A Note for Teachers

• Facing History and Ourselves is an educational charity providing teaching resources to help young people develop as empathetic, critical thinkers, who understand the role they can play in shaping society for the better. We believe that civic agency is developed through intellectual rigour, emotional engagement and ethical reflection. Learn more about us on our website.

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• This PowerPoint presentation has been created to be used in a KS3, KS4, S1, S2, S3, S4 assembly on South Asian Heritage Month.

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• While you may need to modify this presentation to meet the needs of your students, please note that Facing History and Ourselves does not endorse your changes that alter the presentation's content or original layout.

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South Asian Heritage Month

Assembly

Facing History UK Assemblies

#ChangeStartsWithMe

Essential Question

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What is South Asian Heritage Month and why does it matter?

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#ChangeStartsWithMe

South Asian Heritage Month

What is South Asian Heritage Month and why does it matter?

South Asian Heritage Month

What is South Asian Heritage Month?

• South Asian Heritage Month takes place from July 18th to August 17th. The theme for this year is ‘Free to be me’.
• Founding Patron of SAHM Anita Rani said: "South Asian Heritage Month is about the next generation of kids. growing up in the UK and for them to be able to feel empowered in their identity and proud of who they are."
• Special events are held around the UK to celebrate this event.

Source BBC Newsround

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South Asian Heritage Month

South Asian Heritage

South Asia consists of India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Afghanistan, Nepal, Bhutan, and the Maldives.

A large number of the UK population are connected to South Asia – around 1 in every 14 people in Britain have South Asian heritage.

Celebrating South Asian Heritage month is chance to challenge stereotypes, learn about historical and contemporary stories, and celebrate different cultures.

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Free to be Me

UNHCR

• What does it mean to be free?
• What do you think makes you

who you are?

Is it your heritage?

your interests?

Your friends and family?

Your beliefs?

• What barriers can there be to feeling you can be yourself with others?

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Reading a Poem

On the next slide is an excerpt from a poem by the Indian poet, Sujata Bhatt.

As you read the poem, think about the following:

• What is the poem about?
• What is the poet trying to say through the poem (i.e. what is the poem’s message)?
• Are there any words or phrases that stand out to you?

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Search for My Tongue

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You ask me what I mean

by saying I have lost my tongue.

I ask you, what would you do

if you had two tongues in your mouth,

and lost the first one,

the mother tongue,

and could not really know the other,

the foreign tongue.

You could not use them both together

even if you thought that way.

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And if you lived in a place you had to

speak a foreign tongue,

your mother tongue would rot,

rot and die in your mouth

until you had to spit it out.

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I thought I spit it out

but overnight while I dream,

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(may thoonky nakhi chay)

(parantoo rattray svupnama mari bhasha pachi aavay chay)

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Search for My Tongue

(foolnee jaim mari bhasha nmari jeebh)

(modhama kheelay chay)

(fullnee jaim mari bhasha mari jeebh)

(modhama pakay chay)

it grows back, a stump of a shoot�grows longer, grows moist, grows strong veins,�

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it ties the other tongue in knots,

it grows back, a stump of a shoot

grows longer, grows moist, grows strong veins,

it ties the other tongue in knots,

the bud opens, the bud opens in my mouth,

it pushes the other tongue aside.

Everytime I think I've forgotten,

I think I've lost the mother tongue,

it blossoms out of my mouth.

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Sujata Bhatt

Responding to a Poem

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Now that you have read the poem, think about the following:

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• How did the poem make you feel?
• What is meant by ‘mother tongue’ and ‘foreign tongue’?
• How does this poem show you can remember who you are?
• Why might a person forget parts of who they are?
• Why is it important to feel free to connect with all parts of yourself?

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“To be yourself in a world that is constantly trying to make you something else is the greatest accomplishment.”

Ralph Waldo Emerson

Exit Card

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Turn to the person next to you and discuss the following prompts:

• What is South Asian Heritage Month? Why is it important to celebrate it?
• Why is it important that we feel we are free to be who we are?
• Why is it important that we allow others to be who they are?

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#ChangeStartsWithMe

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