The Last Post

The playing of the Last Post at sunset

This is the last post for this blog. In February I planned to end it on the last day of May and I have kept my promise to myself.

Writing this Signs of Communities blog has been a personal learning experience.  Learning to use WordPress as a CMS – a Content Management System. So much easier, quicker and cheaper than full web design.

I’ve also learned about communities in Kirklees, England. Learned much more than I had the time to post about on the blog. And learned about my honourable family history with its powerful Asian connections – learned very much more than I could post about.

Thank you for your interest in visiting Signs of Communities and reading my posts.

In the words of a great TV star – “Goodnight, thank you, and may your God go with you.”

Dave Allen 1936-2005

Pahariwood movies

In an earlier job I produced audio information publications in Pahari/Pothowari as well as other languages such as English, Urdu, Punjabi, Gujarati, Mandarin Chinese and Polish.

So I was fascinated to read the Wikipedia article on the majority language of Mirpur, Pahari- Pothwari. This is a distinct dialect related to Punjabi. The language does not have a written tradition and there is still no generally agreed way to transcribe the spoken sounds into Urdu script, though scholars are developing it.

As a result of that situation, I remember some amusing moments in the recording studio when we had script readers who were not the same people who had written the scripts.

Miki Kharo England

However, there is progress – even talk of ‘Pahariwood’ – a smaller version of Bollywood! For example, the first ever comic telefilm in Pahari – Miki Kharo England – which means “Take Me to England”. This romantic comedy was so successful that there was a comic sequel in 2007 called Main Julian England – which means “I’m Going to England”.

Main Julian England

From my own experience, I guess that part of the comedy must have appeared on the film set. With lots of laughs when actors tried to read some of the words in the Pahari-Pothwari film script!

This is a link to the YouTube promo for another Pahariwood comedy Acho Khari Nal.

And there is a YouTube promo of another Pahari movie – Lakeer.

Mirpur, Azad Kashmir – میر پور – interesting photos

There’s an interesting set of photos of Mirpur on the Kashmir Heritage website. Just click on the link and then scroll down.

Thanks to Abid Hussain for information about the fine Azad Jammu & Kashmir photo website of  Gharib Hanif. Just click on the link and then click on the photo library that interests you.

Enjoy!

Mirpur, Azad Kashmir – میر پور

The Azad Mega Mart referred to in the BBC article

One of the largest communities in Kirklees, West Yorkshire comes from Mirpur in Pakistan-administered Kashmir – Azad Kashmir.

A RECENT BBC ARTICLE explains the logic behind the “Little Britain” term sometimes used in Pakistan to refer to Mirpur.

When thousands of residents lost their livelihoods as farmers in the 1960s -when the huge Mangla dam was built in the area – there was a large migration of Mirpuris to the United Kingdom. This built on a smaller, earlier migration.

As a result about 70% of the Pakistani migration living in Britain today originates from this one district of Kashmir. Around half a million Mirpuri people live in the UK, compared to about 370,000 in Mirpur City.

Mangla Dam - Mirpur

Signs of Lives

To find out more about your history, your family, your community visit WWW.SIGNS-OF-LIVES.COM.

The island of Carriacou

Carriacou is an island in the eastern Caribbean which is politically part of Grenada. About 14 miles long and 2 to 3 miles wide it has a population of around 8,000 with strong links to the town of Huddersfield in West Yorkshire, England. It is one of the most beautiful and least developed Caribbean islands.

The Carnival is at the end of February,  the Maroon Music Festival at the end of April, a Sailing Regatta at the end of July and the Parang Festival at the end of December. The climate is maritime subtropical. Temperatures throughout the year vary from 75 F. to 85 F. , moderated by cooling trade winds.

There are over 100 rum shops where you can enjoy the local music and a game of dominoes.

Carriacou panorama

Click on the image below to go to a superb slideshow of photos of Carriacou by Geoff Schultz. Please note that the images are copyright.

Click here for a Carriacou slideshow

Carriacou Regatta

Here’s a YouTube video of the CARRIACOU REGATTA.

Carriacou Carnival 2010

Carriacou Carnaval

Many people from Carriacou in the Caribbean have come to live and work in Huddersfield, West Yorkshire. Here are some links to YouTube videos made at the February 2010 Carriacou and Petite Martinique Carnaval.

First, a funky TV trailer promoting Carnival.

Next, a clip of Carnival in the rain!

And this be dancin in da street!

Signs of Lives – find out more

To find out more about your history, your family, your community visit WWW.SIGNS-OF-LIVES.COM.

Dewsbury’s Festival of Flight Ambassador

Akeel with the Cessna C-172

Our photo shows Akeel Javed, Dewsbury’s Festival of Flight Ambassador during his training learning to fly a Cessna aeroplane near Inverness in the North of Scotland. Beautiful scenery! Akeel is going to be leading two future Festival of Flight exhibitions and events for other young people in Dewsbury which have been organised by Young Dewsbury.

The first one runs from Monday, July 26 to Friday, July 30, at 10am – 2pm at Young Dewsbury, in Dewsbury Town Hall.

The second one runs from Monday, August 9 to Friday, August 13, at 10 am – 2pm at Dewsbury Arena Youth Centre.

If you’re aged 13-19 and live near Dewsbury, put the dates in your diary!

Dewsbury Town Hall