O wad some Pow’r the giftie gie us
To see oursels as others see us!
Last Thursday I had the honour of being invited to deliver the “Selkirk Grace” at the beginning of the Linen Quarter’s Burns Supper in the salubrious surroundings of the Grand Central Hotel in the heart of Belfast. I did not don a kilt for the occasion. No-one needs to be subjected to the sight of my legs before a meal... Instead I donned a newly purchased tartan bow tie, as my wife, who is from from Burns country, would not let me out of the house without some nod to her homeland... However, it was a “Tyrone” tartan, with a nod to my own family’s origins (who knew that Tyrone had a tartan?)
Among the various bits of Burns poetry quoted, in the original or in “English” translation the above quote was sadly not included. It is from the last verse of Burns poem “To a Louse”, where the author sees this “ugly, creepan, blastet wonner” on a fine lady’s bonnet at church, and thinks that if she could see it herself, she might not carry herself in such a haughty manner.
This Thursday I was dressed somewhat differently at the opening event of the 2024 #4CornersFestival: the launch of the photography exhibition “A Culture of Hope” at ArtCetera Studio in Rosemary Street, organised by Westcourt Camera Club, a collaboration with a number of local groups and services supporting minority groups and people who have arrived in Belfast from other countries.
It was a great start to the festival. The gallery was packed to the doors with members of the club, 4 Corners veterans, the subjects of some of the photographs, activists who work in the field of supporting immigrants, members of minority communities, refugees and asylum seekers, and those who frequent Belfast’s “Late Night Art” events on a regular basis.
The photographs, most of which were portraits, were stunning, and the accompanying stories were very moving. Not just because of the harrowing circumstances that brought many of the people portrayed to our city, but also because many of them reflected such a positive perspective on our oft derided city.
I have sometimes worked with those who have been on the receiving end of racist attacks, and we are all familiar with those stories in our news media. They should not happen. But they are a small minority of cases in proportion to the wider experience I am told.
I have also had first hand experience of the callousness and calculated cruelty of Home Office policy and practice with regard to refugees and asylum seekers, and even, at times those from other nations who want to live here because of marriage or for vocational reasons. It isn’t always racist at heart, but sometimes (especially when you compare the fates of African and Middle-Eastern asylum-seekers with those from Ukraine) it seems like that. It is certainly pandering to the most xenophobic sectors of our community.
But I heard and read very little of that last night.
One couple wrote:
“Our journey from the heart of India to the welcoming shores of Belfast is a narrative woven with threads of positivity, hope and resilience of an ethnic minority family finding a home away from home.... Belfast is not just a city; it is a beacon that illuminated our journey with the promise of belonging and shared dreams. As we continue to navigate the alleyways of this city, our hearts are filled with gratitude and hope.”
Another wrote:
“We think Belfast is one of the most inspiring cities in the world. It has got a heart and soul. It is rich in diversity, natural beauty, culture and heritage.”
I sought out both couples, and others who wrote similar things, and said thank you to them for giving us the gift of seeing our city through different eyes.
Too often we see the negatives in ourselves and our city. Yes there are times that “the louse” crawling in our bonnets need to be pointed out. But it was encouraging, if only for a night, “To see oursels as others see us!”
Selah
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