Multi-Cultural London: A Photographic Travel Guide - Article Example

Multi-Cultural London: A Photographic Travel Guide Bixton (south) This coffee shop located on Bixton Road in Bixton is a perfect example of the multiculturalism of the area. Housed in a typical London historic brick three story building, the café is given an Italian name and identity in an area largely recognized for its high population of people of African descent. As can be seen in the image, though, the people who frequent the area are of African as well as Caucasian descent, co-existing in apparent harmony. Allen Fisher describes the area as “a social interaction in the process between one state and another and hardly ever in either; a political situation forever in preparation for the next move that proved to be elusive and under-achieved” (319). The café is widely touted as an area attraction for anyone visiting and there is evidence in the area of significant care and upkeep, such as in the cleanliness of the street and the good condition of the building next door. The purple paint used to decorate the small shop next to the café begins to highlight the flavor of the subculture of this area as well. At the same time, though, there is also evidence of the negative elements suggested in Fisher’s descriptive. Immediately noticing the purple paint of the small shop, it is then noticed that this shop is a pawn shop and from here, it cannot help but be noticed that some of the upper windows in the café are boarded up rather than repaired. Bixton’s strange combination of run-down and maintained, popular and depressed and strong multicultural mix in sights sounds and smells is compelling and requires experiencing to truly appreciate in its complexity. Image available August 26, 2008 from Harnegey According to Panikos Panayi, the area of London known as Harnegey in the northern section has been a strong magnet for people of Asian descent as well as numerous other minority groups. Like the Italian café found in Bixton, this Chinese community center is found in a building that is much more reminiscent of London’s British past. There are none of the traditional Chinese embellishments provided to help adorn this building, such as the necessary upturned roof awnings that are important to Chinese beliefs regarding luck and the spirits. The only exterior indication of space as a center of cultural identity is found in the Chinese characters written horizontally, rather than the traditional vertical, across the front face of the building. However, some of these elements seem to be evident in the building reflected from across the street. This is particularly true in the yellow structure. The brilliant shade of this building immediately captures the attention. Anyone familiar with Chinese culture is aware that the color yellow is associated with the sacred and holy as well as with royalty (Letelier, 2008). The window casements are topped with more traditionally shaped embellishments reflected the type of roofing structure found in Chinese built structures and are painted green, the traditional color used to indicate rebirth or fresh beginnings (Color Theory, 2008). Thus, while the structural architecture of these structures indicates a typical London street with all its British heritage and influence, it is also very expressive of new influences entering the community. Image available August 26, 2008 from Clapton Square Clapton Square is often envisioned as a last stand for the traditional upper middle class English elite. Located near the heart of London, this section of the city is considered a showpiece of English design and craftsmanship. The Georgian houses are reminiscent of the ‘glory’ days of Victorian England and the expansion and prosperity of imperialism that dominated much of the nineteenth century. Rigid building codes enacted during this time period forced the buildings to be built of fire retardant materials, contributing to the popularity of the Georgian architectural style into the present day (Clapton Square, 2008). Although part of the square was destroyed during the war years, enough remains to continue this impression of the area. Despite its strong relationship with the rigid and highly racist attitudes of the Victorian era, as this image demonstrates, Clapton Square is now welcoming to people of all races. Within this image, people of various skin tones can be seen to interact with each other in a fun setting evidently designed to appeal to a wide audience and age range. Numerous events such as the one pictured above are carried out throughout the city on a regular basis, encouraging interaction among the races and fostering a sense of community identity that has little to do with skin color and is ready to encompass a variety of cultural or religious differences as little more than a personal preference. Image available August 26, 2008 from < http://anditfeelslikehome.blogspot.com/2007_07_01_archive.html> Newham The region of Newham, on the western side of London proper, is a highly diverse community of interrelated individuals all striving toward the common good. This can be seen in this image of a neighborhood farmer’s market in which women wearing traditional Indian dress strive to encourage their neighbors and friends, regardless of ethnicity, to adopt a more well-balanced diet with a greater emphasis on important fruits and vegetables. The area features a wide selection of ethnic restaurants to enjoy including Greek, Bengali, Pakistani, Indian, Chinese and Nigerian menus. “The expression ‘global village’ could have been invented for Newham with its great diversity” (Shopping and Eating, 2008). The diverse shops in the area encourage a great deal of interaction between the various visitors and any sense of strangeness or alienation quickly dissipates in the friendly atmosphere and sensual treats available. The image above is emblematic of the region both in its evidence of minority cultures and in its energy and vibrancy on the street. Despite this, the area is currently undergoing one of the largest renovation projects in years. This again illustrates the levels of cooperation between the dominant white culture of London and its embracing of minority groups within its boroughs. Rather than establishing the typical postmodern ‘self’ and ‘other’ found in many cultural centers throughout the world, Newham and many other parts of London can be seen to embrace cultural differences, celebrate them and make them available for greater learning and understanding between cultures. Image available August 26, 2008 from < http://www.go-london.gov.uk/GOLNewsletter/july04/communityfoodenterprise.asp> Ealing Ealing, on the east side of London, has developed as a cultural center for people of Indian descent of numerous cultures. The local library offers texts in a number of different languages including Arabic, Gujarati, Hindi, Punjabi, Pashtu, Polish, Somali and Urdu (Hussain, 2008). The region is rich with the cultural heritage of the East Indies, including holiday events such as the one pictured here. This is a perfect melding of the modern age with ancient ritual in the Procession of Prayers. According to the BBC (2007), this celebration is an annual event commemorating the birthday of the founder of the Sikh faith. The men wear orange as a symbol of purity and the truck is open-sided, enabling worshippers to pay their respects to the holy man, or guru, inside and the Holy Book he fans as the processional makes its way through the streets. As a part of the celebration, numerous families prepare traditional foods to be shared with the community, completely free of charge. London’s open multiculturalism is again displayed through this open display of a unique heritage and culture and a willingness to share this experience with those who might not necessarily follow the faith. This type of display contributes to a greater understanding among peoples of differing backgrounds and begins to bring the community together. Image available August 27, 2008 from Southall Southall is closely linked with Ealing, sharing many of its cultural traits and traditions. Although most of the signs found throughout England remain written strictly in English, the openness of London to the growing diversity of the area is demonstrated in the above sign marking one of the train stations. This sign is clearly presented as a bilingual sign, intentionally trying to help those not completely familiar or comfortable in the city find their way through the sometimes complicated streets. At the same time, visitors to the area not familiar with the language are greeted with an instant identification for the growing cultural group in the area and are thus prepared for some of the unique sights and sounds they might encounter here. At a time when the world remains negatively influenced by Arabic concerns, these types of indications of London’s acceptance of its minority populations and its willingness to attempt to provide adequate services for these individuals illustrate the degree to which it rises above petty politics and provides a forum where the diverse groups may come to understand each other better. Image available August 26, 2008 from < http://paulstott.typepad.com/photos/hows_life_in_london_/dsc00775.html> Bethnell Green Reflecting the preference demonstrated within the minority culture of Bangladeshi, the area of Bethnell Green has been undergoing some renovations in recent years. The award-winning design pictured here is essentially placing a new face on an old structure, thus transforming the face of this area of London to one that more accurately reflects the personalities and cultural ideals of the area. While the Bangladeshi people are culturally fond of vivid colors and intricate designs in their artwork and textiles (Handicrafts, 2008), the fluorescent nature of these hues blends in the concept of the modern city life. At the same time, the panels that are pictured open here are aluminum panels that can be tilted so as to gain maximum use of the sun while also providing the option of limiting solar gain when it is unwanted. In terms of respecting and honoring the Earth, this idea is in keeping with the traditional beliefs of the minority groups of the area while also being in keeping with the ‘new’ ideas of building ‘green’. The building’s multi-hued exterior speaks to the multi-hued culture of the city, illustrating its brightness and its innovations as it blends concepts and structures of both old and new. Image available August 26, 2008 from The Tube A traveling place that interweaves throughout the city, the Tube, as the underground railroad is called, provides a point of connection bridging the various cultures that live and work within the city as well as those who merely come to visit. The tube introduces a place unlike any other place in the world in that it provided riders with a view of the city below the surface. “A ride in the subway thus meant entering a separate and sometimes disorienting sphere, particularly in the long stretches between stations where the trains were shrouded in darkness. Isolated from their familiar surroundings and dependent on steel rails, track switches, electrical conduits, signals and other mechanical devices, passengers thought of the subway as a realm of impersonal, complicated technology” (Hood 98). Although the men in the above image are only visiting the city of London in order to participate in the London marathon, they are made comfortable taking seats on the Tube to travel from one section of the city to another. Their buffalo-hide shields and traditional costume may have drawn some stares from nearby passengers, but the sense of concern or unease evident in the scene is not caused by hostile treatment by other passengers. According to writer Anderson Cooper, “none had even left their country before, let alone taken a train or a plane or eaten an English breakfast” (2008), causing them to feel somewhat overwhelmed by the clamors of the London press for interviews. The enthusiastic attention they received again emphasizes the degree to which Londoners have come to accept the differences and embrace them as a means of understanding. Image available August 26, 2008 from < http://ac360.blogs.cnn.com/2008/04/10/african-warriors-in-the-heart-of-london/> References BBC. (2007). “Procession of Prayers.” Available August 26, 2007 from “Clapton Square.” (2008). Hackney. Available August 26, 2008 from “Color Theory.” (2008). Available August 26, 2008 from “Handicrafts.” (2008). Banglapedia. Available August 26, 2008 from Hood, Clifton. “The Subway and the City,’ and “The Subway Crush,” 722 Miles: The Building of the Subways and How They Transformed New York, 91-101, 113-119. Hussain, Shahid. (2008). “Multicultural Services.” Ealing.gov. London: Perceval House. Letelier, Francisco. (2008). “Color Schemes.” Available August 26, 2008 from “Shopping and Eating.” (2008). Newham. Available August 26, 2008 from Read More