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How about a British Muslim carnival? How about a British Muslim carnival?
(25 days later)
This year, despite my total lack of rhythm, I'll be dancing in the Notting Hill Carnival with a group called Heritage. I've been to Carnival plenty of times, but the two months of rehearsals before this year's festival have convinced me that British Muslims should have one too.This year, despite my total lack of rhythm, I'll be dancing in the Notting Hill Carnival with a group called Heritage. I've been to Carnival plenty of times, but the two months of rehearsals before this year's festival have convinced me that British Muslims should have one too.
Back in 1958, young black men were being violently attacked by fascists and "teddy boys" in London's Notting Hill. A local race equality campaigner, Claudia Jones, was determined to do something, so she organised the "Caribbean carnival" on 30 January 1959, totally unaware that she was giving birth to what would become one of the world's biggest street festivals. I'm struck by the parallels between 1958 and today, where an ignorant fear of Muslims in this country has taken hold. A faith obviously isn't the same as a culture – its principles are often more active and conscious than the conventions of culture. In Islam, those principles mean that a British Muslim carnival wouldn't have the alcohol or bum-shaking of Notting Hill, but that doesn't mean there can't be a celebration of something – it's up to Britain's Muslims to decide what that something would be.Back in 1958, young black men were being violently attacked by fascists and "teddy boys" in London's Notting Hill. A local race equality campaigner, Claudia Jones, was determined to do something, so she organised the "Caribbean carnival" on 30 January 1959, totally unaware that she was giving birth to what would become one of the world's biggest street festivals. I'm struck by the parallels between 1958 and today, where an ignorant fear of Muslims in this country has taken hold. A faith obviously isn't the same as a culture – its principles are often more active and conscious than the conventions of culture. In Islam, those principles mean that a British Muslim carnival wouldn't have the alcohol or bum-shaking of Notting Hill, but that doesn't mean there can't be a celebration of something – it's up to Britain's Muslims to decide what that something would be.
Such an event would be inclusive. Like plenty of other Carnival-goers, this is the one of the rare occasions that I set foot in London's most affluent borough, and the only time I do so without feeling painfully alien. It's also one of the few times when it feels like maybe, just maybe, multiculturalism isn't a naive illusion. That's because Carnival is bigger than Trinidad and Tobago, or the Caribbean, or even Britain's black community. Dancing in Carnival means stepping outside of your own identity – whether that's where your parents were born, how old you are, or how you earn your living – and creating new commonalities with people. Brits who stick a country name or a Shia/Sunni adjective in front of their Muslim identity could benefit by dropping it, just for a little while.Such an event would be inclusive. Like plenty of other Carnival-goers, this is the one of the rare occasions that I set foot in London's most affluent borough, and the only time I do so without feeling painfully alien. It's also one of the few times when it feels like maybe, just maybe, multiculturalism isn't a naive illusion. That's because Carnival is bigger than Trinidad and Tobago, or the Caribbean, or even Britain's black community. Dancing in Carnival means stepping outside of your own identity – whether that's where your parents were born, how old you are, or how you earn your living – and creating new commonalities with people. Brits who stick a country name or a Shia/Sunni adjective in front of their Muslim identity could benefit by dropping it, just for a little while.
And it would be fun. Carnival is big, bold and eye-poppingly colourful. It's a joyous opportunity to exchange conversation and laughter with people you would only otherwise encounter in the grey heat of the London underground. A shared day of happiness should not be underestimated – it doesn't dissipate anything like as quickly as people fear it does. That's one of the reasons Carnival has endured for half a century. British Muslims are seen as many things – "fun" isn't one of them. We should try to change this.And it would be fun. Carnival is big, bold and eye-poppingly colourful. It's a joyous opportunity to exchange conversation and laughter with people you would only otherwise encounter in the grey heat of the London underground. A shared day of happiness should not be underestimated – it doesn't dissipate anything like as quickly as people fear it does. That's one of the reasons Carnival has endured for half a century. British Muslims are seen as many things – "fun" isn't one of them. We should try to change this.
Most of all, Carnival makes the same statement today that it did in 1959: "We're here and we're not going to apologise for our presence." That's something I believe British Muslims should say – in the same inclusive, joyous way.Most of all, Carnival makes the same statement today that it did in 1959: "We're here and we're not going to apologise for our presence." That's something I believe British Muslims should say – in the same inclusive, joyous way.
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