This venture is very personal to me as I wish to honour both my parents sacrifices in moving firstly to Africa in the early 50s, and then to the UK in the 70s following the 1972 Exodus under the Idi Amin regime. They left Africa after working there for over 20yrs with one suitcase of belongings and little money…
It must have been very difficult for them as they didn’t speak English very well, and came from a farming background, so were not educated either. I was brought up in a very spiritual family. It was a strong faith in the Divine that kept us together through those difficult years.
My parents were both practicing Hindus and brought up all five children to be proud of their Indian heritage. As the youngest of five children, I often felt life was very easy for me. Probably because my brothers and sisters had fought battles before me, and I benefited from the positive outcomes.
My father was a carpenter by trade, but very gifted in all trades. He could do bricklaying, gardening and was often drawing cartoons of farm animals, which still make me smile when I remember…That’s why he was sent by the British Empire to Africa after the second world war. Africa needed skilled labourers to build the country.
Many Indian men left their families in India to build the countries of Tanzania, Uganda, and Kenya. As a result of my parents struggles, we were educated and had greater opportunities.
This creative outlet pays homage to my eclectic childhood. Often being surrounded by a babble of five languages (Hindi, Gujerati, English, Sanskrit and Swahili) being spoken at the same time made for some very interesting insights into life!
I hope you enjoy my journey into making jewelry as much as I will.
My maternal grandparents.
