Forest Nomadism
Saba Khan:
Forest Nomadism
Video: HDMI single channel 20 min
2024
The video footage was shot during covid period. It documents the stage when the Gujjar nomadic community migrates from the plains, to their summer encampment in the himalayan foothills in Murree. Their encampment is on an abandoned private property in the forest. Through a communal activity, with designated jobs for each family member stretching over a number of days to complete, they build their tents. Their precarious and vulnerable lives are exposed to the environment, weather, poor health and also government regimes and borders. Thirty years ago they journeyed to a higher altitude but because of checkposts and rise in cost of living, their journey was cut short to Murree. The Roma community in Europe traces their roots back to the Gujjar nomads in South Asia and have retained words from Gojri language. Before borders were imposed, they were free to wander beyond private properties and nation states, crossing from Asia into Europe.