Waqas Manzoor

Visual & Performative Storyteller

waqasmanzoor.visura.co

Labour of Love

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Location: Lahore

Nationality: Pakistan

Biography: Waqas Manzoor is a Lahore-based multidisciplinary artist whose work blends together multiple Art practices including Theatre, Performative Storytelling, Photography and Indian Classical Music. He is professionally an Educator with an experience of... MORE

Ameer Khan has been making the...fshoots of Pothohar.

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Ameer Khan has been making these toys for the last 35 years upon his move to Lahore from a village, Banjar, which comes under Tehsil Talagang offshoots of Pothohar.

“My parents were bas...#39;t like to sell.”

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“My parents were basically farmers back in the village. When we migrated to Lahore, we learned this craft of toy-making. The primary reason for migrating from our village was 'rozi', (wage) there is no employment in the village. We learned this craft in our childhood; after migrating to Lahore, we had to do something, so my elder brother, Sakhi Muhammad, learned this craft from some people of Multan and taught the whole family. We have been doing it for many years, but our children are not interested in making these toys. My elder son makes them sometimes, but the younger one doesn't like to sell.”

“I leave at 7/8 am i...cle ride.”

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“I leave at 7/8 am in the morning from Babu Sabu and go to Model Town, Green Town, Muslim Town Mian Plaza, Karim Market, Johar Town, Ichara Bazar, Mozang, Gulberg and sometimes Shoe Market, we are not allowed to enter DHA. The guards don't let us enter because, we are poor people, and the bicycles we carry are also second-rated; sometimes its chain derails, and sometimes I start dripping due to sweat", He said smiling. “It takes an hour and a half to reach any market by bicycle ride.”

Ameer Khan told about his chil... shifting to Lahore."

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Ameer Khan told about his childhood, "When I was a child, I used to play Gulli Danda, and Kenchy. He held his finger with the other hand to demonstrate, or we used to play with walnuts; I remember we used to make a toy called Khandoori, a ball made of leftover clothes; Ameer Khan told me the process of making Khandoori. We used to collect old useless clothes, soak them in water and tie it firmly. His hands were moving like he was making one when it became the size of a small ball, then we used to stitch it with needle and thread and later played with it just like cricket, but we had clubs instead of bats. We used to play all day before shifting to Lahore."

"It requires a lot of...ardboard skillfully."

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"It requires a lot of hard work and time; first of all, we have to cut bamboos into smaller parts, we convert used motorcycle tubes into rubber bands by cutting, preparing Dugga, muddy cups for Rehri, and for Dugdugi we have to mold cardboard skillfully."

“We just demand that...s is all we desire!”

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“We just demand that these toys have a single set cost, and whoever wants to buy one item should ask for one and pay us. We don't need to bargain – a price should be set, no matter whether the buyer comes on a car, motorcycle, or anybody. The buyer should appreciate our hard work and craft. This is all we desire!”

"We also used to make... items are saleable."

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"We also used to make Juhnjhunay and Pakhay in the beginning when I used to sell these toys in Kachi Abadi, but now I go to these markets, so these three items are saleable."

"After me, I don&...ike to sell like me."

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"After me, I don't know if my children will carry on this craft or not. We cannot compel them. As long as I am alive, I will keep making them because of wages, and we are thankful to the Malik, who feeds us. I cannot claim that my grandsons will carry this (craft) forward; I am not sure. Danish Ali (Ameer's grandson) sits with me while I make these toys. They observe us while we make them. Munir (Ameer’s youngest son) does what his heart says, sometimes, he helps me make toys, and sometimes he does not; he learnt the craft and then makes the toys but does not like to sell like me."

I asked if you find something ...s close to my heart,"

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I asked if you find something better than this work. Would you prefer to do that? He thought for a moment and replied, "I will give it a second thought, but I will not discontinue the craft of toy making because this is one thing that is close to my heart,"

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Khatoon Bibi, wife of Ameer Kh...r visiting washroom.

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Khatoon Bibi, wife of Ameer Khan, started sharing that she had been on the bed since last four years. She is unable to stand still on her feet. She seeks help from her daughter-in-law or Munir for visiting washroom.

“It’s a Ha...ome back penniless,”

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“It’s a Hawai Rozi; inconsistent livelihood, sometimes it pays you in form of 400/500 rupees and sometimes you come back penniless,”

“There are two consu...ir order.”

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“There are two consumers left of these toys; the people who are film industry and teachers they order beforehand that they need a certain amount, and we prepare before they come to pick-up their order.”

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“My own younger son ...edly in the evening”

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“My own younger son thinks, these toy-making activity is not of any worth and he prefers going to cattle auction with the surety he would not come back home empty handedly in the evening”

Once I caught cold and I could... of mine?”

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Once I caught cold and I could not visit them for a month, but I gave them my mobile number so, Khatoon Bibi called me and asked, “Why didn’t I come since a month?” So, I told her that I caught cold so she told a ‘totka’-remedy- to me that would cure my congested chest. She said, whenever I will visit them, she would spare some Desi eggs of her domestic hen. When I visited them after recovering Khatoon Bibi instructed Bholi to make tea and boil an egg for me. When I was coming back home, she gave me two eggs and said, “mix them in hot milk and your chest would be perfect in the morning.” For the whole winter season, whenever I visited her, she gave me a boiled egg and cup of tea and whenever I insisted not to take she responded, “Aren’t you a son of mine?”

He requested me to take photos...y in his insistence.

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He requested me to take photos with his wife to save as Yadgeeri, "who knows how much time she has," (his wife is sick) and asked me to share whatever the expenses are spent on printing. I tried to refuse payment, saying it was alright, but he insisted. I could sense the dignity in his insistence.

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Once their only daughter, Shaz...r them, a special one in fact.

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Once their only daughter, Shazia was visiting so Ameer Khan already shared the date of her arrival, he also wanted to have a family photograph. I observed that they have strange relationship while being photographed, in this age of a click with every second, being photographed is an event for them, a special one in fact.

Bholi and Munir got married 6 ... of her Wedding Day.

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Bholi and Munir got married 6 months ago and their cousin took their pictures on a mobile phone, but they did not own any as a Yadgeeri. So, Bholi wore her bridal dress, applied make-up for recreating the memory of her Wedding Day.

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Munir is very fond of pets. He...pigeons and a quail.

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Munir is very fond of pets. He has hens, pigeons and a quail.

Munir does not like to sell th...en he has free time.

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Munir does not like to sell these toys but he helps his preparing sometimes when he has free time.

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It was a cold, cloudy evening ...lled Meeru by love).

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It was a cold, cloudy evening in the beginning of January 2021. I was sitting on a cot outside of Ameer Khan's tent-house when I saw a person of six feet coming towards me hobbling. He was, in his sixties, wearing a chocolate brown shalwar kameez, covering the head with a brown pakol, keeping a thick and lengthy mustache, eyes were brimming with Surma and he was wearing a brown Gargaabi in feet. For a moment, I thought some retired security guard was coming; later, Khatoon Bibi told me he was the younger brother of Meeru (Ameer Khan is called Meeru by love).

One day Sakhi Muhammad invited...r of the tent-house.

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One day Sakhi Muhammad invited me to his tent-house for the first time. It was a 20 x 16 tent house with a small kitchen made of mud. While entering the tent-house, two wooden charpais were lying left and right, leaving the space in the center that ends with large trunks covered by colorful frills. Some posters of Sufis (Shahbaz Qalandar, Data Sahib) were hanging along the roof in the center of the tent-house.

While entering the tent-house,...r of the tent-house.

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While entering the tent-house, two wooden charpais were lying left and right, leaving the space in the center that ends with large trunks covered by colorful frills. Some posters of Sufis (Shahbaz Qalandar, Data Sahib) were hanging along the roof in the center of the tent-house.

"I spent most of my l...r story..."

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"I spent most of my life eloping with girls, and in courts, I had been notorious in my hometown but time does not stay same, the prime age comes and goes, there is a proverb: the end of a scoundrel and a prostitute is always bad; I escaped by 25/26 court cases, eloped with four women, and also helped 10/15 people arranging elopements that’s another story..."

"I was 14 years old w... carried on proudly.

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"I was 14 years old when I eloped with a girl; it was my first marriage."He opened his wallet and showed me a blurred black and white passport size picture. “I have married four times, and every single time I eloped," he carried on proudly.

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When I was a toddler, my fathe...ey did not visit us.

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When I was a toddler, my father had Pashtoon friends in Peshawar. When I was 6/7 months old, they came to see me, and their wives made this mole on my forehead with a needle to save me from ‘Nazar-e-bad’Bad omen. My mother told me I cried a lot. They opened it with a needle, added Surma, and later pinned it up. When I was 8/9 years old, they asked my mother to see how beautiful this Dimi looked to him. Its tradition of India you know, here you can find this tradition in Peshawar. After the death of my father, they did not visit us.

He showed me pictures of all h...my death.”

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He showed me pictures of all his four wives. He wanted to get one of his pictures photoshopped with one of his wives, who died some years ago. He told me he has 5 children from his last wife, who lives back in Talagang with his children, and a daughter from another wife. He shared that two of his wives died, whereas one he divorced.

I could see sadness coming over his eyes while sharing pictures of his deceased former wives. “I have pictures of all my family members, and I keep them as Yadgeeri; my children will have them after my death.”

“I used to be dandy ...e me, so I gave up.”

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“I used to be dandy in my prime age, even once Lollywood people came and offered me to work with them in Punjabi movies, I was also interested and willing to go in showbiz, but my mother and my sister started crying if the people would misuse me, so I gave up.”

Sakhi Muhammad's elder...rsquo;t pay enough…

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Sakhi Muhammad's elder son, Rehmat sells coloured fish on the streets. He prefers selling fish to making and selling these toys he thinks the toys don’t pay enough…

I found an interesting thing a...eneration."

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I found an interesting thing about the toymakers’ relationship with pictures. Surprisingly, they had only one source of being photographed themselves: the Pathan photographers on the streets. I observed that whenever they view their family pictures, they become sad. Sakhi Muhammad again stressed that pictures are Yadgeeri for everyone as when he will die, these would be Yadgeeri for them, and when they would not be any more, they would go with his grandsons, so it will go generation to generation."

“My father was in ja...migrated to Lahore.”

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“My father was in jail for 14 years in a suspected murder case. I was 6 years old at that time. It was the time we migrated to Lahore.”

"Now the end seems we...ellip;." He finished.

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"Now the end seems weaker, and I know whatever I have done (referring to elopements) has consequences, but if God is blessed, He will forgive me…." He finished.

Ibrahin Alam Mehboob is a pott...n pots since many generations.

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Ibrahin Alam Mehboob is a pottery maker of 25 old and he makes earthen pots. He belongs to village Ahmad Pur Sharqia that comes under the district of Bahawalpur. He has been making these earthen pots since the last 17 years. He learnt this craft from his father whose for-fathers had been making these earthen pots since many generations.

"My father cannot mak... using earthen pots."

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"My father cannot make these pots now due to his weak eye sight, I and my two brothers are carrying this tradition forward from my generation and we are hopeful that we will bring this tradition forward. In the olden times people used earthen pots for cooking and eating but in this modern age this tradtion has died down. People prefer steel-based or glass based pots now. We are trying to reintroduce this tradition of using earthen pots."

" If I talk about my ...prey to any disease."

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"If I talk about my father's time at that time this skill of earthen pot making was time taking as there weren't electric motors so he used foot to revolve the plate on that pot was made. Now the force that was made by foot has been replaced by electric motor. The pots have also been modernized as per the requirement as pitcher has been replaced by earthen jug, and bowl has taken place of earthen glass now. We have made tea sets and water sets of mud as well. I was trained on that manual machine initially but now I have converted to this motor based machine and that manual machine used to take a lot of energy and effort and this craft doesnt pay us in return according to the amount of hardwork we put in. By using these earthen toys you cannot fall a prey to any disease."

" I was fond of this ...ally new generation."

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" I was fond of this craft and I want to promote this craft for my country and make Pakistan proud. I made world's smallest pot by this skill that is the size of pinky finger's nail. I want to show the world our talent. I also conduct workshops in schools and festivals because I want to promote this craft and glad to teach anyone especially new generation."

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Thumbnail of Ameer Khan has been making thes_ffshoots of Pothohar.

Thumbnail of “My parents were basi_;#39;t like to sell.”

Thumbnail of “I leave at 7/8 am in_ycle ride.”

Thumbnail of Ameer Khan told about his child_e shifting to Lahore."

Thumbnail of "It requires a lot of _cardboard skillfully."

Thumbnail of “We just demand that _is is all we desire!”

Thumbnail of "We also used to make _e items are saleable."

Thumbnail of "After me, I don&#_like to sell like me."

Thumbnail of I asked if you find something b_is close to my heart,"

Thumbnail of Labour of Love

Thumbnail of Khatoon Bibi, wife of Ameer Kha_or visiting washroom.

Thumbnail of “It’s a Haw_come back penniless,”

Thumbnail of “There are two consum_eir order.”

Thumbnail of Labour of Love

Thumbnail of “My own younger son t_dedly in the evening”

Thumbnail of Once I caught cold and I could _n of mine?”

Thumbnail of He requested me to take photos _ty in his insistence.

Thumbnail of Labour of Love

Thumbnail of Once their only daughter, Shazi_or them, a special one in fact.

Thumbnail of Bholi and Munir got married 6 m_y of her Wedding Day.

Thumbnail of Labour of Love

Thumbnail of Labour of Love

Thumbnail of Labour of Love

Thumbnail of Munir is very fond of pets. He _ pigeons and a quail.

Thumbnail of Munir does not like to sell the_hen he has free time.

Thumbnail of Labour of Love

Thumbnail of Labour of Love

Thumbnail of It was a cold, cloudy evening i_alled Meeru by love).

Thumbnail of One day Sakhi Muhammad invited _er of the tent-house.

Thumbnail of While entering the tent-house, _er of the tent-house.

Thumbnail of "I spent most of my li_er story..."

Thumbnail of "I was 14 years old wh_e carried on proudly.

Thumbnail of Labour of Love

Thumbnail of When I was a toddler, my father_hey did not visit us.

Thumbnail of He showed me pictures of all hi_ my death.”

Thumbnail of “I used to be dandy i_se me, so I gave up.”

Thumbnail of Sakhi Muhammad's elder _;rsquo;t pay enough…

Thumbnail of I found an interesting thing ab_generation."

Thumbnail of “My father was in jai_ migrated to Lahore.”

Thumbnail of "Now the end seems wea_hellip;." He finished.

Thumbnail of Ibrahin Alam Mehboob is a potte_en pots since many generations.

Thumbnail of "My father cannot make_f using earthen pots."

Thumbnail of " If I talk about my f_ prey to any disease."

Thumbnail of " I was fond of this c_ially new generation."

Public Story

Labour of Love

Copyright Waqas Manzoor 2024

Date of Work Oct 2021 - Ongoing

Updated Nov 2022

Location Lahore

Topics Art, Beauty, Business, Climate Change, Craftspeople, Culture, Culture stories, Environment, Feature, Happiness, Joy, Photography, Stories, Struggles, Toymaking

Summary

This first chapter of my project illustrates struggles and stories of a family toy-makes. Every member of the family is unique and brings individual beauty of her/his own. They tell stories from childhood, the reasons behind their migration to Lahore, their street stories, their life struggles and most importantly their craft of toy-making and relationship to this craft. I have divided this chapter in a chronological order to my visits and time I spent with every individual. The order is as:
1. Ameer Khan (Householder)
2. Khatoon Bibi (Wife of Ameer)
3. Sakhi Muhammad (Younger brother of Ameer)

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