First-generation British Asian women remain almost invisible in academic and cultural discourse, occupying a silent space in extant studies of heritage, culture and migration. Their voices and presence are undocumented and their pioneering contribution to the extraordinary achievements of subsequent generations of their families and communities are unrecognised, unattributed.

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Now frail, and in their dotage, the remaining women of this pioneer generation are relatively few in number. There is an urgency to document and preserve this neglected history for education and cultural heritage. There is much to learn from the resilience, vibrancy and sheer determination of these women, not just to survive, but to thrive in the UK. Their experience is very relevant for migrant groups arriving to our shores today, particularly as they negotiate their identity and make sense of their displaced existence.

The exhibition challenges prevailing images and stereotypes of first-generation British Asian women, which despite decades of multicultural education and celebrations of cultural diversity, persist in popular culture, educational literature and everyday life. Such outdated images of auntyjis hide the significance of their role as a driving force in nurturing the aspirational values, high expectations and cultural practices that have enabled the extraordinary success of their husbands and sons, daughters and descendants in the economy and culture of the UK.

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The stories and artifacts produced for Motherland reveal the power and inner strength of these women and their key role in keeping cultural practices and traditions intact and relevant for future generations. These cultural practices include bhajans (devotional hymns) and boliyaan (folk songs) which embody a strong sense of identity and heritage stories that serve to strengthen social bonds between families and kinship groups and the communities they form.