The ArQuives Digital Exhibitions

Browse Items (34 total)

DP024- Paramjit (Final Transcript).pdf
Paramjit Rai was a volunteer and co-coordinator at Desh Pardesh for a number of years. She discusses her experience as a social policy worker and academic at the festival and how this role of “outsider” informed her perspective on the festival. She…

DP013 - Ian (Final Transcript).pdf
Ian Iqbal Rashid is a poet and writer, and one of the co-founders of Desh Pardesh. In this interview he discusses the conception of Desh, its original visions and its its manifestation into an internationally recognized event. Rashid was not involved…

DP019 - Michelle (Final Transcript).pdf
Mohabeer discusses her experience of moving to Canada during the 1970s, when racism, sexism and homophobia were rampant. She also discusses briefly her experience as a Pakistani person in a time where Paki-bashing was common place. Mohabeer then goes…

DP023- Pamila (Final Transcript).pdf
Matharu discusses the critical progressive nature of the Desh Pardesh festival, and how this was targeted specifically for a population of people of colour. Matharu also touches briefly on the intergenerational nature of the festival, and how this…

DP032 - Shyam (Final Transcript).pdf
Selvadurai, a writer and cartoonist, discusses his involvement with the Desh Pardesh festival and analyzes the deep identity politics that permeated every conversation held at the festival. He is a Sri Lankan born gay man in a festival where Sri…

DP020 - Natasha (Final Transcript).pdf
In her oral history, Natasha Singh articulates why Desh was so influential, and also goes into depth about the world-wide influence Desh had on South Asian festivals. Additionally, she gives an example of how Desh empowered her in her everyday life.

DP009 - Dunstan (Final Transcript).pdf
In this oral history Dunstan Egbert describes how he started volunteering with the Alliance for South Asian AIDS Prevention (ASAAP), and Desh Pardesh. He also worked with Khush, but explains why he identifies more as a ASAAP and Desi participant than…

DP006 - Cameron (Final Transcript).pdf
In this oral history, Cameron Bailey focuses on the uniqueness of Toronto’s art scene; he says that artists in Toronto can work together despite difference. He is only vaguely aware of the politics within Desh Pardesh. He also speaks about…

DP005 - Arif (Final Transcript).pdf
Arif Noorani, in this oral history, active in Desh Pardesh in the 90’s, discusses his involvement with other activist groups, notably Queer Nation and CKLN. He talks about the influence Mike Harris had on the numerous arts collectives who lost…

Second Interview with Fred Sproule.JPG
Trigger warning for use of racist and sexist language in this interview.

This is John Grube's second interview with Frederick Sproule for Foolscap. The oral history begins with Grube and Sproule looking through a series of photos, and Sproule…
Output Formats

atom, dcmes-xml, json, omeka-xml, rss2