Hammad Rind, writer, linguist and teacher was born in Punjab, Pakistan. He is a regular performer at local open mic and spoken word events, in particular the BAME platform, ‘Where I’m Coming From’. Hammad is fascinated by the idea of language as a powerful narrative device and a medium of communication. He can speak eight and a half languages, including Urdu, Punjabi, Hindi, Persian, Turkish, Italian and French, and incorporates elements of these different languages into his work.
His first novel, Four Dervishes, a social satire based on a dastan by Persian poet, Amir Khosrow, with elements of magic realism, has attracted early interest and is currently seeking the right publisher.
Project Name: Hamari Kahani: Our Story
Project Location: Cardiff
About the Project:
Hammad Rind will use the Platforming Under-represented Writers funding to run a series of inclusive writing and illustration workshops for children from Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic backgrounds to celebrate the diversity of the multicultural area of Grangetown.
Hammad will work alongside Charlotte Brown and Adeola Dewis to deliver workshops and offer shared experience and specialist support for Urdu, Punjabi and Hindi language and Afro-Caribbean communities. The sessions will be open to participants of all ethnicities including those who self-identify as Welsh or British. The workshops will focus on literary prompts to allow the children time and guidance in their native language to reflect on their histories and write their own stories. The participants will then be encouraged to share their writing with the group.
Hammad will complete the project by writing a story targeted at children from Black, Minority and Asian backgrounds which will be on display at the Grangetown Zoo along with selected examples of the children’s writing. The project will allow Hammad to become immersed in writing culture whilst he develops his profile with the local community and creative industries. It will also hone his personal writing skills and support his future goal of becoming a published author of illustrated children’s books.
Charlotte Brown (BA, MSc, MPhil) has taught in the Department of History, Kings College London and Royal Holloway University of London. She currently works in the archive at Insole Court. She has experience teaching community workshops in both art and history. She is lead organiser of the Grangetown Art Trail and Zoo.
Dr Adeola Dewis is an illustrator and storyteller from the University of South Wales, who specialises in folk and indigenous cultural expression focusing in particular on diaspora, identity and belonging.
What you hope to achieve through this project?
“To help foster intersectional creativity and cultural representation for BAME groups in the Grangetown and inner-city Cardiff neighbourhoods.”
What impact do you think the opportunity will have on your career as a writer/artist?
“It will help me immerse myself in the writing culture and develop my reputation in the local community and creative industries. It will also hone my personal writing skills helping me towards my future goals of becoming a published author of illustrated children’s books.”