A powerful exhibition has arrived at its new destination of Clifton Park Museum following a well-received spell at Wentworth Woodhouse.
The Suitcase is a thought-provoking exhibition marking the monumental life change of the first generation Pakistani women who came to Rotherham in the 1960s, capturing the memories they carried with them from home through stories, poetry, visual images and video.
Everyday objects the women brought with them will be on display from prayer mats, clay pots, bracelets and henna and photos of the family left behind, plus the letters that arrived from home as they navigated a new life.
Rotherham Writer and Poet, Zanib Rasool MBE makes up the Pakistani Women’s Art Collective alongside visual artist Shaheen Shah and oral historian Mariam Shah.
Zanib said: “Younger people will discover what the women in their families went through when they gave up everything to come to South Yorkshire. Older people’s memories will be stirred.
“The suitcase and the objects on display hold a special place in our hearts and connect us to our history and heritage. It is also a tribute to our beloved mothers and recognises the sacrifices they made coming to an unknow land to give us a better life.”
Following a six-month closure due to the pandemic the exhibition re-opened at Wentworth Woodhouse in May before being transferred to Clifton Park Museum where it will run until 21 November 2021.
Rotherham Council’s Cabinet Member for Social Inclusion, Councillor David Sheppard said: “We are delighted to be able to share this thought-provoking exhibition with a wider audience. While the stories and artifacts look back at the past they also look to the future, educating younger generations about the sacrifices these brave women made.”
The exhibition is supported by the Our World partnership project between Rotherham Museums, Arts and Heritage and Rotherham Ethnic Minority Alliance which looks to explore world cultures and improve engagement with Rotherham’s diverse communities.
The free exhibition runs at Clifton Park Museum until 21 November 2021. For information on the Museum opening times visit www.cliftonpark.org.uk.
