The safe spaces ‘in-between’ – plays, performance and identity among young ‘second generation’ Somalis in London

ABSTRACT

The article elaborates on how young UK-born self-identifying Somalis use performance to create ‘liminal’ spaces that allow them to explore and express the often contradictory registers of self and belonging through play and the carnivalesque. The plays they write, practise and perform transform community places into ‘safe spaces’ that open and invite dialogue on the intergenerational conflicts they experience around identity and expected behaviour. Far from being fictions, in making visible the liminality in the daily lives, these young people communicate ‘the reality behind the role playing mask’ [Turner, Victor. 1982. From Ritual to Theatre – The Human Seriousness of Play. New York: PAJ, 155]. This research is based on 6 months ethnographic research with the Mustaqbal youth group based in London. It contributes to rethinking ‘safe space’ by illuminating how young people use the ‘stage’ to express elements of their lives they are otherwise unable to voice.

KEYWORDS:

• Second generation
• migrant
• identity
• theatre
• liminality
• canivalesque

Acknowledgements

This article would not have been possible without the amazing interactions and inspiring conversation I have had with all the members of Mustaqbal, NOMAD and Refugee Youth – a special thanks goes out to the three people who took the time to reflect, debate and laugh with me about my work – you know who you are. I would also like to thank Gavin Weston and Natalie Djohari for their extensive support with the editing of this article and my peer reviewers for their constructive feedback.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Notes

1 Individual’s names throughout this article have been changed due to privacy considerations.

2 ‘Being in Between – Identity Performances and Performing Identities’ submitted to Department of Anthropology – Goldsmiths College on 16 September 2013.