WHO AM I:

HERITAGE WORKSHOP AT BANG

On Monday 30th June 2025, the primary cohort of the Who Am I project made their way from Preston Park Primary School in Wembley to BANG HQ in Harlesden. Eagerly awaiting them was the talented visual artist, photographer, and workshop facilitator Nadia Lamaani.

For this session, I had the opportunity to step back and observe as she invited the children to reflect deeply on who and what has shaped who they are today. It was fascinating to see how differently each child perceives themselves, guided by Nadia, who is of mixed Barbadian and Moroccan heritage.

By sharing details of her own family tree, along with cultural elements associated with Barbados and Morocco, Nadia took the young people on a journey through her personal heritage and the experiences that shaped her identity. The children were highly engaged and enthusiastic as they explored who they are and what makes them special. Throughout the session, they discussed both the similarities (such as languages spoken and traditions followed) and the differences (including family practices, foods eaten, and cultural norms) among their classmates.

With the sounds of Michael Jackson and Bob Marley in the background, they immersed themselves in creating small canvases representing their culture and identity.

Having taken part in workshops over the past two months, this session served as a kind of finale, giving them the opportunity to use art to answer the question, “Who Am I?”.

At the end of the day, Nadia and I mounted the canvases onto foamboards so they could be displayed for all to see.

It was a beautiful day full of cultural exchange, self-reflection, and creativity.

Words: Lyvonne Saunders