‘Boliyan’ is a Punjabi word that translated means singing/reciting through story.Lekan: Multilingual Boliyan is the collaboration of different languages – Punjabi and Yoruba, coming together through discussion and sharing of information through the arts and educational activities, to create a new artistic language with a common notion of engagement. As part of her preparations she is in conversation with her father and they share their stories about how the wedding ceremonies will be different and the same, bringing at least two cultures together.Watch a brief video, filmed by Dr Rajinder Dudrah, of Jagdis Kumar, Lekan Babalola and Steven Sahota in rehearsal together before the COVID-19 lockdown came into effect:Here, Jagdis and Lekan share their journey of developing the Multilingual Boliyan, the impact of Covid-19 on the project, and their future plans for the performance.Jagdis: ‘Multilingual Boliyan’ are a combination of languages put together through song, music, dance and drama. Jagdis Kumar, Steven Sahota, and Lekan Babalola in rehearsal.Multilingual Boliyan tells the story of a British Indian female who is planning her wedding to her British Nigerian fiancé.
We shall be using various Indian and West African percussion instruments and harmonium. The main type of music will be Punjabi folk, a combination of Bhangra and Giddha, together with a touch of Bollywood.Lekan: Collaborating together with British Indian composer/percussionist Steve, who shall be bringing his knowledge of Punjabi music/songs, also the popular Bhangra beat, meeting old sacred West African Yoruba Music fusing it with dance Afrobeat music. What kind of songs and music will you be using in the boliyan – what kinds of instruments, beats, singing, clapping, and rhythms will you use?Jagdis: The instruments for rhythm use are a dhol, dholki, tumbi and keyboard, together with singing, clapping and dancing. What languages are you bringing to the project and how do you intend to use them?Jagdis: The languages I am bringing to the project are Punjabi, Hindi and English.Lekan: I shall be bringing the Yoruba language and cultural sensibility through music into the project. It will also highlight rituals and rites through celebrations within the Indian/Punjabi and Yoruba cultures.Lekan: Unification through love that breaks cultural boundaries. It also brings out the similarities as well as differences within cultures.
These include:- The night before the wedding celebrations letting everyone in the village know that there is a special event.- The teasing and banter between the families.Lekan: There are many similarities i.e. There are similarities in the celebrations leading up to and after the wedding. What are the similarities and/or differences in the way music, beats, and story-telling are used in Punjabi and Yoruba wedding songs?Jagdis: The instruments and language are different and it’s wonderful how they sound together. I would like to know more about the caste system within India culture and its influence on married life. I have learnt about Indian wedding culture and the nuances to do with marriage across two cultures.
We aim to continue from where we left of once the lockdown has been lifted. How has the Covid-19 situation affected the project and what are your plans going forward?Jagdis: Covid-19 has unfortunately delayed the project, as we are unable to rehearse collectively. This also happens in not too different ways in Punjabi wedding cultures.
This is not only because of his positive and energetic personality, but also because he has the ability to listen to the ideas from conception, participate in the research and develop whatever idea is on the table. He is very open to suggestions and ideas and lets us artists flow and experiment, and he has a great way of bringing the sessions together with his experience.Lekan: The media and creative industries are very fortunate to have Professor Rajinder Dudrah. This is the first time I have had the opportunity to work with him.
We aim to have a dialogue with the audience to highlight this and give them the opportunity to ask questions and maybe share their own experiences. What do you hope the project and its eventual performance might achieve?Jagdis: I am hoping the project highlights no matter what colour, caste, creed or background you are from we can all bring this together through harmony. The project is aimed for people of all ages and abilities to show how different cultures can come together through the arts.Lekan: The general public who is interested in music, songs, dance, storytelling and cross-cultural activities through interdisciplinary arts, also students and scholars of cultural and media studies.
Performing to communities who might not have witnessed this kind of cross-cultural project before, and to share with them a story about the union of two cultures coming together to form a new language and sensibility will have a good impact on UK multicultural society.Jagdis Kumar, Kiran Johal, Steven Sahota, and Lekan Babalola in rehearsal.On British bhangra music see: R. My experience as an artist, where I have performed at weddings for over 30 years, highlights how various cultures are combining more through mixed marriages.Lekan: I hope the project and its various eventual performances in the future will be able to be toured throughout arts and community venues across the UK. Today Covid-19 is a prime example of how we all came in different ships but are all now in the same boat, and for that boat to sail on calm seas we need to take time to learn and respect each other’s cultures.
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