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It merely takes a moment of courage to break out in rebellion. An act of rebellion also need not be massive. One doesn’t need to move countries, topple governments, leave one’s house or sever all ties with one’s family. Rebellion can be found in the smallest of acts. In fact, some might say that it’s the little acts of resistance that lead to bigger structural transformations. The South Asian society is notoriously known to be bound by patriarchy and a pseudo-feudalistic mindset which after centuries of modification and crystallisation, exhibits
itself in the form of restrictions and a veil of shame and guilt. ‘What will people say?’ or ‘what will society think?’ might come more naturally to a society that is built on extremely close bonds of community and religion – each of whose members has been conditioned similarly. However, there has to be a negotiation between the community and the individual if the individual has to live a full life based on their own will and aspirations.
25-year-old marketeer and artist Qamar Usman from London, who tells stories through art and photography, implores us to question if we are living our whole lives based on false apprehensions of ‘what will people say?’ and explore if we are able to live our life by our own will.
Here’s Qamar in his own words.
What does the word ‘rebellion’ mean in the South Asian community? In Urdu, we say ‘Baa’ghi’. When we talk about a rebel, we would think of our younger siblings who get away with anything and everything or the middle child who has to rebel in order to get attention.
In the South Asian community, we are always told how to live our life ... from what we should eat to what gender of a child we should have. The pressure to get a good job or get married into a good family starts at a very young age. We are always told to get a job that would be ‘normal’, and by this, I mean that one should strictly be a lawyer, doctor, business, or have a government job. If you ever decide to do something different, (e.g. become a photographer, dancer, baker, writer etc.), the first thing you will be told is: “How will you survive on this job?; How will you make money, is that even a job?; What will people say?”.
We are always taught to fit in the society and if we don’t, we are deemed rebellious and as other people might say: “They have gone rouge (haath se nikaal gaye hain)”.
The problem lies with our family, relatives and even friends. People don’t want to or rather, are usually afraid to do anything different and just live by the expectation of others. I also want to take the chance to iterate that my inner creativity is dying to come out but I have been put under the veil of society and I’m tied down by the expectations of others and told to “fit in”. So, the lesson is: Don’t let your future get tied down due to others’ choices and words.
Today, I want to ask you — what is a decision you have made or want to make for yourself, that might be considered rebellious by your community?
Qamar Usman, 25, is a London-based marketer and fashion photographer who originally hails from Kashmir and dreams of bringing India to London through his work. Qamar always wanted to create images that would tell stories but quickly realised that not everyone understands or looks at art the same way he does. So, he decided to change this whilst still showing the stories. He started to write Instagram captions that would fit in with his images and all the topics he ever talks about. He has been able to relate with and always making the caption simple to understand.
Find Qamar on Instagram here.
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