Latest news with #SouthAsianCulture
BBC News
19-07-2025
- Entertainment
- BBC News
Bradford Mela returns but with a commercial twist
Fatima Patel has very fond memories of the original two-day Bradford Mela, which ended back in occasion, which reportedly attracted crowds of up to 100,000, meant so much to her that she has now brought back the famous event albeit as a commercial, rather than council, Park is the setting for the Bradford Food and Lifestyle Mela on Saturday and Sunday, with thousands expected to take part in the celebration of South Asian free-to-enter event will feature a mix of music, food, fashion and other events. Ms Patel, 49, said: "We started off doing what was called the Curry Mela. We were trying to showcase the best of South Asian cuisine. "And it was at those events that people said, 'the mela, that word means a lot us. Can you not bring that back?'"I was like 'we'd love to' because even I remember it and I used to love it. "But it used to be on a huge scale, huge budgets used to go into it."We didn't have those kind of budgets but we thought we'll attempt it, but in our version." Bradford's first major mela took place in 1988 and is widely regarded as being the first of its type in on fields near Bradford University, the two-day celebration moved to Lister Park before going to Peel Park - but was cancelled in 2012 due to bad weather. From 2013 the event was reduced to a single day and moved to Bradford City Park, where it was absorbed into the Bradford Festival. This weekend's mela includes performances by Apache Indian, girl group Girls Like You as well as Bhangra stalwarts will also be cookery demonstrations and a fun fair plus a host of ward councillor Mohammed Amran, who also chairs the Bradford West Area Committee, helped get approval for the event to take place in the council-run green said: "It brings communities together and it puts the park on the map. The park itself is one of the best in Europe."It's so good that we can bring communities from different faiths, different religions, different organisations and different cultures together to celebrate on a weekend."This ensures that the park is well used but also recognises that mela brings people together." Listen to highlights from West Yorkshire on BBC Sounds, catch up with the latest episode of Look North.
BBC News
12-07-2025
- Entertainment
- BBC News
Southampton Mela Festival aims to bring communities together
One of the organisers of a two-day event celebrating traditional and modern South Asian culture says it is "not just about a particular community".This weekend's Southampton Mela Festival will showcase work from communities across the Hampshire city, including Chinese dragons and African drummers, says Dahlia Jamil, chief executive of Art Asia."Life is quite challenging for everyone but particularly people of certain faiths and ethnicities - and by that I mean white people as well as non-white people," she tells the BBC. About 20,000 festival-goers are expected to attend the music and arts event at Hoglands Park. Art Asia works across Southampton and the wider region running classes in South Asian music and dance, putting on other performances and demonstrations as well as the Mela Jamil has been organising the now two-day event for more than 20 it free is "so important" and "brings all communities together", she says."You may have a certain heritage but this is where you are going to be living, working, engaging," she says, adding that "if you do not mix or if everybody does not talk to, or speak to everyone... the world will become more isolated"."For me, working in the arts, it is so important that I use it as a tool not only to engage but to enhance and build up tolerance of people." Art Asia's Dr Pooja Angra says the "multicultural element is one thing that I enjoy the most at Southampton Mela".Dr Angra, who trained in Indian classical music at the University of Delhi, will be performing at the event, playing a selection of Bollywood and Sufi music."What I really like about Southampton Mela is that although the focus is on South Asian music, it has created a special stage for musicians around the globe," she says. "We have always been working with diverse communities - African, Chinese - this year we are working with the Mexican community, flamenco artists, so it's a wide array of musicians and art forms." You can follow BBC Hampshire & Isle of Wight on Facebook, X (Twitter), or Instagram.
CTV News
05-07-2025
- Entertainment
- CTV News
Roots Festival celebrates South Asian culture
Second annual Roots Festival in Barrie showcasing South Asian culture A vibrant festival took over Meridian Place in Barrie on Saturday afternoon. The second annual Roots Festival featuring live music, dance, food, and art let attendees explore South Asian culture. Last year the festival attracted over 500 people with organizers expecting a larger crowd this year. The festival will also showcase performances from artists around the region.
SBS Australia
01-07-2025
- Entertainment
- SBS Australia
The Great Indian Rebrand: Why the West Is Just Catching On
I think we've been ashamed of ourselves for a very long time. This idea of projecting it onto white people or the West completely doesn't always sit right with me, because I do think that projection has come from us in the first place. Dilpreet Kaur Taggar, SBS Spice What this conversation is going back to is the idea of getting it from the source, getting it from where the inspiration comes from, or where it's being manufactured. Suhayla Sharif, SBS Spice SBS Spice is your go-to for South Asian Australian culture, exploring what makes us tick—or ick. Catch us on your favourite podcast platforms: Spotify , Apple Podcasts , YouTube and the SBS Audio app. Or tap the audio player to listen to the full episode. To continue the cultural deep dive, have a listen to these chats too: LISTEN TO SBS Audio 25/02/2025 19:43 English LISTEN TO SBS Audio 24/03/2025 18:15 English New episodes drop every week. Follow SBS Spice on Instagram @SBSSpice and never miss an update.
SBS Australia
06-06-2025
- Entertainment
- SBS Australia
Surrendering to Qawwali with Zain Zohaib
SBS Spice is your go-to for South Asian Australian culture, exploring what makes us tick—or ick. Catch us on your favourite podcast platforms: Spotify , Apple Podcasts , YouTube and the SBS Audio app. Or tap the audio player to listen to the full episode. Craving more music conversations? Check these out: With Pakistan's Music Heavyweights: Annural Khalid, Sherry Khattak and Xulfi SBS Audio 05/06/2025 13:46 Zaeden and the New Sound of Indian Pop SBS Audio 29/05/2025 12:54 SAHXL: The Hip-Hop and R&B Prince of Western Sydney SBS Audio 21/05/2025 18:31 New episodes drop every week. Follow SBS Spice on Instagram @SBSSpice and never miss an update.
