Spirit & Identity.

[Omar Bhatia]

When I was a child, I had no idea who I was. The whole idea of identity was a murky concept which neither interested nor really roused my curiosity - This I have found is common to virtually all children. I'm a quarter of a century old now and a lot has changed. Not just out there in the world but also within me. A fundamental feeling or force which I believe is important to the human condition is a feeling of belonging.

Here I will have to indulge myself a little but dear reader please, read on. To get a sense of who we are we must first know where we came from. I began to ask questions about my ethnic background and family history - No longer did my mind switch off when a relative talked about the 'old days'. 

My mother is a Canadian originally of Scottish descent. Her ancestors left Scotland during the what is known as the Highland Clearances. The populations of Ireland and Scotland were decimated by the sheer numbers of immigrants who left for the Commonwealth - Countries like Canada, America and Australia. Most left with the promise of a better life, free from unemployment, cramped living-conditions and poverty. You could say that they became exiles due to the state of the Nation. 

My father's ancestors came from near Jamnagar, India which was to be found in the Gujarat province. They left for similar reasons than my mother, in search of new pastures and a better life. 

The story of how they met is a long one and one I'm not going to tell here because what really want to talk about is the Romani people. I grew up in the North of Scotland and my up-bringing was very fortunate. My family were what I'd guess you'd call middle-class but they lived close to the earth and had a deep appreciation of nature and the arts. It was this appreciation that I was taught and which meant that in my 19th year of being alive I found myself in Art School - I am a painter now. 

In 2005 I went on an educational exchange to Cluj-Napoca in Transylvania, Romania. It was there that I was to meet the Gypsies, it was there that a love affair would come into creation. Initially I found them to be a seductive and mysterious people and I suppose in hind-sight it was to some extent the result of some of my own prejudices. Though there is a heir of mystery and seductiveness, there is much more to them than that. Soon I would be going to Gypsy concerts and meeting Roma through mutual acquaintances. I became good friends with a journalist who brought us to a community of Roma living on the edge of a garbage dump. That place was called Patarut (or Dallas because of all the horses). I had seen abject poverty when I lived in East Africa but these people were as poor and let me tell you it was cold, at times -30C. But this is Europe I thought? This is an EU country, how can this be? It was then that I began to understand the deep, complicated gulf that existed between the Roma and Europeans. 

The Roma welcomed me as if I was family. It was partly the way I acted and dressed but also because of the way my face looked. They saw something of themselves in me and I saw something of myself in them. It was as if we were kin, family. At times communication was a bit of a problem but we just used our hands a lot and used the odd German, French, Romanian and Gypsy word. Myself and an international brigade of art students visited Dallas many times and made artwork with the kids. We did an exhibition while I was there and bought clothes and toys with the profits. I think it was important to make them understand that the hatred they may have perceived was not common to all men. I'll never forget their shining eyes framed by their muddy faces. The kids (and adults) had mostly spent their entire lives on the garbage dump, living in shacks, burning rubbish to stay alive. They literally lived off the trash, sorting it out for recycling. I heard later that a whole days hard labor earned them enough to buy a loaf of bread. Many of the children had characteristically raspy voices due to inhaling burning plastic and garbage. In the 5 months I was there I heard that a few of the children had died, one hit by one of the garbage trucks and another two killed in a fire. Meeting the Roma had a profound effect on my life and my art which are really just the same thing.

When I returned to Scotland with all these experiences, passions and knowledge I decided that there had to be some way I could put it to use. I soon discovered that there was a Roma Youth Project operating in the South of Glasgow, my nearest city. I began to volunteer there and met some fantastic people. I spent a great of time researching Gypsy Culture and it was a total thrill for me to become close with the community. There were so many fantastic kids there. Unfortunately due to the economic troubles, funding has dried up to almost nothing and the project is really struggling to stay above water. I think it is important to try and understand the history of a people before you think of their future. I know that the Roma have a long long history of being persecuted and exiled from a series of countries stretching all the way back to India - A process which is still in motion, 800 years later. I don't wan't those children feel like they don't belong in Scotland - They are welcome and I tried hard to make it feel like that for them. 

Recently I took part in a International Human Rights exhibition where I presented two new pieces of art which were a reaction to what happened to the Romani people at the hands of the Nazis. It saddens me that this hatred, prejudice and persecution is still happening, even in a country like mine, the United Kingdom. We are supposed to be a tolerant, forward-thinking nation and other countries (besides those we are bombing!) look to us as leading the way in Human Rights.

I am totally ashamed of what is happening at Dale Farm as I type this. The largest mass eviction in the UK since WW2 is taking place in the county of Essex. The people violently forced into exile and homelessness? - Romany & Travellers, 8o families in total. What kind of message are we sending to the children of those families I ask you? That they are not wanted? That there is no place for them in our society? That is, sadly, perhaps the truth of it for many British people.

I promise to dedicate my life and my work, where I can, to sharing the beauty and value of Gypsy culture. I defend them at every turn and try to educate people who are not bad by nature, just perhaps ignorant. I don't believe that anyone is truly bad. For the remainder of my days, I will consider myself a Gypsy Ambassador. Have a look at my life, my work HERE.

 

Thank you for reading,

 

Omar Zingaro Bhatia - Sworn Enemy of Vulgaria 

 

"Racism isn't born, it's taught" - P. Vashtar

 

For the Children of Patarut. 

[johan-m. van de walle]

Waww, your hits me right in my heart, I discovered a very courageous artist ! I hope you ever know better. I also looked at equally your artistic work, you've got something fantastic in your. You work purely with very much feeling and emotion, contnue, go through. Your life story is captivating.

You're also sincere and warm welcome. I am also artist, versatile, a big part of my work consists of painting, landscape is a particle of it but I paint mainly around feelings, emotions, around tender feelings, movement, soul and spirit; the body. With another part of myself as an artist I work as an activist, by performance art.

I hope to be able to do something with this part, to something accomplished, I would like to want to create a new group with artists, what discipline they have also, to organize, back not brave concerts (also however what is positieve), but the medium and art together daring to use as a means of protest. With art, artful, bold and courageous way things in daylight, with protest art can through the artificial eyes open to. There are some beautiful and engaging people in this world and groups where I could all cooperate, where I have so much if I'm dying to self learning, really with some people of start. Who knows ? I have a dream !

But anyway, Omar, thanks for your angaging bet ! You're certainly always welcome, courage ! Johan-M. from Belgium.