Jamati members of different ages, cultural backgrounds, and artistic genres came together to weave an awe-inspiring program that exemplified what it means to be living in a pluralistic society. The goal of the program, for Project Manager Arsalan Merchant, was to include as many diverse groups as possible and to ensure the program was something that every Jamati member could connect with regardless of their age or country of origin. It was also significant because it enabled the Jamat to not only connect with one another regionally, but also globally.
The One Jamat Launch featured a parade which included bagpipe players, drummers, Jamati and Institutional leadership, interfaith families, and over 200 senior citizens who were a part of the Matki Band – including one member who was 103 years young. This was an especially moving moment for the seniors as they felt blessed and fortunate to be able to experience the Imam’s Diamond Jubilee.
Being a part of the pipe band was extra special for Shahzeen Rehman, who was overjoyed to be among the first women to become a bagpipe player in the Southeast band this year. She was grateful for the support and mentoring she received in order to learn how to play the bagpipes and enjoyed the entire experience of practicing with the band over the last eight months.
Another segment of the launch was “The Jubilee Performance” which brought together over 50 artists from the Southeast region to perform the Jubilee song, “With Heart With Love,” and a production titled “Light Upon Light” which was rooted in Mawlana Hazar Imam’s guidance of unity, diversity, identity, and pluralism. The performance depicted a murid’s individual journey of reflection and showcased one’s connection to a larger community through a series of dance segments that represented the diverse traditions within the Jamat and ultimately displayed that while we all may have differences, our faith and the light within us is what binds all murids.
For many artists involved in the production, this was an experience they will carry for a lifetime. A select number of dancers from each region gathered in Houston to learn the choreography and had an opportunity to travel to different regions to teach other performers what they had learned. Raheem Budhani was among the few who were selected. “Having the opportunity to meet and connect with other performers and Jamats was one of the favorite parts of the experience for me,” said Raheem. Besides focusing on the choreography of the steps, there was tremendous focus on connecting with one's inner self and sharing love and light with others.
Many performers shared moments of self-reflection and growth through the process. One of those performers, Khadtija Meghjani, shared that dance was a way for her to express things about love and faith that she otherwise couldn’t do with logic. “This experience has solidified my belief in this kind of expression and in the ability of our bodies to tell a story with no words,” shared Khadtija. “Not only has it changed my playlist but also my heart about the things our community is capable of doing.”
Not only were performers exposed to new genres of music and dance, but they also had an opportunity to learn about the origin and significance of the moves associated to the dances. Zafir Sharif felt that he grew as an individual from the experience, “Normally I get caught up in focusing on my moves and ensuring I am the one who is coordinated,” he explained. “But this time, I focused less on myself and became completely engrossed with ensuring that we were representing these countries authentically.”
Many dancers leaped out of their comfort zones to embrace new steps and styles of dance that they had never considered before. Though she is from Afghanistan, the performance challenged Farishta Saba personally. “This performance challenged me in more ways than I could have ever imagined. I thought that being from Afghanistan I would know how to do all of the steps and it would be easier, but it definitely was not. The people in my group were amazing dancers and I became better because of them.”
The beauty of the One Jamat Launch was twofold. In the literal sense, the entire program was synchronized right down to the costumes, hair, and makeup of each performer in the Jubilee Performance across all nine regions. On a personal level, every artist was able to make a deep connection with other murids, recognizing that regardless of where our roots are, we are truly united in our love for each other and in our love for the Imam as one Jamat. The performances truly captured the very essence of what the Jubilee is all about - bringing people together, strengthening our understanding of each other, as well as sharing love, laughter, art, and light.
