+921HeritageTalks
Second Online Webinar_2024
Link to watch our previous talks: +921Heritage Talks Playlist on YouTube
Innovative South Asian perspectives unveiled in ground-breaking speaker series +921HeritageTalks is a project of Pakistan Chowk Community Centre (PCCC) conceptualized and developed by Architect and Spatial Advocate Marvi Mazhar, where every year PCCC hosts discussions and webinars dedicated to discussing the politics of Heritage and Preservation in South Asia.
The +921HeritageTalks hopes to bring various stakeholders together under one multidisciplinary setting so that together they may present solutions feasible for concerned authorities. The dialogue on Heritage is a global conversation which must take observe the local context. In a rapidly changing world, narratives around heritage preservation are shaped by a plethora of relatively new factors. The parameters of what constitutes heritage are expanding and consider not just the past and tangible heritage sites but our present and as well as our current relationship with the spaces we inhabit as communities.
Conversations regarding Heritage protection in the cities of Global South become much more complex given their colonial histories. In urban cities heritage sites often happen to be in active use. Traditional methods of regulations to preserve heritage may face challenges when applied to metropolitan cities which function as economic hubs, where economic interests trump other concerns.
In the face of these challenges how must we shape our conversations regarding heritage preservation? What solutions can we offer that resonate with local communities that inhabit these heritage sites? Our cultural legacies, our histories and present ways of being are a product of our cumulative heritage, therefore it is essential to protect and preserve our heritage sites. But the important questions are about who shares the responsibility for protecting this legacy, and why it needs to be protected.
At PCCC we aim to engage in a comprehensive dialogue on the above questions by bringing together architects, researchers, urban planners, policymakers, designers, artists, journalists, film makers, bloggers and activists to brainstorm ideas for the protection, dialogue, conservation, rehabilitation & accessibility of heritage sites & public spaces. +921HeritageTalks hopes to bring all the stakeholders together under one multidisciplinary setting so that together they may present solutions feasible for concerned authorities.
Making of Modern Heritage in South Asia
How do we perceive and understand Modern Heritage today in South Asia?
The focus of 2024 conference is on the future preservation of South Asian heritage and culture: ‘Making of Modern Heritage in South Asia. In our current world, globalization, migration, and the prioritization of economic growth significantly threaten traditional methods of cultural preservation in metropolitan cities. Urban development hurdles are further compounded by unique colonial histories in the Global South. Additionally, the rapid transformation of peri-urban areas into real estate phenomena, driven by urban sprawl and modern development pressures, exacerbates these challenges.
Peri-urban regions, characterized by their transitional nature between rural and urban environments, are increasingly being converted into high-density residential and commercial spaces. This urban expansion leads to the displacement of local communities, the disruption of traditional lifestyles, and the degradation of cultural and ecological heritage. The invasion of peri-urban and rural areas by large-scale real estate projects not only alters the physical landscape but also impacts the socio-cultural fabric and ecological balance of these regions. The preservation of heritage in such contexts requires a nuanced understanding of spatial justice, community resilience, and sustainable development.
In light of these challenges, the session, then, emphasizes the complex trajectory of South Asian heritage and culture, proposing a future discourse on innovative approaches to heritage preservation. Despite these obstacles, South Asian communities have demonstrated resilience by adapting to new circumstances while retaining their core values and practices. The questions we then aim to explore are: how do we develop modern heritage while maintaining traditional cultural elements and moving away from mere nostalgia? Will the functionality of cultural spaces remain consistent in the face of rapidly changing demands, or will it be overshadowed by modernization and commercial interests? How can we address the challenges posed by the transformation of peri-urban areas into real estate phenomena to ensure the preservation of both cultural and ecological heritage in these regions?
Session 1.0
Community-Led Revitalization: A Sustainable Approach to Heritage Preservation in South Asia
Heritage preservation is a crucial aspect of maintaining the cultural and historic character of urban environments. Community-led revitalization is vital to sustainable heritage preservation, as it ensures active socio-political engagement and self-advocacy from local communities. In a South Asian context, where historic cities face threats from colonial legacies, centralized planning, limited resource capacity, and lack of government support, community-led revitalization catalyzes heritage preservation.
The pertinent questions then arise: What can be achieved if these spaces are conserved, preserved, and shared in a more positive light? How long can such initiatives rely on funds and grants from foreign agencies? Crucially, how can governmental procedures be reconciled with active participation from the community?
YouTube Link: Session 01
Panelist:
Aishwarya Tipnis
NEW DELHI, INDIA | Architect, Heritage ConservationistNaveed Iqbal
ISLAMABAD, PAKISTAN | Architect, Assistant Professor at NUSTParas Mahmood Shah
KARACHI, PAKISTAN | Director / Archives Conservator at Archives Conservation LaboratoryRubab Fatima Chishti
LAHORE, PAKISTAN | Architect, Restorer, Founder of Rubab Chishti Restoration WorksSyed Noor Hussain
LAHORE, PAKISTAN | PAS Officer, Architect, PhotographerZara Suhail Mannan
KARACHI, PAKISTAN | Founder of Kitab Ghar
Session 2.0
Moving Forward with the Past: Protecting and Rethinking Modern Heritage
Our primary motivation for this session is to address the idea of modern heritage and the disconnect between laws and heritage preservation. The current laws governing heritage in South Asia are not in line with evolving urban cultural heritage. For example, in theory, Pakistan has been decolonized, yet pertinent laws such as the Antiquities Act of 1975 are predominantly an extension and modification of legislation passed during the British Raj. The problem with such acts is that they are best suited for pre-colonial sites since many post-colonial sites are not considered to be heritage under them. Contemporary heritage discourse considers the legacy and lived experiences of people as heritage. Thus, spaces such as cafes, cinemas, cultural centres, and neighbourhoods or Mohalla’s” should be considered as heritage sites. Accounting for modern heritage requires a careful deconstruction of the ways we have conventionally understood and approached heritage.
What, thereby, are mechanisms and policy frameworks needed for the proper preservation of modern heritage? Where can the potential lie for the common man to be able to better understand and connect with laws —is it in the bilingual articulation of policy? or through governance advocacy and local bodies? so on and so forth. How can we improve laws to ensure that policy not only covers areas of concern regarding heritage but also does not harm them through colonial bias?
YouTube Link: Session 02
Panelist:
Lahorenamah by Umair Hashmi
LAHORE, PAKISTAN | Heritage Awareness InitiativeGeorge Jose
ABU DHABI, UAE | Urban Anthropologist, Visiting Associate Professor at NYUADZahida Quadri
KARACHI, PAKISTAN | Chair ICR-ICOM, Archaeologist & Museologist
Session 3.0
Preservation of Culinary Culture & Practice as Modern South Asian Heritage
The primary motivation for this session is to understand the ways in which migration and globalization have evolved South Asian culinary culture as a means of heritage preservation Food is undeniably a large part of South Asian culture: our culinary techniques are ever-evolving and largely influenced by our shared histories, migration of communities and the amalgamation and fusion of multiple cuisines.
In this context, food, then, represents a preservation of heritage in an intangible manner. For instance, the Soviet-Afghan War brought Afghan culinary practices more in Pakistan. Similarly, from food streets in Androon-e-Lahore, Burns Road in Karachi’s old town, Chandni Chowk, to the Mohammadpur Street Food in Dhaka, these are all representations of how food is a crucial part of our collective identities. Younger South Asians have now started to take their generational recipes forward and this is pertinent for the future preservation of culinary practices and thus, preserving heritage as a whole.
Thus, the questions we want to ask will be about how has globalization affected traditional culinary practices in South Asia. Moving forward, how do grassroots efforts in food preservation contribute to broader cultural and historical preservation in South Asia?
YouTube Link: Session 03
Panelist:
Anubhav Sapra
DELHI, INDIA | Food Writer, Influencer, Founder of @delhifoodwalksKavita & Nomita (video feature)
KARACHI, PAKISTAN | Food Stall OwnersPakistan’s Museum of Food
KARACHI, PAKISTAN | Presented by Huma Shah & Sameer Khan from SOC FilmsSuvir Saran
DELHI, INDIA / NEW YORK, USA | Chef, Author, MasterChef India Judge, American Masala Owner
Session 4.0
Reimagining Heritage Through Cultural Spaces
The traditional idea of a museum has been a display of artifacts of cultural value at multi-story buildings and establishments where a multiplicity of objects can be found. Such museums require lots of financial and human resources to ensure maintenance.
Yet, there has been a paradigm shift in the approach towards museums and heritage as small-scale and pop-up museums are gaining popularity along with other creative establishments. This begs the question, how are these museums changing the way heritage is communicated and negotiated? Public-private partnerships remain vital in enabling the establishment of such creative and cultural centres. Furthermore, non-governmental organizations play a vital role in fostering heritage preservation mechanisms to enhance the modern heritage of the nation in the context of the Global South.
YouTube Link: Session 04
Panelists:
Avni Sethi
AHMEDABAD, INDIA | Interdisciplinary PractitionerNoor Ahmed
KARACHI, PAKISTAN | Curator, General Manager at CAPSyed Hamid Akbar
HASSELT, BELGIUM | Architect, Ph.D Researcher & Faculty of Architecture & Arts at Hasselt UniversitySaeed hussain سعید حُسین
KARACHI, PAKISTAN | Anthropologist, Editor, Project Manager at CAPSophia Balagamwala
KARACHI, PAKISTAN | Multidisciplinary Artist, CuratorVenuri Perera
COLOMBO, SRI LANKA | Choreographer, Performance artist, Curator, Educator
Session 5.0
Academia and its Role in Shaping City Landscape
The role of academia with regards to knowledge production is an important one — they inform policy and decision-making, host and interpret archival material, and their unique positionality allows for engagement with stakeholders throughout the city. However, rapid urbanization fueled by neoliberal ideology is changing the landscape of cities, resulting in the erosion of heritage.
Consequently, the changing needs of people must, in turn, be met with an evolving understanding of academia’s role within and responsibility towards a greater context. What rehabilitation mechanisms have they developed, and what have their efforts yielded so far? What are the implications of their role in curating and interpreting what is to be archived, and therefore defining what is worthy of being preserved and eventually represented as history? What role do academics play as knowledge production practitioners, and how has the relationship between universities and cities changed over time — how can it change further?
YouTube Link: Session 05
Panelists:
Ali Raza
LAHORE, PAKISTAN | Historian of Modern South Asia, Author, Associate Professor at LUMSAli Usman Qasmi
LAHORE, PAKISTAN | Historian of Modern South Asia, Author, Associate Professor at LUMSChris Moffat
LONDON, ENGLAND | Historian of Modern South Asia, Senior Lecturer at Queen Mary University of LondonShahana Rajani
KARACHI, PAKISTAN | Co-founder of Karachi LaJamia, Artist, Curator, Assistant Professor at IVSAAZahra Hussain
ISLAMABAD, PAKISTAN | Architect, Human Geographer, Founder of Laajverd
Session 6.0
Social Media's Role in Safeguarding Heritage
Social media platforms have revolutionized the way individuals and communities interact with cultural heritage, with heritage enthusiasts increasingly utilizing social media to document, archive, and emphasize the significance of preserving cultural legacies. Activities such as virtual heritage walks, vlogs, and promoting diverse elements of heritage — from architectural sites and food streets to languages and local cultural practices — highlight the pivotal role of social media in heritage preservation. While many of these efforts are trend-driven, there is potential for these trends to evolve into lasting commitments. The role of allyship is crucial, allowing individuals from diverse backgrounds to support and amplify these efforts. To transform trends into long-term change, sustained allyship must materialize through continuous engagement, education, and collaboration.
This discussion, then, explores the potential of social media to enhance awareness and responsibility towards heritage preservation. The key questions include: how can social media platforms be utilized to bring awareness and create a sense of ownership and responsibility around heritage? How can social media align with government efforts to bring much-needed attention to safeguard heritage sites? How can the globalization facilitated by social media help in accessing information and engaging the right stakeholders to preserve heritage sites and raise awareness? How can these trends stop being ephemeral and materialize into long-term allyship and change? Is it possible for the current trend-driven engagement to transform into sustained efforts?
YouTube Link: Session 06
Panelists:
Ghazi Taimoor @LahoreKaRavi
LAHORE, PAKISTAN | Founder of Lahore ka Ravi, Faculty at LUMSAbu Sufiyan @puranidilliwaley
NEW DELHI, INDIA | Influencer, Speaker, Founder of Purani Dilli Walo Ki BaateinSyed Kazim Kazmi @syed_kazimkazmi110
KHAIRPUR MIR’S, PAKISTAN | Law Student, Influencer
Session 7.0
Echoes and Ethos of Modernity in South Asia
After World War II, newly independent states pursued nationalization projects to stabilize the post-colonial nations before transitioning to free-market economies. This period ushered in global cultural influences and the rise of new media such as comics, cinema, and vinyl records. Cultural shifts extended beyond media to encompass various aspects of daily life, evident in areas like Saddar in Karachi and Chandni Chowk in Delhi, where traditional practices and crafts (e.g. palmists, cobblers, barbers, hawkers, etc.) exist alongside relatively modern plazas and malls. However, as heavy gentrification takes place in these spaces, those who keep heritage and cultural practices alive get displaced. How have the tangible and intangible spaces around these trends evolved, and what impact have they had on people’s lives? Can this grassroots cultural multiplicity help us configure a newer understanding of what constitutes ‘heritage’? How can modern art and photography shape our understanding of living heritage?
YouTube Link: Session 07
Panelists:
Kylie Gilchrist
LONDON, ENGLAND | Art Historian, Faculty of Arts & Sciences at AKU, Visiting Lecturer at AIPSRandhir Singh
BARCELONA, SPAIN / NEW DELHI, INDIA | Award-Winning Architectural Photographer, Exhibited at MoMAMahnoor Fatima
AUSTIN, USA | Architect, Journalist, Founder & Editor of Astana
+921HeritageTalks
First Online Webinar _2023
Link to watch our previous talks: +921HeritageTalks Playlist on YouTube
INTRODUCTION
+921Heritage Talks is a project of Pakistan Chowk Community Center (PCCC), where we are going to host discussions and webinars every six months dedicated to discussing the politics of Heritage and Preservation in Pakistan.
The dialogue on Heritage is a global conversation which must take into account the local contexts. In a rapidly changing world, narratives around heritage preservation are shaped by a plethora of relatively new factors. The parameters of what constitutes heritage are expanding and take into account not just the past and tangible heritage sites but our present and as well as our current relationship with the spaces we inhabit as communities.
Conversations regarding Heritage protection in the cities of Global South become much more complex given their colonial histories. In urban cities heritage sites often happen to be in active use. Traditional methods of regulations to preserve heritage may face challenges when applied to metropolitan cities which function as economic hubs, where economic interests trump other concerns.
In the face of these challenges how must we shape our conversations regarding heritage preservation? What solutions can we offer that resonate with local communities that inhabit these heritage sites? Our cultural legacies, our histories and present ways of being are a product of our cumulative heritage, therefore it is essential to protect and preserve our heritage sites. But the important questions are about who shares the responsibility for protecting this legacy, and why it needs to be protected.
At PCCC we aim to engage in a comprehensive dialogue on the above questions by bringing together architects, researchers, urban planners, policymakers, designers, artists, journalists, film makers, bloggers and activists to brainstorm ideas for the protection, dialogue, conservation, rehabilitation & accessibility of heritage sites & public spaces. +921HeritageTalks hopes to bring all the stakeholders together under one multidisciplinary setting so that together they may present solutions feasible for concerned authorities.
THEME 1: +921 Heritage Talks brings ‘Real Estate and Heritage’
Pakistan’s heritage is centuries old and remnants of the past can be seen everywhere - from coastal towns to the mountains up north. Historical sites and architectural buildings are a testament to our diverse history. However, many of these sites are threatened by erasure in the form of neglect but also by development projects.
As our cities continue to expand and modernize, it is important for us to inquire what obstructions come in the way of heritage preservation. In rapidly changing urban and rural landscapes, what options do we have to safeguard historic buildings? Can we find a common ground between development and preservation of heritage sites? What solutions can there be for the preservation of communal identities that are threatened by urbanization and real estate developers.
Link to view on YouTube: +921HeritageTalks: Real Estate and Heritage
Panelist: Researcher Shaheera Pesnani (Masters-United Kingdom)
THEME 2: +921 Heritage Talks brings ‘Policies & Bylaws Gaps in Heritage Management’
What plays the key role in preservation, prevention, protection and restoration of heritage sites and antiquities? Are government policies responsible for restoration of heritage sites? The current policies and procedures of conserving heritage in Pakistan are largely a continuation of the British Raj: mostly based upon the guidelines of the ‘Ancient Monuments Preservation Act of 1904’. Since independence in 1947, these legislations have been altered from time to time. With a major development in 2011 of transferring of power from national to provincial level. The issues and gaps in the current legislation is due to which some heritage is under threat.
As current challenges unfold, we need an active and engaged governance of the city which accounts for the present-day urban challenges and the urgent need to protect our shared heritage. As the country continues to expand in multiple directions, combined with a steady increase in population, the urban space becomes contested. Under these circumstances how are the state & citizenship relationship redefined, and in times of this constant flux what is the role of heritage preservation and who steps up to shoulder the responsibility.
Link to register: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/500017274127
Panelist: Arch. Mariyam Nizam (Heritage Assessments-Melbourne, Australia)
THEME 3: +921 Heritage Talks brings ‘Heritage Preservation and Local Communities’
In an effort to preserve history some laws are passed and actions are taken that harm that heritage's future. It is easier to place objects into a museum as they more easily fall out of use, but it is not possible to do that with architecture and areas. An alternative form of preservation is required to secure their history. That form requires taking into consideration the communities already using that infrastructure. Preserving infrastructure in a way that forces it out of use, stops its history in its tracks and produces a codependent relationship with authorities that do not have a vested interest in sustaining that structure is an ineffective form of preservation. The preservation of heritage should be viewed through the lens of “placemaking”, where the past helps build new meanings for the future. (Richards, 2020, Heritage and tourism)
Viable alternatives can include the involvement of the local communities in their own cultural tourism so that witnessing culture can help add onto cultural production. The involvement of the local community in the preservation of their history helps provide factual information and creates sustainable formations of preservation as they have a vested interest and have historical knowledge of maintenance. It is important to highlight proper forms of preservation so that we don't end up losing more in our effort of saving. In this day and age. With it being easier than ever to find indigenous voices, there needs to be a discussion on the importance of centering those voices in their own cultural exportation. It is also important to bring in expert voices to raise awareness and provide the knowledge needed to best maintain those cultural heritages. The biggest issue, faced nowadays, is to divide the responsibilities in such a way that the local communities create a system of informed and sovereign form of maintenance.
Link to register: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/921heritagetalks-heritage-preservation-and-local-communities-tickets-500028868807
Panelist: Nashik Heritage Trails (Amrita Gangatirkar, India) and Studio Urban Dialogue (Shilpa Dahake, Nashik India)
THEME 4: +921 Heritage Talks brings ‘Future of Preservation’
The concepts regarding preservation and the future of heritage have evolved considerably over time. Heritage initially referred exclusively to monumental remains only, however with time the parameters of what is considered as heritage have expanded to embrace living and contemporary cultures.
In the age of urbanization, a very important question that arises in the context of rapidly urbanizing cities is: How important is it to preserve heritage sites for future generations? If yes, then how can we develop resources and sustainable conservation plans needed to protect shared heritage, when both do not exist on a governmental level.
In Karachi’s context, the preservation largely comes under the Sindh Cultural Heritage Act 1994, which still hasn’t been utilized to its full potential due to the lack of interest shown by the authorities. Arif Hassan, referring to Karachi, expressed, “While affection for buildings and history exists in the city, there is no respect for their conservation.” Furthermore he has reiterated in his books that due to the negligence of government and stakeholders the heritage sites of pakistan are rapidly deteriorating. What accounts for such neglect on a state level? Moreover, what role can citizens and communities play in preserving their heritage sites?
Link to register: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/500018648237
Panelist: Arch.Tania Soomro (PhD-Milan, Italy)
THEME 5: +921 Heritage Talks brings ‘Politics of Walking and Witnessing’
Walking is inherently a political act that places an individual in an active conversation and engagement with their spatial surroundings. The idea of walking in a heritage zone, the lived experience of witnessing the deterioration and decay of buildings while walking in and around them opens up a venue of experience that you cannot find in theoretical works or museums. It stimulates all our senses with sounds, smells, textures, and other physical qualities of the heritage site.
The artifacts of heritage are no longer housed in white rooms or behind glass boxes but they are experienced in highly activated living and breathing spaces - in narrow streets and cramped up bazaars. Heritage walks help us connect with elements of heritage in a holistic way by expanding our understanding of what heritage means. One must then ask how heritage walks challenge the binary categories of what constitutes heritage, and help us in looking for more local and grounded methods of heritage preservation?
What new meanings do we give to these long-forgotten heritage sites and their surrounding areas when we engage with them? As De Certeau says in his essay “Walking In the City” that urban walking gives a new meaning to spaces and streets which originally weren’t assigned to them. He goes further and terms walking as an act of resistance. In this sense, then one must ask how do heritage walks contest dominant and hegemonic historical or cultural narratives?
Link to register: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/500031516727
Panelists: Pindi Heritage Tours (Hassan Tauseef), Heritage Walk Karachi, Yunus Lasania, Save Historic Patna Collective
THEME 6: +921 Heritage Talks brings ‘High-Rise Invasions into Historic Quarters’
Heritage is a selection from the past chosen for contemporary purposes, be they economic, political, social or cultural. Historic urban quarters are particularly valued as they are coherent entities with traditional character and architectural value. These quarters exist in all continents and reflect the accomplishments of many cultures. They are increasingly threatened by destruction due to decay, changing social and economic conditions and inappropriate reconstruction work. Initially, heritage protection focused on monumental buildings but with a more holistic understanding has since expanded to include historic areas and neighborhoods. It then becomes a concern, where the lines of protection should be drawn.
Modern real estate development in particular raises important questions about the ethics of the scale of development and the threats it poses to historic neighborhoods. The verticality of new high-rise buildings stand in contrast to the rhythm and height of the quarters. Heritage monuments end up looking like quaint structures enveloped in the shadow of modern architecture. It ends up removing the visitors from the historical significance of those buildings as they end up seeming out of place. Other than the destruction of the heritage’s aesthetic, there are material consequences of high rise developments that include invasion of privacy for the residents of those quarters. The environment of a quarter also shifts as the built in ventilation systems are not able to account for the change in airflows.The arguments for development should be taken into account and carried with the conservatory project in such a way that protects the heritage while at the same time allowing change. The main purpose of conservation is to protect heritage in a continuous manner. Preservation that stops development and forces people to leave urban centers ends up making that history a stumbling block. It is important to integrate our history with the present while protecting its larger character from being destroyed due to financial interests. This is a line that has yet to be properly demarcated.
Link to register: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/500033532757
Panelists: DG Manzoor Ahmed Kanasro, Architect Arif Belgaumi, Dr. Masooma Shakir
THEME 7: +921 Heritage Talks brings ‘Situating Historical Bungalows in the South Asian Urban Bustle’
What is the history we wish to protect? In contemporary preservatory practice, “Adaptive Reuse” is seen as a beneficial compromise in protecting our heritage. In this practice, buildings that have lived past their original use are renewed such that they carry their character while adapting to uses in different situations. The advantage of this process includes breathing life into buildings that were left behind. However, in practice, these processes might be employed for the sake of preserving heritage but to increase profitability of a piece of land. In the worst case scenarios, sometimes Adaptive Reuse ends up damaging the building to the extent that it is completely destroyed.
There are prevalent examples in our local context that have seen the destruction of heritage sites due to loopholes in The Sindh Cultural Heritage Act of 1994. Due to the inability to properly define which parts of a building require preservation, the Homi Katrak Mansion (refer to the Sindh Cultural Heritage Act of 1994) in Karachi was sold to developers who took to hollowing it out, while stating that they were preserving the structure.
This raises the question, what is the “soul” of a structure? Ornamental and structural details of heritage buildings carry with it a unique cultural legacy of the past. They are living embodiments of past lifestyles. Private residences, like historical bungalows, preserve the socio-economic understanding, culture and sensibilities of its owners (old and new), as well as the architectural norms and aesthetics of the time periods in which they were built and then further renovated. As such, the documentation and preservation of these structures that embody a unique space in the public imagination reflects the heritage values of the community. These residencies represent the values of an era that did not have to worry about the constraints placed due to urbanization. The current architecture, however, has a focus on extracting the greatest use from the smallest piece of land which ends up overlooking the importance of grandeur that is a part of South Asian aesthetic heritage. In urban cities, in an attempt to increase efficiency of the space used, historical residences are adapted in a way that completely alters its insides.
Even if Adaptive Reuse allowed the outside of a building to stay intact while its inside functioned like any other corporate office, would we say that the heritage has been successfully preserved? The hollowing out of the internal ornamentations, leads to a discardment of the soul of our heritage, an exorcism of the past. Are the cosmetics of our heritage, just the skin of our history, enough for us to pass onto future generations? What is the place of historical residences, like bungalows, in South Asian urban centers?
Link to register: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/500035518697
Panelists: Art Deco Mumbai, Maaz Jaan, Manish Golder (Calcutta Houses)
THEME 8: +921 Heritage Talks brings ‘Learning from Archives, Walking and Documenting’
The idea of history as neatly categorized events, which occur in a linear, chronological order is being greatly challenged in this day and age. The history passed through official sources, stored in books, is only a fraction of what has occurred. History is best explored through a multifaceted approach that challenges the hegemonic historical narratives and by doing so democratizes the process of documenting history. As learners and observers of history and heritage, it becomes imperative for us to not limit our observations and our methodologies. Perhaps, this is where the independent practice of archiving comes in.
Independent methods of archiving are inherently a political practice of documenting our history and our present. As a method it is more participatory, opening up the venue of history to those cultures and communities who otherwise are obscured from national historical accounts. In that sense, one can perhaps ask how independent archives have helped uncover syncretic histories of our cities?
There are alternative forms of understanding what has previously happened. Our environment carries with it the marks of history, it is produced in response to and damaged because of previous events. And as our cities experience increased urbanization and urban development, a collaborative approach to experience and record history becomes more important than ever. It is important for us to get a holistic sense of our own hertiage. What is pertinent to this era is to recognise the ways that we can carry our history with ourselves into our day to day life, as the objects that carry our history are slowly decaying and being replaced.
Migratory patterns can be witnessed in cities along the Indian ocean, which have always been home to a multitude of cultures, languages, faiths and as well as cuisine. To fully experience the heritage of these cities would require us to connect with the “Mohallas'' or local neighborhoods, which often are a living example of our histories and heritage. Any archival practice will require us to go beyond the traditional objects and include in its parameters the diverse markers of cultural history, such as food and culinary. It is important that students of history and city practitioners interact with the less tangible aspects of our cultural heritage to experience history in a much more holistic sense.
Link to register: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/500037584877
Panelists: Alex Shams, The Kochi’s Heritage Project, Ahmer Naqvi
THEME 9: +921 Heritage Talks brings ‘The Feminist Lens of Mapping (Illustrating) the City’
As Nishat Awan talks about in “Mapping Otherwise: Imagining Other Possibilities and Other Futures”, maps have often been used to assert power and control over territory. However, they can also be used to challenge dominant narratives. All maps present a selective view of reality, emphasizing certain information over others, and as such, they should be understood as political documents. It is important to recognize that all maps are partial and subjective, even if they present themselves as objective and authoritative. Similarly the mapping process is not a process merely limited to cataloging street names, house numbers and famous locations. It is a process that defines what is to be seen and noticed and what is overlooked. The data gathered in mapping can be analyzed in a multiplicity of ways. Thus, it is very pertinent that we bring in voices that have been historically overlooked. The voices of women and how they interact with the city is such a voice that needs to be pushed to the forth. This talk is another step in the movement that has started in Pakistan to center women’s relationship with the city.
Link to register: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/503147787577
Panelists: Priyanka Kay, Bibi Hajra and Adan Shaikh
THEME 10: +921 Heritage Talks brings ‘Understanding Heritage Through Ethical Tourism’
Preservation of heritage sites demands foremost an acknowledgement of its existence, and a sense of belonging and ownership among those who claim to inherit it, as the basis for any substantial conservation work. Areas where official institutions have lacked in properly educating the public, individuals have arisen to provide alternatives, like education oriented tourism.
Educational tours, and a collaborative approach that involves local indigenous communities, which live in and around the heritage sites, can be considered as an alternative to commercial models of tourism. Instead of commercial consumption, can ethical tourism become a dissemination point for cultural knowledge, mobilize communities in this regard and thus by doing so push regulatory bodies to take better care of our heritage sites?
Given the political leadership of Pakistan is busy in rebranding Pakistan, specifically Northern Pakistan, as a tourist attraction on the world scale. However, the fast tourism that is promoted here has shown its ugly consequences in the form of heavy littering in Northern Pakistan and the imbalance of power between the natives and the tourists that leads to it. Questions arise, like how can one weave together systems of sustainable tourism that aren’t extractive, protect local systems of knowledge, are inclusive and help us build a sustainable relationship with our heritage?
