Who Decides Who Decides?
This question is easily
answered when it refers to politics or business whereby the authority to be a decision maker in politics comes from the ballot, the civil
service , or some may say, the deep
state; and in business from savants of the business world .
It becomes far more complex when it comes to Culture – who
decides what culture is? the academic?
the government? the Community? The word has been defined and redefined
over the ages, invoked for nationalism and tourism, restrained by religious
beliefs, deconstructed by sociologists and reconstructed by artists.
Geert Hofstede says
“Management can never change a national culture, it can only understand and use
it” .He proposes that Culture as a collective identity is manifested through
symbols, heroes, rituals and values. The
most enduring are values - which are determined within the first 10 years of
our lives.
Historically, the culture of a civilization was defined by its
city – Babylon, Athens or Moen jo Daro. As 19C Western cities became overcrowded, dirty and crime
ridden in the wake of industrialization, the ‘City Beautiful’ movement emerged
in the early twentieth century. This emphasized the physical appearance of
cities rather than its people and their activities, which became mere engines
for a capitalist economy. Focus on architecture, planning and green spaces have
continued to be the concern of modern city planners as beautiful cities
generate income through tourism, museums and cultural programming. Since the
90s there has been a scramble to adopt the World Class Cities model. However, Elizabeth
Wilson, in her book ,“The Sphinx in the City”, writes, exporting this concept to
non-western cities, encouraged by agencies such as World Bank, creates “inauthentic cities”, and is motivated by extending
colonial influence.
African, South American, and Asian cities evolved very
differently from Western cities, retaining
strong ties to rural communities, and traditional methods of production. Both
South Asian and Middle Eastern regions already had sophisticated cities prior
to colonialism. The colonial city was an administrative centre. Industry was
discouraged to ensure markets for British products.
By contrast, Mughal cities had flourishing urban arts and
handicrafts, jewelry making and textile workshops, that were essential to what Deepak
Bhaga calls, the economic equilibrium. In villages, artisans made essential
products in return for a share of agricultural produce. The markets of Karachi intuitively
follow the Mughal pattern in that bazaars and workshops or karkhanas are grouped by trade – jewelry shops, cloth, wood
and metal markets, hardware and grain, much like the mandi is structured. Royal
Patronage expected artisans to innovate and constantly up grade. Today tailors
and embroidery artisans continue that tradition with custom made products. As
in the past, some family trades still continue down generations such as the
Banarasi silk weavers of Karachi.
Modern bazaars that have evolved in Karachi maintain the
trade community structure - the Godra
Sunday car bazaar where owners can sell or swap cars, Uniplaza IT shops, the
mobile market. The systems clearly work
since Karachi generates 60% taxes and
20% of the Gross Domestic Product.
The car races of DHA Phase 8, the cycle and donkey races of
Lyari, the boat builders at the harbour, the vibrant markets of Golimar, Pan Mandi,
Dhan Mandi, Sarafa Bazaar, Bohri Bazaar are as much the ‘real’
culture of Karachi as its many beautiful buildings. Karachi is home to
communities from all over Pakistan and the region including Bengalis,
Rohingyas, Central Asians and Chinese. It has Muslims, Parsis, Hindus and
Christians, each with their own communities, localities and customs. The heritage
and livelihood of this cultural diversity needs to be protected as much as the
built heritage.
Durriya Kazi
July 8, 2019
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