niaz
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Hon members, I came across this article in the Daily News of today:
Art and extremism
Tuesday, August 28, 2007
After much controversy, the National Art Gallery has been finally inaugurated, with the president opening it this past Sunday. On the occasion, he said that artists should do their bit to counter the menace of extremism and terrorism that the country currently faces. As he has done several times in the past, the president asked artists to project what he called a peaceful and tolerant image of Pakistan. He referred to the fact that Pakistan had a treasure trove of cultural and historical heritage and that it needed to be projected in a better manner overseas. One may start with reference to this particular comment. Though apt and no doubt well-intentioned, the fact of the matter is that our cultural and historical heritage first needs to be projected -- and without any propaganda and/or spin -- to Pakistanis in general. For instance, students in the mainstream system of education still have to contend with textbooks (read trash) which tell them that Pakistan's origins date back to 712 -- the year the Arabs came to the Subcontinent. As for artists being torch-bearers of tolerance and peace, that is usually a role that they fill quite well. However, in the case of Pakistan, one has seen that those engaged in artistic endeavour have often had an ambivalent relationship with the government of the day. Certainly, apart from a few notable exceptions, there have not been too many artists, musicians, painters, singers and so on who have taken an overtly political stance through their work and certainly not many have even tried to criticise and stand up to military rule.
Moving on to the role, or lack thereof, of the government in promoting the arts, there is much that needs to be done. For instance, take cinema -- while many countries take all kinds of economic measures to subsidize and hence encourage greater film production, in Pakistan the primary role usually seems to be of an arbitrary regulator. The government -- in general, not this particular one alone -- seems to be more concerned with censoring content and with censuring -- those involved the artistic endeavour – as well. For instance, there remains strict control over the content of drama and theatre and songs and their music videos on even sensitive social issues are often not aired on television. It would be fair to say that in Pakistan, because of increasing religiosity and rising intolerance (borne largely out of the Zia era but sustained thereafter by the state and non-state actors), entertainment and enjoyment, and anything creative, are frowned upon – and somehow equated with vulgarity and profanity. This disapproval has gained such wide currency nationwide that Pakistan is seen by the still-progressive/liberal minority as becoming a nation of kill-joys. Understandably, this leads to the creation of an environment that is not very conducive for artists to work in. So before asking and expecting them to fight extremism and promote a tolerant image, it would be good if the government first became a true promoter of the arts.
The article relates to opening of National Art Gallery but it contains some very interesting observations. The reason why I am posting it here is to debate two related subjects.
1. IMO opinion it is denying one's heritage that poeple living in Pakistan should have nothing to do with the history before arrival of Mohd Bin Qassim. ( History books after Zia ul Haq) Actually it is the travesty of truth that nothing existed before the advent of Islam when Allah has mentioned that our Holy Prophet ( PBUH) is the last of the 120,000 or so of Allah's messengers.
What has happened to Pak Intellgentia ?? No ones has dared to discard this idiotic legacy of the bigot Zia despite that fact that majority of the family names and races; at least in Punjab; such as Gujjars, Jats, Rajputs, Araiins etc were clearly here before 712 AD. Are these people willing to accept that they are all bastards of the Arabs in the Mohd bin Qassim ' force or did they fall from the sky. If not, then why deny the previous history??
2. I always had doubts about the interpretation of historical evidence that our holy Prophet (PBUH) actually banned all forms of art including music. If one makes any form of image or idol with an aim to worship it ( turn it into a deity) yes I am dead against it. However, I find music, specailly something like 'Heer' sung in a sweet voice, a manna for the soul. Similarly an attractive sculpture or paintings create a heavenly atmosphere. Why suppress this creative urge??
Besides we have folk dances and songs that are in the blood of the native people such as Bhangra or Sindhi Dhamal; is it right to stop people from enjoying themselves? Islamists seem to imply that such songs and dances encourage loose morals. Did the forefathers of todays native Punjabis, Baluchis, Sindhis etc had loose morals before mullah's imposed this ban from Zia onwards??
Art and extremism
Tuesday, August 28, 2007
After much controversy, the National Art Gallery has been finally inaugurated, with the president opening it this past Sunday. On the occasion, he said that artists should do their bit to counter the menace of extremism and terrorism that the country currently faces. As he has done several times in the past, the president asked artists to project what he called a peaceful and tolerant image of Pakistan. He referred to the fact that Pakistan had a treasure trove of cultural and historical heritage and that it needed to be projected in a better manner overseas. One may start with reference to this particular comment. Though apt and no doubt well-intentioned, the fact of the matter is that our cultural and historical heritage first needs to be projected -- and without any propaganda and/or spin -- to Pakistanis in general. For instance, students in the mainstream system of education still have to contend with textbooks (read trash) which tell them that Pakistan's origins date back to 712 -- the year the Arabs came to the Subcontinent. As for artists being torch-bearers of tolerance and peace, that is usually a role that they fill quite well. However, in the case of Pakistan, one has seen that those engaged in artistic endeavour have often had an ambivalent relationship with the government of the day. Certainly, apart from a few notable exceptions, there have not been too many artists, musicians, painters, singers and so on who have taken an overtly political stance through their work and certainly not many have even tried to criticise and stand up to military rule.
Moving on to the role, or lack thereof, of the government in promoting the arts, there is much that needs to be done. For instance, take cinema -- while many countries take all kinds of economic measures to subsidize and hence encourage greater film production, in Pakistan the primary role usually seems to be of an arbitrary regulator. The government -- in general, not this particular one alone -- seems to be more concerned with censoring content and with censuring -- those involved the artistic endeavour – as well. For instance, there remains strict control over the content of drama and theatre and songs and their music videos on even sensitive social issues are often not aired on television. It would be fair to say that in Pakistan, because of increasing religiosity and rising intolerance (borne largely out of the Zia era but sustained thereafter by the state and non-state actors), entertainment and enjoyment, and anything creative, are frowned upon – and somehow equated with vulgarity and profanity. This disapproval has gained such wide currency nationwide that Pakistan is seen by the still-progressive/liberal minority as becoming a nation of kill-joys. Understandably, this leads to the creation of an environment that is not very conducive for artists to work in. So before asking and expecting them to fight extremism and promote a tolerant image, it would be good if the government first became a true promoter of the arts.
The article relates to opening of National Art Gallery but it contains some very interesting observations. The reason why I am posting it here is to debate two related subjects.
1. IMO opinion it is denying one's heritage that poeple living in Pakistan should have nothing to do with the history before arrival of Mohd Bin Qassim. ( History books after Zia ul Haq) Actually it is the travesty of truth that nothing existed before the advent of Islam when Allah has mentioned that our Holy Prophet ( PBUH) is the last of the 120,000 or so of Allah's messengers.
What has happened to Pak Intellgentia ?? No ones has dared to discard this idiotic legacy of the bigot Zia despite that fact that majority of the family names and races; at least in Punjab; such as Gujjars, Jats, Rajputs, Araiins etc were clearly here before 712 AD. Are these people willing to accept that they are all bastards of the Arabs in the Mohd bin Qassim ' force or did they fall from the sky. If not, then why deny the previous history??
2. I always had doubts about the interpretation of historical evidence that our holy Prophet (PBUH) actually banned all forms of art including music. If one makes any form of image or idol with an aim to worship it ( turn it into a deity) yes I am dead against it. However, I find music, specailly something like 'Heer' sung in a sweet voice, a manna for the soul. Similarly an attractive sculpture or paintings create a heavenly atmosphere. Why suppress this creative urge??
Besides we have folk dances and songs that are in the blood of the native people such as Bhangra or Sindhi Dhamal; is it right to stop people from enjoying themselves? Islamists seem to imply that such songs and dances encourage loose morals. Did the forefathers of todays native Punjabis, Baluchis, Sindhis etc had loose morals before mullah's imposed this ban from Zia onwards??
