Created with the support of:
Published December 2017 Contact us RaeZor Beam: raezorbeamdreams@gmail.com Fazle Shairmahomed: fazle_s@hotmail.com
Table of Contents Introduction.........................................................................................1 Fazle Shairmahomed + RaeZor Beam Let’s Rock this...................................................................................2-5 Hafida Akhlal If You’ve Come Here to Help Me.......................................................6 Lilla Watson Putting People in Boxes....................................................................7-8 Imane Akhlal Show You Me...................................................................................9-10 Nina Kontekaas Hong Kong British Expats Reminiscing or Lessons on Cultural (In)Visibility + Some Friendships Don’t Last Forever.............11-12 Yun Ingrid Lee Re-t hink, re-joy.............................................................................13-14 Sunny Loon Freedom..........................................................................................15-16 RaeZor Beam Judgements.....................................................................................17-18 Sanne de Groot Multicultureel Riddle..................................................................19-20 Fazle Shairmahomed
INTRODUCTION In a world in which many forms of multiculturalism exist, there has been a growth of violent nationalism. A young generation seems to fight against the racism inherent in this nationalism, along with other forms of oppression such as sexism, classism, and other -isms. With dance, music and art we are able to create ways to revolt and reclaim the ways in which we want to use our bodies in a society where we are constantly under attack. This zine has been a collaboration between zinester RaeZor Beam, dancer and performance art maker Fazle Shairmahomed, and a collection of amazing participants. Over the past few months, Fazle has lead a series of Impro Dance Jams looking into the concept of multiculturalism in the Netherlands - how do different communities relate to it, and how do we all operate and move within it. The jams took place in theater De Vaillant in Schilderswijk, Den Haag in Fall 2017. For the last few classes Fazle and Rae teamed up to create a zine with the participants that would give more space to individuals to state their own experiences with multiculturalism. For Fazle, multiculturalism is a reality which he wants to reclaim through an intersectional approach. He has identified four experiences of moving within multiculturalism, which he proposed to the participants. The four themes were all connected with a movement language: Oppression and Resistance Liberation Framing others (putting others in boxes) Showing yourself Rae originally entered the Improv space as a participant, and later offered to lead a collaboration with Fazle. Their own zine making has focused on personal narrative, resources distribution, and collective healing. They felt interested in the combination of movement and tangible media making, and how the two mediums could interact with each other. We (Fazle and Rae) both wondered how we could address the complexity and nuance of living within a multicultural environment with a group of individuals. How do people of color born and raised in the Netherlands understand their Dutch identity? Which aspects of identity are included in the idea of multiculturalism and which ones are left out? Where do Dutch white people situate themselves with the term? We hope that this zine touches the surface of these questions, and perhaps even makes you think of your own relationship with multiculturalism. Enjoy.
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