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Our
Untold Stories - The Asian Community in Gloucestershire is the last
in a series of three books - the result of a two-year project which
set out to explore, for the first time, the history and settlement
of the Asian, Chinese and African-Caribbean communities in Gloucestershire.
The
term 'Asian' refers to a diversity of cultures and religions. Pakistani,
Indian and Bangladeshi nationalities exist in Gloucestershire following
religions such as Islam, Hinduism and Sikhism.
British
contact with India began in 1600 when Queen Elizabeth I granted
a charter to the East India Company to trade with India.
Subsequent
British rule of India resulted in the movement of Asians into Britain,
so that when in the 1950s larger numbers of Asians arrived, they
joined an already existing older community.
Why
did they decide to leave their homeland to come into an alien culture
and how do they feel now? What are their hopes and expectations
and what does the future hold? How much do they feel that they are
'British' and are they proud of it? Would any of them consider going
back after half a century of political and social change? What made
them feel at home in a strange country?
There
is an enormous depth of emotion as people talk about their lives,
and achievements, their losses and regrets and their advice
to the second and third generations of British Asians.
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| Nasreen
Akhtar |
You
can find out the answers to all these questions by reading their
life stories. There is an enormous depth of emotion as people talk
about their lives, and achievements, their losses and regrets and
their advice to the second and third generations of British Asians.
Now
is the time to record this living history through first-hand experience,
which will otherwise be lost.
In
the first project of its kind for the Asian community in Gloucestershire,
multilingual researchers interviewed community members and the stories
of people whose culture, religion, customs, language and taste for
food was totally different from the host community.
Our
Untold Stories talks about these different groups and the sacrifices
and hardships they experienced in order to settle in Gloucestershire.
I hope
these stories will preserve the great cultural diversity of Gloucestershire,
which benefits all who live here.
Our
aim throughout this project has been to provide a valuable educational
resource. I view this as one of the most worthwhile things I have
ever done and in particular feel satisfied to see this third book
published.
A big
thankyou goes to all the people and funding providers who have helped
my dream come true!
Nasreen
Akhtar BA, MA, ALA
Senior Librarian: Ethnic Services,Gloucestershire County Library
Arts & Museums Service
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