Where East Meets West Project Team
Photo credits: Sarith Ratnayake @_www.sarith.art_
Last Saturday, on 08 February, Islington Museum and Islington’s Pride hosted an exciting LGBT+ History Month event, exploring the rich history of South-Asian LGBTQ activism through the lens of Club Kali.
Club Kali is, the UK’s first ever safe space, welcoming LGBTQ+ South Asian people to celebrate their diverse heritage. It is celebrating its 30th Birthday this year with a landmark heritage project entitled ‘Where East meets West’.
The event was launched with heartfelt speeches by The Mayor of Islington, Councillor Anjna Khurana, The Mayor of Camden, Councillor Samata Khatoon. And the legendary DJ Ritu MBE and Rita – co-founders of Club Kali.
Rita said: ‘It’s taken 30 years for Club Kali to be seen and be heard. We still have a long way to go to be accepted as a LGBTQ+ which has a rich and diverse South Asian heritage. This project, with the support from our partner Islington’s Pride is a massive step toward embracing the Club Kali community, celebrating our achievements and campaigning for the rights of all LGBTQ+ people together. ‘
Guests enjoyed an immersive tapestry making workshop with Dhaga using textiles cherished by the South Asian Queer community. The art produced will feature later this summer in the Club Kali exhibition at Islington Museum.
Pavan and Sarith from Dhaga said: ‘If it weren’t for Club Kali’s activism over the last three decades, Dhaga may not even exist today. Being part of such a momentous event was an honour, as it allowed us to continue engaging and celebrating our South Asian LGBT+ communities.
The tapestry-making workshop brought together people from diverse backgrounds to reflect on the unique textures we each add to our communities. Participants contributed to a living material archive by designing and adding patches, an ever-growing tapestry that will continue evolving in future installations.’
It was fantastic to see a people from all walks of life and backgrounds, mixing and mingling with a cup of ‘chai’ tea and Samosas.
One of the highlights was a ‘Living Library’ experience, in which Kali activists talked about partying away at the Dome in Islington, and what it’s like to be a South-Asian LGBTQ+ activist.
The afternoon concluded with an exclusive screening of the Club Kali documentary ‘Discovering Kali’ (2022) , which explores the stories, struggles, and triumphs of this vibrant community over the past three decades.
Happy punters said in the event feedback form:
‘I felt the format was just right – the right balance of speeches, chat time, the optional oral story, the refreshments.’
‘Really lovely event, tapestry was super cute and documentary very well done, you could really feel the compassion from DJ Ritu and Rita.’
Team Kali, Dhaga and Islington with the Mayors of Islington and Camden Photo credits: Sarith Ratnayake @_www.sarith.art_
Dhaga in action Photo credit: Sarith Ratnayake @_www.sarith.art_