A new exhibition at London’s Royal Geographical Society, Making Home explores the history and life of Ugandan Asians, a journey of more than 100 years characterised by migration, displacement and new beginnings.
In the 19th century, Indian labourers were recruited to work in British East Africa. Following their journey through a generation of colonial rule and the struggles of independence that followed, Making Home charts the story of Ugandan Asians and the seismic impact of Idi Amin’s expulsion of all Asians in 1972.
With sudden displacement came new beginnings, and through new interviews and an in-depth investigation of rarely seen archives, photographs, possessions and materials, Making Home presents a fresh and compelling new narrative, reflecting the lives of a community now settled in the UK for 40 years.
The exhibition is the culmination of work carried out for more than a year by the Exiles Project: a community-based initiative collecting oral histories of Ugandan Asians 40 years on. It is delivered by The Council of Asian People (CAP) in partnership with Amphora Arts and Collage Arts, with the support of an £86,700 grant from the Heritage Lottery Fund.
Launched last October, the Exiles Project has been co-ordinated by Jayesh Amin of CAP. The project has engaged and trained volunteers to research their own heritage and formalise the archiving process in order to create digital stories, deliver workshops and has produced learning materials in collaboration with heritage sites such as the National Archives, London Metropolitan Archive and the Royal Geographical Society.
The project is also creating resources that will enable visitors and students to learn more about this under-reported aspect of London’s heritage. These resources will be accessible online and will offer insight into the lives of those who experienced the trauma of leaving everything behind to start a new life.
Exhibition Details
‘Making Home’ – Exiles: The Ugandan Asian Story will run from Friday 6th – Sunday 15th September 2013 at the Royal Geographic Society (IBG Exhibition Pavilion), 1 Kensington Gore, London, SW7 2AR from 10am – 5pm daily, including weekends.
