embroidered panel

proverb

boson

In frames: Rohingya wit

EMB0174

Sharing boson (proverbs) to hand down cultural wisdom from one generation to the next is in fabric of Rohingya culture. As CMC Rohingya women artisans themselves suggested the idea to illustrate proverbs with their needlecraft, artist-in-residence Farzana Urmi and art facilitator Saleha Akter Urmi led this project playing with challenges of translating the richness of oral culture to embroidery art. Rohingyalish (a simplified Rohingya script using Latin alphabets) used in the artwork lets you experience the sound of the boson while appreciating the evocative yet naïve drawings from the Rohingya artisans of the camp. Áf maillé kessuá uré. Literal translation: When snakes are killed, earthworms also come out. Meaning: While dealing with big issues, petty issues reveal themselves. It is like when you are having an argument with your mother about a recent issue, she brings up your previous small mistakes that you did not know she had noticed.