People can’t believe it when they first see me, a petite little girl, but I can eat a LOT. I can have 3 plates full of rice at one go. Easy! They say men have big appetites, but I eat as well as any of them! Everyone teases me but I don’t mind! They say I love food because I was born in the kitchen. And it’s true!
My mother spends a lot of time in kitchen – cooking and washing. When I was due, my mother went to fetch herself a glass of water and suddenly, I arrived! My sisters ran to fetch the dai but honestly, being in the kitchen, I was home! Don’t let that make you think I like cooking or eating home-cooked food! Pizza and burgers are my favourites but I will make an exception for Kabuli pulao!
Asma’s story was shared in an atmosphere of laughter, with good-natured ribbing. However, births like these are not uncommon and are a horrific reality for many women.
Height: 23"
Width: 2"
Length: 22"
This artwork is based on one of a series of stories addressing agency, identity and representation from the perspective of Afghan refugee women and girls. It was developed as part of a pilot economic empowerment project delivered in partnership with the UNHCR in Karachi, Pakistan. The artworks unmask the lived experiences of a generation continuing to deal with the legacy of conflict and deprivation, where the capacity of traditional handworks to connect people with place, time, history and a sense of being is confirmed.
