Karachi is a city of refugees. One of them, Ali, is an Iranian who meets me every day after school. He's a tall, handsome young man with curly hair and an amicable way to him. Ali has fled neighbouring Iran and the regime of the Ayatollah who overthrew the Shah in 1979.
The Shah of Iran & The Ayatollah
Ali's hatred has infiltrated his religion and he has one aim: to flee to America. We meet and chat a lot, wandering the streets of Karachi till night. He makes fun of the maulvis - religious leaders - in his country. Understandable, I suppose, but I am a little uncomfortable. He makes a joke of the Ayatollah claiming his face can be seen in the moon. Behind his words, I feel fear and aggression.
I meet a few of his co-nationals, lodged in a dark flat on Tariq Road. Rustum and Ahmed.Ahmed, in particular, is aggressive towards me as a representative of education. He wanders from room to room singing (or chanting):
"We don't need no Education!"
and
"HEY! TEACHER! LEAVE THOSE KIDS ALONE!"
Ali just grins in embarrassment.
Later we go to a cafe around the corner from the Spiderweb for a cup of evening tea. It's a lively place full of the chatter of workers there for their dinners. While there a transgender hijra stops to entertain with bawdy jokes and clapping.And even a little dancing.Her name is Sunhita, and Ali is fascinated by her.
When we leave, we see Sunhita moving towards Karachi's Hill Park. Ali can't resist and follows her.
"I want to see if she is real," he calls as I turn for home.
It is the last I see of him chasing Sunhita till they are both swallowed by the dark.
He must have found his California dream home.
The Shah of Iran & The Ayatollah
Ali's hatred has infiltrated his religion and he has one aim: to flee to America. We meet and chat a lot, wandering the streets of Karachi till night. He makes fun of the maulvis - religious leaders - in his country. Understandable, I suppose, but I am a little uncomfortable. He makes a joke of the Ayatollah claiming his face can be seen in the moon. Behind his words, I feel fear and aggression.
Can you see a face on the moon?
I meet a few of his co-nationals, lodged in a dark flat on Tariq Road. Rustum and Ahmed.Ahmed, in particular, is aggressive towards me as a representative of education. He wanders from room to room singing (or chanting):
"We don't need no Education!"
and
"HEY! TEACHER! LEAVE THOSE KIDS ALONE!"
Ali just grins in embarrassment.
Later we go to a cafe around the corner from the Spiderweb for a cup of evening tea. It's a lively place full of the chatter of workers there for their dinners. While there a transgender hijra stops to entertain with bawdy jokes and clapping.And even a little dancing.Her name is Sunhita, and Ali is fascinated by her.
When we leave, we see Sunhita moving towards Karachi's Hill Park. Ali can't resist and follows her.
"I want to see if she is real," he calls as I turn for home.
It is the last I see of him chasing Sunhita till they are both swallowed by the dark.
He must have found his California dream home.
Hill Park, Karachi
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