Our Vilayati Journey: A Story That Belongs to All of Us

For many of us in the South Asian community, the word Vilayati brings up complex memories. Once meaning "foreign," it’s a word our elders used to describe Britain, a distant land that became home, not by choice for some, but out of hope, necessity, or duty. Over time, Vilayati transformed from something unfamiliar into something personal. This journey of making the foreign familiar is the story we are honouring.

Our Vilayati Journey is a community project and exhibition that brings together the lived experiences of British South Asians across generations. On Saturday 13th September 2025 at Ickenham Village Hall, we invite you to step into a space filled with stories, photos, and objects that speak of migration, belonging, identity, and resilience.

These are the stories we’ve grown up with told over cups of chai, during family weddings, or quietly passed down in between the lines of everyday life. Stories of grandparents who arrived with little more than a suitcase and big dreams. Of mothers who balanced traditions with the demands of a new country. Of children who learnt to navigate two worlds one at home, one outside always trying to make both feel like one.

Through this exhibition, we hope to capture not just the struggles, but the beauty and strength in how our communities adapted, preserved culture, and built something lasting. From the first factory jobs to setting up corner shops, from Bollywood records on cassette to garba in school halls, from letters sent back home to WhatsApp messages today our journey has been one of transformation, love, and resilience.

This project is not just about looking back. It’s about bridging the gap between generations. It’s about younger people understanding where they come from, and older generations seeing that their stories still matter that they are remembered, honoured, and cherished.

We warmly welcome you whether you’re part of this journey or want to learn more to visit the exhibition, share your memories, and celebrate the roots that keep us strong, even as our branches continue to grow in new directions.

Join us. Listen. Reflect. Remember. This is our Vilayati journey and it belongs to all of us.