Description
In 1904, 57 Somali Muslim men, women, and children came to Bradford for the city’s Great Exhibition, living in a model village and ‘performing their culture’ for six months. But how did they experience this display?
In this talk, Professor Fozia Bora uncovers Somali perspectives, exploring subtle acts of resistance and the subversion of the colonial gaze.
Focusing on individuals like Halimo Abdi Bedel, who died during the exhibition and was buried in Scholemoor Cemetery, this session traces a powerful, overlooked story linking Bradford’s colonial past to its multicultural present.
About the Speaker
Dr Fozia Bora
Dr. Fozia Bora, an Associate Professor of Islamic History at the University of Leeds, also chairs the British Association of Islamic Studies and serves as a Trustee of the Gibb Memorial Trust. Recognized for her public engagement with historical texts, she received the University of Leeds’ Women of Achievement Award in 2021. Her book, Writing History in the Medieval Islamic World, delves into the significance of chronicles as archives. Presently, her research focuses on Bradford’s Muslim communities, examining their narratives of migration, acculturation, and settlement, both locally and globally. Bora’s work bridges academia with public discourse, enriching our understanding of Islamic history.
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