ORCID

Abstract

Refugees, asylum seekers and migrants who fled conflict and other adversities in their homelands are facing challenging times here in the UK as they are trying to integrate and build a new life. Being uprooted from one’s home and community is not easy - especially when one is faced with new struggles in life around navigating the UK Migration System, searching for adequate housing, learning a new language and most importantly, defining one’s existence again in this world amongst other concerns.Creative Recovery focuses on the narrative that the media misses from those who show resilience and courage as they fled war-torn countries and others suffering from conflict. A narrative that visually represents displaced people’s cultures and the way they feel it is appropriate to remember their homes and homelands. Through a creative participatory action research process and deep mapping, the project aimed to answer important and challenging questions like: Where is home? And, What is home to you? These questions were amplified for all those who have crossed the borders into Europe from the Middle East and Africa in recent years. While such questions have dominated anthropological and sociological research, they have rarely been answered visually and spatially. Creative Recovery focused primarily on celebrating displaced people’s resilience and their striving to build an inclusive and just society while contributing to their wellbeing as they heal from their traumas. To that effect, the project developed its series of workshops and deep mapping process in light of the Sustainable Development Goals, particularly those championing reducing inequalities (SDG 10), making cities inclusive, resilient and sustainable (SDG 11) and promoting the wellbeing (SDG 3) of those displaced.Funded by the European Cultural Foundation and in partnership with the British Red Cross, Associate Professor Dr Sana Murrani worked alongside Photojournalist Carey Marks and 12 refugees and asylum seekers in the Southwest of England on a participatory action research project that visualises the meaning of ‘home’ for the 12 protagonists. Through a series of 9 workshops over 9 months, the team mapped familiar journeys participants took as part of their everyday life in their homelands. These journeys were overlaid with memories and objects from home and their childhood. Old photographs, personal belongings, language, and storytelling were used as props that triggered conversations. Funded by the Sustainable Earth Institute as part of the Creative Associate Scheme of 2019, the photojournalist documented the process of the workshops that revealed participants beyond their ‘displaced’ statuses. The work was exhibited as part of Refugee Week 2019 and appeared on BBC Spotlight Southwest as well as on local radio channels.

Publication Date

2019-01-01

Keywords

displacement, Refugee experience, Asylum Seeker, memory, home, heritage, trauma

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