Struggle for identities: Sara Khan Pathan uses akhrot to break stereotypes

[Marwat Khan Lodhi]

KARACHI: By putting akhrot [walnut] hats on the heads of five eminent Khans, artists Sara Khan Pathan tried to break stereotypes about people who are ethnically Pakhtun.

Part of the exhibition ‘My Name Is…’ that opened at Indus Valley School (IVS) gallery on Wednesday, Sara has printed pictures of five Khans – singer Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan, politician Imran Khan, former president Ayub Khan, boxer Amir Khan and squash champion Jansher Khan – in their element and painted nut-shaped helmets on their heads.

“We are all aware of the cultural and social stereotypes we have against Khans and Pathans – the name comes with a certain baggage,” said Hajra Haider Karrar, the curator. “The minute you hear the word, a bell rings in your head and a chain of thoughts follow. If he is a Khan, he must be Pathan, and we all know the Pathan jokes.”

The name, in fact, carries a historical legacy of bravery.”The Mongols and Central Asians used the term ‘Khan’ to refer to a sovereign or military ruler,” said Karrar. “It held a certain authority and was a symbol of power. The stereotypes it went on to acquire are in contrast to what it originally meant.”

All of the artists whose work was being exhibited – Sara Khan Pathan, Muhammad Atif Khan, Maria Khan, Amra Khan, Saba Khan and Sara Khan – were Khans with very distinct identities. “When you put their works up together, their individual identity shines through. Their work is a direct condemnation of stereotypes.” She added that the work of the artists showed how people could nurture their own individual identities while sharing a larger cultural one.

“While stereotyping Pathans, we tend to forget that all the greatest people in every field are Khans,” said Rasheed Noorani, the director of Continuing Education Programme at IVS. “You see them working hard and rising in every field, be it performing arts, sports or politics. It is really unfair that we stereotype them.”

Another representative of the school, Samina Khan, felt that Khans everywhere continued to dazzle the world with their architectural skills. “Khans and Pathans have been known to build entire cities in the Middle East,” she said. “They went there in the 30s and 40s when Qatar was still being built and performed architectural wonders. They are very resilient people.”

A teacher at the school, Samia Rajar, felt that Sara’s work was very direct and presented a choice to the viewer. “You could either see it as a funny take on stereotypes. Or you could choose to be offended by what it suggests. It is very subjective.”

Artist Amin Gulgee felt that the exhibition was meant to make people question the stereotypes around them. “The artists are fighting against homogeneity and generalisation,” he said. “All of their works are very divergent. This is because there is no homogeneity in the world.”

The works of the six Khans is on display at IVS till May 11.

Published in The Express Tribune, April 27th, 2013.

Struggle for identities: Sara Khan Pathan uses akhrot to break stereotypes about Pakhtuns – The Express Tribune

 

[ghilzai]

KARACHI: By putting akhrot [walnut] hats on the heads of five eminent Khans, artists Sara Khan Pathan tried to break stereotypes about people who are ethnically Pakhtun.

Part of the exhibition ‘My Name Is…’ that opened at Indus Valley School (IVS) gallery on Wednesday, Sara has printed pictures of five Khans – singer Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan, politician Imran Khan, former president Ayub Khan, boxer Amir Khan and squash champion Jansher Khan – in their element and painted nut-shaped helmets on their heads.

“We are all aware of the cultural and social stereotypes we have against Khans and Pathans – the name comes with a certain baggage,” said Hajra Haider Karrar, the curator. “The minute you hear the word, a bell rings in your head and a chain of thoughts follow. If he is a Khan, he must be Pathan, and we all know the Pathan jokes.”

The name, in fact, carries a historical legacy of bravery.”The Mongols and Central Asians used the term ‘Khan’ to refer to a sovereign or military ruler,” said Karrar. “It held a certain authority and was a symbol of power. The stereotypes it went on to acquire are in contrast to what it originally meant.”

All of the artists whose work was being exhibited – Sara Khan Pathan, Muhammad Atif Khan, Maria Khan, Amra Khan, Saba Khan and Sara Khan – were Khans with very distinct identities. “When you put their works up together, their individual identity shines through. Their work is a direct condemnation of stereotypes.” She added that the work of the artists showed how people could nurture their own individual identities while sharing a larger cultural one.

“While stereotyping Pathans, we tend to forget that all the greatest people in every field are Khans,” said Rasheed Noorani, the director of Continuing Education Programme at IVS. “You see them working hard and rising in every field, be it performing arts, sports or politics. It is really unfair that we stereotype them.”

Another representative of the school, Samina Khan, felt that Khans everywhere continued to dazzle the world with their architectural skills. “Khans and Pathans have been known to build entire cities in the Middle East,” she said. “They went there in the 30s and 40s when Qatar was still being built and performed architectural wonders. They are very resilient people.”

A teacher at the school, Samia Rajar, felt that Sara’s work was very direct and presented a choice to the viewer. “You could either see it as a funny take on stereotypes. Or you could choose to be offended by what it suggests. It is very subjective.”

Artist Amin Gulgee felt that the exhibition was meant to make people question the stereotypes around them. “The artists are fighting against homogeneity and generalisation,” he said. “All of their works are very divergent. This is because there is no homogeneity in the world.”

The works of the six Khans is on display at IVS till May 11.

Published in The Express Tribune, April 27th, 2013.

Struggle for identities: Sara Khan Pathan uses akhrot to break stereotypes about Pakhtuns – The Express Tribune

Name khan don't make you pukhtoon nor does speaking pushto.

Amir Khan the boxer is Rajput by race and he doesn't look a bit Like Pukhtoons.

Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan was not a pukhtoon but of Punjabi Heritage.

Ayyub was a Hazara whom you don't consider Pukhtoons and you call them hindkowans even though they are Pukhtoons.

I only grab tribune when i am out of toilet paper, such is the professionalism of this paper.

 

[Safriz]

^^^ bingo
now who is racist and stereotype?

 

[DESERT FIGHTER]

^^^ bingo
now who is racist and stereotype?

Where is racism in his post?

 

[Jango]

Come on now Pak one, isnt this a controversial topic? I'll let it run for now though, but if direction changes, thread gets closed.

As for the topic, it is just a casual denomination. Words are also used for Punjabi, Abbasi, Urdu Speaking, Sindhi etc. Its is in a light hearted manner.

BTw, what is the origin of akhrot? Maybe because akhrot grows in those areas?

 

[ghilzai]

^^^ bingo
now who is racist and stereotype?

Who, where, what?.

 

[Safriz]

Where is racism in his post?

in the definition of pathan.
usually its for the person yo decide that according to their ancestory which ethnic group they belong to.
but in Pakistan any naswar muncher becomes judge and Jewry for your ethnicity when it. omes to deciding if you are paths. or not.
that form of exclusion is racism

and put people in identity crisis as eplained in the article

Who, where, what?.

you. here. in your comment.
its not your decision which ethnicity a person belongs to.
people know better of their own ancestory.

 

[ghilzai]

Talk about Afghan Pukhtoons but in Pak a Pakistani Pukhtoon is treated like royalty.

My blood brothers in Afghanistan showed me there love when i said i am a Pakistani, they said no you are an afghan, i replied no i am a Pakistani, never will i call myself anything else. Then the afghan love came out calling me imbred, blah blah we will kill you and so on.

 

[ghilzai]

in the definition of pathan.
usually its for the person yo decide that according to their ancestory which ethnic group they belong to.
but in Pakistan any naswar muncher becomes judge and Jewry for your ethnicity when it. omes to deciding if you are paths. or not.
that form of exclusion is racism

and put people in identity crisis as eplained in the article



you. here. in your comment.
its not your decision which ethnicity a person belongs to.
people know better of their own ancestory.

You call black ,white and white black
even if they chose to not accept reality?.

 

[DESERT FIGHTER]

in the definition of pathan.
usually its for the person yo decide that according to their ancestory which ethnic group they belong to.
but in Pakistan any naswar muncher becomes judge and Jewry for your ethnicity when it. omes to deciding if you are paths. or not.
that form of exclusion is racism

and put people in identity crisis as eplained in the article



you. here. in your comment.
its not your decision which ethnicity a person belongs to.
people know better of their own ancestory.

True... but the writer doesnt!

 

[Marwat Khan Lodhi]

Name khan don't make you pukhtoon nor does speaking pushto.

Amir Khan the boxer is Rajput by race and he doesn't look a bit Like Pukhtoons.

Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan was not a pukhtoon but of Punjabi Heritage.

Ayyub was a Hazara whom you don't consider Pukhtoons and you call them hindkowans even though they are Pukhtoons.

I only grab tribune when i am out of toilet paper, such is the professionalism of this paper.

You clearly missed the part of article

“The minute you hear the word, a bell rings in your head and a chain of thoughts follow. If he is a Khan, he must be Pathan, and we all know the Pathan jokes.”

”The Mongols and Central Asians used the term ‘Khan’ to refer to a sovereign or military ruler,

They are not saying that every khan is pakhtun, any one with surname of khan is tagged with stereotypes of pathans and jokes associated with it....aamir khan is rajput punjabi but some one might call him akhrot just because he has surname of khan

 

[Marwat Khan Lodhi]

Come on now Pak one, isnt this a controversial topic? I'll let it run for now though, but if direction changes, thread gets closed.

As for the topic, it is just a casual denomination. Words are also used for Punjabi, Abbasi, Urdu Speaking, Sindhi etc. Its is in a light hearted manner.

BTw, what is the origin of akhrot? Maybe because akhrot grows in those areas?

I am surprised that you want to close the thread, if members troll on thread then it is your duty to deal with them rather than ruing my thread. Sara pathan, an artist is giving such beautiful message through art and you people have even problem with it.....
People in pakistan across indus call us akhroat because they have stereotype about us that we are hard-headed dumb folk with low IQ, not because akhroat grows in our areas.....Kindly appreciate the efforts of people like sara pathan

You call black ,white and white black
even if they chose to not accept reality?.

Why you are discussing useless things with these people? focus on the message in the article.

You call black ,white and white black
even if they chose to not accept reality?.

Why you are discussing useless things with these people? focus on the message in the article.

 

[ghilzai]

I am surprised that you want to close the thread, if members troll on thread then it is your duty to deal with them rather than ruing my thread. Sara pathan, an artist is giving such beautiful message through art and you people have even problem with it.....
People in pakistan across indus call us akhroat because they have stereotype about us that we are hard-headed dumd folk with low IQ.....Kindly appreciate the efforts of people like sara pathan



Why you are discussing useless things with these people? focus on the message in the article.



Why you are discussing useless things with these people? focus on the message in the article.

Talk about yourself sir, i been through Punjab and got given makhan and daye and got treated like a king by strangers purely cuz i was a Pukhtoon, khan sahib this khan sahib that, khan sahib sleep in our house.

We are dumb with low iq when we just dont giveup on our brutal ways, our strength should be education, business and so on.

When people need a doctor, lawer, engineer, scientist a Pukhtoons should be at front of the que, not just when someone wants to hire a killer.

 

[Marwat Khan Lodhi]

Talk about yourself sir, i been through Punjab and got given makhan and daye and got treated like a king by strangers purely cuz i was a Pukhtoon, khan sahib this khan sahib that, khan sahib sleep in our house.

We are dumb with low iq when we just door give on our brutal ways, or strength should be education, business and so on.

When people need a doctor, lawer, engineer, scientist a Pukhtoons should be at front of the que, not just when someone wants to hire a killer.

I wont argue with you, you have your own opinion and i respect that. In my opinion these artists need applause for their wonderful work.

 

[Jango]

No Pak one, there is no majority stereotype...people admire a Pathan...more so in these foreign countries. A Pathans dedication is admired everywhere by everyone, his courage, his hard work, his determination.

There is a common saying in UAE, sara emarat Pathan nay banaya hai.