiti with spray paint, I use Loop and Montana.

You’ve discussed your desires and goals as an artist; however some would say what you are doing is a crime, and it is harming society and businesses. What would you say to this?

Recently, graffiti has been commercialised. I don’t think there’s anything wrong with making money out of what you love, but I do think there’s a sense of greed in only doing graffiti when you are paid for it. I also have feelings against writers making money covering unpaid graffiti art.

I think it's fair to say that it’s a crime, but that’s down to the nature of the motives, the risk of wanting people to see our art. However, I would also say that many graffiti pieces created are on abandoned and closed down businesses. The motivation is to have people see the art 24 hours a day. I also think of this crime as not harmful to people. It's a case of spraying colour on a wall.

What would you say the graffiti scene is like? Is it inclusive, are there a lot of cliques etc?

It can be unsafe as a scene when there’s beef with other artists. It's naturally toxic like other scenes, as everyone has the urge to be the best. You’ve also got to remember its gang-related culture, but the difference in graffiti is the goal of taking over a number of territories with art. It’s easy to get into, anyone can pick up a can, but it is hard to be known.

There’s also a fair number of female artists – sexism doesn’t exist in the scene.

How do you not get caught?

I don’t get caught as I am very careful. I trust the people that I paint with, and when I do paint during the day I look as natural as possible. For example, I will wear high vis clothing or a paint suit.

How do you decide where you will paint?

A: I do rollers, so it's not all about spray-paint. When I decide to do rollers, I'll always look for areas that

Find RADA on Instagram: @Concrete3vidence

39

BNK

Current graffiti crew operating in Glasgow.

bomb

To bomb or hit is to paint many surfaces in an area – essentially attempting to cover and explode an area with intense graffitti.

in Queen’s tist Alko Art by Arreational Ground Van painte Park Rec parked an d by the artist, M owners o d used by business ess, n Victoria Road

buff

To remove painted graffiti, usually in reference to the council removal.

cap

The nozzle for the aerosol paint can.

crew

A group which operates under a crew name, who will paint this name across areas.

cross SI piece a Artist OOof a business on shutters road Victoria

DBA

Current graffiti crew in Glasgow consisting of a number of artists.

Flow wall ers paint Gova on a str ed acros artis nhill par eet near s the t Thi stle k. painte d by

Easy Riders

One of Scotland's first graffiti crews who were prominent in the Scottish scene.

fat cap

A nozzle used for wide coverage and filling of letters.

legal

A graffiti piece or production that is made with permission. Usually it isnt considered as hardcore.

d i covere Graffit Govanhill by in lane artistsv various

piece

A graffiti painting.

roller

A paint roller, or graffiti that has been created using rollers.

Van Pain member ted by Glok/R s of Eas o y Riders bot – crew

tag (scribble)

A stylized signature, normally done in one colour. Used for quick yet easy coverage on telephone boxes, streetlamps and signs.

WMD

Glasgow graffiti crew piece s throw up Artist Nows of a store on on shutter ad Victoria ro

Rolle heigh r painted t by a a rtist t high Rada

Participate in our

CROWDSOURCED INVESTIGATION

By Greater Govanhill team

W

ith the increasing costs of living crisis, many are now feeling the pinch and trying to cut down on costs in any way possible. We want to help ensure that landlords operating in the area do not cut corners when it comes to residents’ safety.

The Gas Safe Register has found that almost one in three home owners are not booking annual gas safety checks due to the cost of living crisis. When boilers, cookers and fires are left unchecked, this can lead to explosions and fires which can have a devastating effect on homes, in particular in such a densely populated neighbourhood as Govanhill.

We know that in Govanhill, there are unscrupulous landlords who operate in unethical ways. And we want to build a picture of how much of a problem this issue is in the neighbourhood.

If you live in – or around – Govanhill and stay in rented accommodation, we just want to know two things: • When was your boiler last serviced?

• What is the date on your annual gas safety certificate?

Complete this short survey online by visiting: bit.ly/govanhillgas or scan this QR code.

If you know the neighbours in your close, or have a residents WhatsApp group or similar, share the survey link with them in order to help us reach as wide an audience as possible.

ASIAN INTUITION or Learning to trust your gut

By Jiaqi Zheng and Zainab Ashraf • Illustrations by Jiaqi Zheng and Ragini Chawla

he room is full of blank faces at the mention of nigella seeds.

Then someone gives the Urdu translation – kalonji. Faces light up as we each take turns to mentally revisit our kitchens and share snippets of wisdom: it’s good to eat half a teaspoon of these little black seeds daily with water; in Islamic belief they hold shifa (healing properties) for all ailments and, of course, they’re great in curries. This moment of connection was also shared between us and our respective backgrounds – all the way from East and South Asia to a small studio in Govanhill.

This spring, Rumpus Room members Ragini Chawla and Camilla Crosta delivered a series of workshops titled ‘You Drop, You Sow, You Gather’.

“We spoke a lot about intangible heritage”, says Ragini, sitting in front of a purple tablecloth decorated with paintings of our food memories. “And we realised that intuition is a way of learning and grasping that we all share.” This can be as simple as ‘knowing’ to risk the addition of an extra teaspoon of chilli powder, but it is also an accumulation of learned rituals which are passed down through generations. In other words, it is the process of trusting our gut feeling to guide our decisions – whether growing herbs, composing music, or preparing food.

Within the theme of South Asian heritage, we also found ourselves discussing various cultures which may seem different, but hold the same firm belief in using intuition as a guide. Often, we learn to trust our gut feeling by listening to and observing our mothers, so women tend to have a very special role in maintaining our culture and familial traditions.

you drop

Cross-generational stew

you sow

you gather

It may sound contradictory that something we define as innate is taught, but that is exactly how intuition has come to have its key role in Asian kitchens – handed down through generations.

It’s a skill honed through collaborative teaching and learning, often passed from mother to child. It’s how we navigate the kitchen, by learning and understanding food and flavours, meaning we have little need for measurements and recipes. Instead we are taught to rely on an estimate based on our gut feeling – in other words, our intuition.

Cultural and often spiritual beliefs fuel this almost subconscious practice of cooking. For example, in China, it is believed that there are benefits to eating foods that have physical resemblances to our organs – walnuts for the brain, beans for kidneys, and blueberries for our eyes. These beliefs not only add to our recipes, but build on what we come to know as our culture and heritage. The passage of such knowledge is never a one-way street, it is vital to listen to the past, but also actively incorporate

the present. Explaining this succinctly over a video call as she poured oyster sauce into a steaming wok, Jiaqi’s mother once said: “It is all about experimenting in the kitchen. Be bold with how you’re feeling.”

Being brought up in a big traditional family of forty people, Jiaqi spent her childhood shuttling between the houses of various aunts.

Her favourite lotus root and ribs soup tasted subtly different at all the different tables. In one version, there’s always a froth of oil and refreshing water chestnuts at the bottom of the pot – the perfect winter supplement. While another makes a more creamy textured soup with a hint of coriander in each sip. The soup varies according to the makers’ personalities, as they turn their experiences into delicacies.

Our intuitive bond

We recognise that in every new generation our preferences change and we are able to add new layers to the knowledge we have received.

We also think it is so important to learn from the source. When we can learn from each other and communally, it makes for great food and a really special cooking experience.

Speaking about this idea, as she describes to us a fruitful Italian summer, when wild tomatoes were flourishing and people were gathering to make the year’s passata together, workshop leader Camilla says: “Everything can merge together. There are no boundaries between one thing and another, everything is open and flexible and we can embrace that.”

We each have wisdom to share, and being able to collaboratively celebrate our individual traditions has empowered us – not just in passing wisdom down to the next generations, but also with each other. Inheriting recipes is a process many (if not all) cultures share, but it is not so often that we share across cultures.

Rumpus Room provided us a space in which we could do just that. Through bonding over the role intuition has had in our kitchens, we, as a diverse group, found similarities between our cultures and enjoyed learning from our differences too.

“Intuition has a lot more authority for me now as a way of knowledge, and I want to really step into it and have confidence in it”, says Ragini. The very specific celebration of intuition, something which has as vital a place in all of our recipes as salt or sugar, not only empowered us, but added new enjoyment to our cooking and eating rituals.

The poster on the opposite page was designed

by Jiaqi Zheng and inspired by the first workshop session in the Rumpus Room when everyone gathered around the table to write down their thoughts and stories about herbs.

The white blocks are for people to write on, and to share their stories and recipes. Cut it out, fill it in and share the image on social media tagging Greater Govanhill.

What about our

HUMAN RIGHTS? D

By Maisie Wilson Illustrations by Alistair Quietsch

iscussions on human rights are in the spotlight right now, and for all the wrong reasons. Efforts to fly people to Rwanda, the restricting of the right to peaceful protest, the replacement of the Human Rights Act, and the attempts by the UK to distance itself from rulings by the European Court of Human Rights. These conversations are often full of confusing legal terms. But knowing about our human rights is something we all need to do.

WHAT ARE HUMAN RIGHTS? Let’s start with the basics. The definition on the United Nation website states: ‘Human rights are rights inherent to all human beings, regardless of race, sex, nationality, ethnicity, language, religion, or any other status.

Human rights include the right to life and liberty, freedom from slavery and torture, freedom of opinion and expression, the right to work and education, and many more. Everyone is entitled to these rights, without discrimination.’

Jen Ang, of JustRight Scotland says that: “Human rights ensure that people are treated fairly and equally… They are universal and inalienable – this means that they belong to all people, without discrimination, and no state should have the power to take those rights away from the people.” Once we accept a person’s humanity, a certain set of rights follow, and these rights are fundamental in ensuring that we live with dignity, equality, and respect.

WHY ARE THEY IMPORTANT? “Accessing healthcare, and without discrimination? Human right” explains Andy Sirel, legal director at JustRight Scotland. “Going on strike for better pay and conditions?

Human right. Voting? Human right.”

The UK’s Human Rights Act of 1998 protects many of our rights, such as the right to life, the right to liberty and freedom and the right to not face discrimination.

In real terms this means that, because of the right to liberty and freedom, you cannot be imprisoned without a very good reason. The right not to face discrimation 44

means you should not be treated unfairly because of your gender, race, disability, sexuality, religion or age. The act protects everyone in the UK – regardless of nationality or immigration status.

Public authorities – such as local councils or the police – must not only adhere to the act themselves, but in some cases must take active steps to ensure rights are being respected. These are known as ‘positive obligations’, and can mean authorities take preventative measures to protect an individual whose life is at risk from another individual, or measures to prevent someone attempting suicide in police custody.

If your rights are not being respected by a public authority, then the Human Rights Act allows you to take action. The Human Rights Act currently allows us to enjoy our rights in the UK, and aligns us with the European Court of Human Rights – our connection with which is not affected by leaving the European Union.

Regardless of politics, the 1998 act is there to be used by the people of the UK to allow us to enjoy a life of dignity, respect, and fairness.

Whilst the government of the day may change, the act remains steadfast. This was until the introduction of the Bill of Rights.

WHAT DOES THIS MEAN FOR THE FUTURE OF HUMAN RIGHTS IN THE UK? held by many in government today, including those in the current bid for leadership. The fact that the UK government wants to send those seeking refuge and asylum in the UK to Rwanda, points to a dangerous, populist path that diminishes the rights of those who need support – while extending the government’s right to get away with it.

“Scotland and the rest of the UK are on different paths now” states Andy, discussing how the UK are replacing our rights with a “watered down” version, whilst taking away existing protections.

HOW DO WE NOT LOSE HOPE? It is easy to lose hope when the situation seems so bleak, but we do not have to accept what is being taken from us. The events in Kenmure Street in 2021, showed us what resistance and solidarity can do. Although there are challenges with the divergence of the human rights framework within the UK, there is also an opportunity for Scotland to raise the standard for protecting human rights.

Community action and campaigning are key when those in power are attempting to strip away our rights. Short term, we must resist any plans that the UK government has to breach our human rights, but we also must ensure people are aware of what their human rights are.

WHAT IS HAPPENING TO HUMAN RIGHTS IN THE UK NOW? “The UK government is seeking to repeal our Human Rights Act, which allows people in the UK to challenge the government and public bodies in British courts to defend their rights,” states Andy Sirel. “That is a big deal.”

Known as the ‘Rights Removal Bill’ by many campaigners, it proposes an overhaul of the 1998 Act. When introducing the bill to the parliament in June, the UK government statement declared that: ‘over the years, mission creep has resulted in human rights law being used for more and more purposes, with elastic interpretations’.

Instead of adhering to the international standard for human rights framework, they are proposing to curb ‘bogus human rights claims’ with a ‘common sense’ approach to how the United Kingdom interprets the European Convention on Human Rights. So far, 46 Scottish civil society organisations have supported a statement by the Human Rights Consortium Scotland dismissing the proposed changes.

Following America’s Trumpian footing, the government is seeking to expand state power in regard to freedom of speech – a questionable stance to take when hate crime is on the rise across the UK. The 1998 Act ensures the right to a freedom of expression. Campaigners argue that clauses in the bill will exempt the government from having to adhere to new free speech protections regarding accountability.

Women’s rights organisations and campaigners have also opposed the new bill. In part, this is due to the new bill’s stance on those ‘positive obligations’ mentioned earlier, as these are often used when securing rightful justice in cases of violence against women.

The bill may be just one piece of proposed legislation, but it seems typical of views

SO WHAT CAN YOU DO? Email your MP to let them know your thoughts on the proposed changes to laws around human rights. Attend a protest if you safely can, or organise a protest if you have the capacity. Sign a petition. Read into what is happening and talk to your friends about what you can do as a collective. Engage yourself in the conversation if you have the time and energy to do so.

Human Rights underpin how we are due respect, dignity and fairness from those who run our country. Currently, they are being called into question. If we lose hope, our rights are theirs for the taking.

HAVE QUESTIONS ABOUT YOUR RIGHTS? Citizens Advice: have great information regarding what human rights are as well as how to know when yours have been breached.

JustRight Scotland: uses the law to defend and extend people’s rights. On their website you can find legal factsheets so that you can know your rights. These are available in a range of different languages on their website: www.justrightscotland.org.uk JRS Knowhow: New legal educational materials about the right to protest in Scotland: jrsknowhow.org/your-rightto-protest Liberty: an organisation that challenges injustices, explains what the Human Rights Act is and how it impacts you on their website: www.libertyhumanrights.org.uk

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NOISE POLLUTION:

Noise pollution has made its way through businesses, shopping malls, restaurants, and sport centres. We are exposed to unnecessary high levels of music on a daily basis almost everywhere we go, and this can be really detrimental to our health.

What most people should know is that noise pollution increases the risk of noise induced hearing loss and tinnitus. It also diminishes the quality of life for those who live with hearing loss and tinnitus and creates communication barriers at work and social events.

As well as having a direct impact on people’s hearing, research has shown that exposure to noise pollution also indirectly increases the risk of many other health problems such as cardiovascular diseases, heart disease, high blood pressure, hypertension, and strokes through things like sleep disturbance, higher stress hormone levels and anxiety that it causes.

a barrier for those with hearing loss

by Inayah Jamil Illustration by Alistair Quietsch

What is noise pollution?

Noise pollution can be caused by a number of different things; busy roads, construction works loud music and industrial noise. Glasgow even has its own Noise Action Plan’ which is ‘intended to avoid, prevent or reduce on a prioritised basis the harmful effects, including annoyance, due to exposure to environmental noise".

If you’re interested in knowing more about the levels of noise pollution where you are, you can see Scotland’s noise map at: noise.environment.gov.scot/noisemap

NOISE MAP OF GOVANHILL

Why aren’t we talking about this more?

As a society, we have become so accustomed to noise pollution that we haven’t done anything about the issue.

There is a deep lack of awareness on how dangerous noise pollution is. Unfortunately, if we don’t take action now and if we let this problem persist, nothing will change. This can lead to serious health consequences in the future.

What can we do about this global issue? x < 55dB

70 => x <75 dB

55 => x <60 dB

75 => x <80 dB

60 => x <65 dB

x >=80 dB

There are a few things that can help. One of the most important things you can do is protect your ears against noise pollution using noise cancelling headphones or earplugs. Also spend more time in nature and give your ears a break from noisy environments. You can help those of us who have hearing loss by spreading awareness, so that more people can understand the negative effects of noise pollution and do something about it.

65 => x <70 dB From noise.environment.gov.scot/noisemap

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Your Neighbourhood Yoga Studio.

Offering you Yoga 7 days a week from our beautiful studio on Victoria Road.

We want you to feel good in your body!

Join us for classes including flow, yin, pilates, pregnancy yoga, sound baths, workshops, courses, community & more. www.studio70glasgow.com @studio70glasgow

Gardening and Cooking Volunteers Required for Help Yourself Grow programme Do you like gardening? Do you like cooking?

Could you spare between 2-4 hours each week to volunteer at our award winning Help Yourself Grow programme?

There are several opportunities to either work with our students who have a learning disability or assist with garden maintenance. Experience would be great, however it’s not essential. You do however need to be honest and reliable, like working with people and can work within the boundaries of relevant Fair Deal policies such Safeguarding, Confidentiality and Lone Working.

Our garden is based at the Jeely Training Garden in Castlemilk and our kitchen is situated at the Kinning Park Complex.

We will pay travel expenses, provide support and training.

2 references and a PVG will be required.

If you think you could lend a hand at either the gardening or cooking activities, then please contact Gail at Fair Deal on 0141 634 4996 for an informal chat.

What’s On

Events marked

GZL x GAMIS Local Shorts with a are part When: Thur 11 August, 9–10:30pm of the Govanhill Where: Bat.Lab, 49 Bankhall St Festival What: Glasgow Zine Library and GAMIS are organising an evening of short movies made by local filmmakers. The event will be outdoors and is part of Govanhill International Festival. The entry is on a Pay-What-You-Can basis.

More info: glasgowzinelibrary.com/events

For more events in the area, see: greatergovanhill.com/ noticeboard

FONDS: Objects Speak Louder Than Words When: 12–31 August Where: Windows of local shops/cafes What: Greater Govanhill asked locals to present their most special objects. Morwenna Keasley photographed them using an experimental technique. The result is a collection of diverse personal stories and striking pictures exhibited all over greater Govanhill. The accompanying radio show will be broadcast on Radio Buena Vida. Details of a launch event on the evening of the 12th can be found on our website.

More info: greatergovanhill.com/objects

AUGUST

Govanhill International Festival and Carnival When: 2–14 August Where: Venues and outdoor spaces all over Govanhill What: A two-week long celebration of the richness and diversity of the flourishing arts and culture scene in Govanhill! This year the programme will feature talks, music, workshops, film, exhibitions, theatre, heritage events and guided walks.

More info: govanhillbaths.com/festival Street Level Culture Collective – Govanhill exhibition When: until Sun 28 August Where: Gallery 103, Trongate 103, G1 5HD What: This exhibition is a showcase of the work done by Govanhill artist residents Morwenna Kearsley and Alex Popa over an entire year, as part of the Culture Collective programme, initiated by Street Level Photoworks.

The collaboration between the artists and locals have resulted in fascinating photographs and movies, reflecting the community in Govanhill.

More info: streetlevelphotoworks.org

Romano Lav selected shorts - GAMIS When: Fri 12 August, 6–8pm Where: New Phoenix Cinema, 138 Niddrie Road What: As part of Govanhill International Festival, GAMIS and Romano Lav are showcasing international short movies about Roma heritage as well as works made by the local Roma youth.

More info: glasgowamis.org/events Occupy! Occupy! Occupy! Graphic Novel Launch Govanhill Baths Archive & Magic Torch Comics When: Fri 12 August, 4–6pm Where: The Deep End, 21 Nithsdale Street What: 2021 marked 20 years since the occupation of Govanhill Baths. The celebrations culminated in a twoday conference which explored industrial, community, environmental and student occupations in the central belt of Scotland. The graphic novel presents material from all the occupations featured.

‘Human Threads’ exhibition - Tramway When: until Sun 28 August Where: Tramway, 25 Albert Dr What: The multi-sensory exhibition curated by Artlink is still on display at Tramway. Conceived as an accessible, creative experience informed by individuals with profound and multiple learning disabilities, the exhibition takes the form of an interactive landscape.

More info: tramway.org

Community Market ‘Govanhill Food Stories’ G42 Pop Ups When: Sat 13 August, 12–4pm Where: Bat.Lab, 49 Bankhall St What: Govanhill Food Stories Community Market celebrates local multicultural communities’ stories through food as part of the Govanhill International Festival and the Year of Stories 2022.

More info: G42 pop ups facebook/ instagram page

Tall Tales of Govanhill When: Wed 10 August, 6–8 pm Where: Bees Knees Cafe, 83 Bowman St What: Storytellers from different cultures of Govanhill will be sharing their myths, legends and tall tales at this event celebrating the stories that make up the community.

Street Music Festival – Love Music Hate Racism When: Sun 14 August Where: Victoria Road & Govanhill Park What: The streets of Govanhill will be bustling with concerts and street performances by local artists.

More info: on the social media accounts of Love Music Hate Racism Glasgow

Cheers Govanhill with Peter Mohan When: Wed 10 August, 6pm Where: Dixon Halls, 656 Cathcart Rd What: Peter Mohan is writing stories about Govanhill, at the border between reality and fiction. He will be reading live from his untamed blog, Cheers Govanhill.

More info: cheersgovanhill.home.blog

‘Essuf: Choreographing a Ritual of Shared Ownership in the Sahel’ – Tramway When: Sat 6 –Sun 14 August Where: Tramway, 25 Albert Dr What: Anne-Lise Agossa’s movie is about an imagined future where settled and nomadic customs are weaving in Western and Central Sahel. The 11-minutes short film is screened for free, on a drop in basis.

More info: tramway.org

Walking Tour of Jewish Govanhill When: Thur 11 August, 2–4pm Where: 355 Langside Road What: Jewish people have lived in Govanhill since the beginning of the 20th Century. This trail will trace the origins of Jewish settlement in the area.

More info: To book a place, contact festival@govanhillbaths.com

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‘Brain’ – Tramway Beyond Walls When: Sat 20 August, 12pm and 3pm Where: East Pollokshields Quad at 12 noon, The Bowling Green, Kenmure Street at 3pm What: Joel O’Donoghue created a performance inspired by his experience of memory loss. Featuring a stillgrowing 180,000 stitch knitted patchwork quilt created in collaboration with sheltered accommodations around the UK over lockdown, and live music performed by local choirs.

More info: tramway.org Jonnie Common + Raza + Jamie Scott performance When: Sat 20 August, 7:30pm Where: Glad Cafe, 1006a Pollokshaws Rd What: To celebrate 10 years of Glad cafe, the SAVE AS COLLECTIVE is getting together for one night only. They are promising an evening of electronic, playful tunes.

More info: thegladcafe.co.uk/events Roma Cultural festival – Ando Glaso When: 27–28 August Where: CCA Glasgow, 350 Sauchiehall St What: Govanhill-based association Ando Glaso is organising their first Roma Cultural Festival showcasing the music, dances and heritage of the Gypsy, Roma and Traveller community in Scotland.

More info: andoglaso.org/festival

Fèis a Deas (Festival of the South) When: 27–28 August Where: Queen’s Park Arena What: Queens Park’s historic amphitheatre and regenerated live arena welcomes a weekend long vibrant celebration of decade spanning Scottish & Celtic heritage, art, live music, food and more.

More info: qpa.inhouse.scot Cults and Classics – Outdoor Screenings When: 29 Aug – 1 Sep Where: Queen’s Park Arena What: Queen’s Park is proud to present a FREE open air cinema program this summer. Screenings include Karate Kid, Predator, Battle Royale and Big Trouble in Little China More info: qpa.inhouse.scot

SEPTEMBER Street Level Culture Collective – Gorbals exhibition When: 1–25 September Where: Gallery 103, Trongate 103, G1 5HD What: As part of the Culture Collective programme developed

by Street Level Photoworks, artists Bash Khan and Stella Rooney have been engaging people across the Gorbals area in creative projects. The photography and film exhibition is the result of their collaboration with the community.

More info: streetlevelphotoworks.org

27-28 August, CCA Glasgow Featuring concerts, talks, presentations, exhibitions & workshops, this two-day festival is the finale of a year-long project exploring the cultural heritage of the various Roma communities around Scotland.

For tickets and programme, visit: www.andoglaso.org/festival

By Donna Harley

Photo by Morwenna Kearsley

This poem was written about one of the objects that is exhibited as part of our FONDS: Objects Speak Louder Than Words exhibition. Read more about it on page 25 or by visiting greatergovanhill.com/objects

Tonight my feet were cold

I then put the blanket on the heat

Just like yours used to be

Just for a little while

So I put the heating on

I remembered how you loved it

To get a little warmth in me

It really made me smile

Although my body heated up

As I wrapped my cold feet and the warmth enfolded me

My feet were still stone cold I thought you only got it Because that you were old I started to rub them together To gather a little heat But as soon as I stopped You guessed it, I still had the coldest feet Then I got a blanket and wrapped it round my legs And still my bloody cold feet Were getting on my nerves

GOT A POEM OR LOCALLY TAKEN PHOTO TO SHARE? WANT TO BE FE ATURED IN THE NEXT ISS UE?

Y R R ET NE P O OR C

Cold Feet

Send them in to hello@grea tergovanh to be conside ill.com red.

I’m glad my feet were cold tonight it brought me many happy thoughts But I think the only thing that will keep them warm tonight Is a pair of your fluffy socks

I remembered the joy upon your face You were as cosy as can be You’d have your pyjamas tucked in your socks And a blanket up to your chin A duvet over the top of that And then we’d tuck you in A wish goodnight , A saying of love As we turned the light down low You’d bless yourself and say your prayers And off to sleep you’d go

By Dylan Lombard

I’m from Glasgow, I’m a passionate photographer and I love sharing my photos to the world.

I like to travel to places within my local community, I especially like to visit govanhill.

It’s got a wide range of different people. I want to make photography into a career and travel more to experience new places and new people.

Find Dylan on Instagram @be_yourself_dylan 50

Illustration opposite by Alice Brown

Hot Shot

SOMETHING

HUGE IS COMING.

After two years of working from kitchen tables or borrowed office space, Greater Govanhill has finally found a home. We’re opening a publicfacing community media hub right in the heart of the neighbourhood.

We’re extremely excited about the possibilities for events, training, workshops, discussions, collaborations and so much more!

Want to be part of this new step? Become a member for as little as £3 a month to help us build a stable base from which to grow.

Visit: greatergovanhill.com/members or scan this code.

Interested in advertising in our next issue? We never want adverts to get in the way of a good read, so we only include a small selection of high quality adverts in each issue. We also offer big discounts to non-profit organisations and offer a business membership deal. Get in touch for a chat: becki@greatergovanhill.com