'The Southall Story' is a series of exhibitions and events containing photographs, recordings, film documentaries, writings and invaluable archive material reflecting the dynamic history from the last 30 years of the now world famous area of London. Musician Kuljit Bhamra, Film Director Shakila Taranum Maan and Pragna Patel (Southall Black Sisters) will launch the event on Friday April 24th at 7.30pm at the Dominion Centre, Southall with Special Guest Star and original Southall resident - Film Director Gurinder Chadha

Through 'The Southall Story' the organisers hope that current generation will be able to engage, explore and embrace the history created by their forefathers and celebrate the exciting area of Southall today. The events will take place from April 2009 at venues such as the British Library, South Bank Centre, Royal Geographical Society and Southall Library, culminating in a publication of a book and DVD.

Musician/Composer Kuljit Bhamra and Artistic Director of The Southall Story said, Southall's contribution to music, poetry, film and theatre is under acknowledged. People sometimes forget that Bhangra is a British creation – along with Fish ‘n’ Chips and Chicken Tikka Masala! If you think about it, you will realise that many of the creative pioneers came out of Southall.”

The Southall of today, popularly known as ‘Little India’ has long become popular with tourists from all corners of the world taking a trip down to the area. The bustling south Asian stores offer a wide range of goods from samosas, curries, fruit and vegetables, jewellery, Bollywood DVDs, Indian music CDs to the latest designer saris and salwar kameezes. Loud Bhangra Music can often be heard from the kiosks of street stallholders interspersed with the hustle and bustle of large Asian communities and families lining the streets to do their weekly shopping. Even the occasional film crew can be seen shooting scenes for the latest Bollywood film.

Riots of 1979

However, it was an event in 1979 that bought the predominantly Punjabi community together in Southall to give it the self-assurance and voice it carries today. What was meant to be a peaceful protest made up of Black, White and largely Asian people turned into a bloody uprising against the National Front in which a schoolteacher named Blair Peach died; as a result, Southall emerged as a community determined to fight for its identity, integrity and self-respect.

Faced with racial attacks and police brutality, there was an eruption of prominent groups such as the Southall Monitoring Group and the Southall Black Sisters, determined to overcome racial adversity. Vigil-anti gangs such as the Holy Smoke and Tooti Nangs fought against racist groups protecting their territories in often bloody and violent fights.

As a result of the events of 1979, Southall’s cultural awakening began with an outpouring of creative expression from poetry, theatre, music, art and literature. Progressive Writers Association began to explore writings in native Punjabi and there was an emergence of talented musicians and producers such as Kuljit Bhamra and his mother Mohinder Kaur experimenting with ‘Bhangra music’ and bands such as Heera, Premi and Alaap . Even record shops such as Indian Record House and ABC Music set up their own record labels and began distributing, instead of simply importing music from India.

Shakila Taranum Maan

Co-Artistic Director of The Southall Story, Shakila Taranum Maan said “The events of 1979 were central to placing Southall on the consciousness of Britain. British Asians, Caribbean and White young people at the time gravitated towards this incredible town including myself to find a voice."

"Our sole aim was to transcend race but on our terms and not within a multi-cultural framework. We wanted the mix of Southall’s reggae band Misty in Roots with the bhangra sounds of the likes of Alaap and so on. For us this was the ultimate gesture of determining our identity, doing away with the ever evolving pathological construction of Asians and Blacks through mainstream media and education. It was this energy and originality that enabled the mushrooming of artists, activists, poets, actors, directors and entrepreneurs vindicating the enormous talents that had so far been ignored by the mainstream. The aim of the Southall Story is to readdress that balance, placing centre stage the creative talents and the influence of Southall internationally.”

Southall Story Events

Events include the Raga Mela at the Royal Festival Hall Foyer on Wed 6th May where there will be an Evening Raga concert by BBC Concert Orchestra featuring brand new raga compositions by western composers as well as food stalls, bookstalls, musical instruments and exhibitions.

As part of the Mayor of London’s ‘London Story’ join a celebrity panel on Wed 17th June from 6pm for 'Southall – Music & Life' at The Auditorium, British Library to explore the ‘musical’ story of Southall with a journey through its history which will also include a film-showing of Kuldip Power's 'For The Record' plus foyer exhibition of photographs, Indian musical instruments and bookstalls.

For further information visit www.southallstory.com