Written by: Aiman Javed
Posted on: February 28, 2018 | 
| 中文
Han dynasty clothing
The CPEC Cultural Caravan Festival kicked off at the Pakistan National Council of the Arts (PNCA) on Sunday, 25th February and concluded on Monday, 26th February. The event was inaugurated by Minister of State for Information, Ms. Marriyum Aurangzeb, and Ambassador of People’s Republic of China, H.E. Mr Yao Jing. The festival showcased the artworks, documentaries, photography, music and clothing, which was created as part of the caravan. The caravan travelled from Xi’an, China to Gawadar, Pakistan along the Silk Route, in November 2017. As part of the caravan, Chinese and Pakistani writers, photographers, anthropologists, film makers, musicians and artists interacted with the locals, in order to study and create art, as well as reflect upon the culture of both countries.
On Saturday evening, we visited PNCA to catch a glimpse of the festival. The host for the evening was renowned TV actor Saman Ansari. The programme began with an energetic dance titled ‘Mehrgarh,’ which was choreographed by classical dancer Amna Mawaz Khan, and performed by the PNCA troupe. In accordance with the theme, the loose clothing of the dancers seemed to be made of wool and jute, while the music consisted of vocally produced sounds and drums. To give the dance some context, a story was narrated regarding the people who worshipped the sun. As backdrop, a screen displayed images of the rugged landscape.
Next, the Chinese host Ms. Wang Shan took to the stage, to introduce a fashion show of traditional Chinese clothing. These included dresses from the Han, Tang, Song and Ming dynasty, as well as the Three Kingdoms period. The students of the Chinese university displayed elegant Chinese attires ranging from Ruqun to Chang-ao. The history of the clothing and its various details were pointed out by Ms. Wang.
This was followed by a medley created by Chinese and Pakistani singers, who had been part of the caravan. Accompanied by Gulab Afridi playing rubab, Nauman Khan took to the stage and began the song. He was followed by Ms. Wong who sang in Chinese. She was joined by Jia Nauman, a young singer with powerful vocals, who accompanied several other singers as well. Balochi, Punjabi, Pushtun and Sindhi folk stars followed in quick succession, including Akhtar Channal. Channal’s ‘Dane Pe Dane,’ had the crowd in a frenzy, and the back rows could be seen dancing. A short video of the journey of the Cultural Caravan team was displayed in the background, with snippets from the cities they visited and the activities they took part in. A memorable part of the performance was when Ms. Wong sang ‘Pak-Cheen Dosti Zindabad.’ The composer of music for the evening was Mehdi Raza, a young musician, who also sang some segments of the song.
As the performance came to an end, Mr. Jamal Shah, DG PNCA, addressed the audience. He explained the concept behind the ‘Mehrgarh’ dance. The dance is an ode to the Neolithic site of Mehrgarh (6500 BCE), located in Balochistan and considered a precursor to the Indus Valley Civilization. While speaking about the CPEC Cultural Caravan, he said that the festival is a mere glimpse of what these artists have achieved, and over the next few months more of their work will be published and displayed. He made the important announcement of the formation of the much-needed National Film Academy and the National Performing Arts Academy.
The evening concluded with live performances by Qurban Niazi, Niazi Brothers, Gulab Begum and Saeen Khawar Hussain, all of whom were accompanied by an orchestra. Songs such as ‘Naina de Akhay’ and ‘Kheriyaan de Naal’ evoked nostalgia for the golden period of Pakistani folk music.
Several other activities spanned across the two days of the festival. Various stalls were set up of Chinese and Pakistani food while local craftsmen were given the chance to display their wares. A fashion showcase was arranged by students of Hunerkada, who had created clothing combining Pakistani and Chinese cultural influences. In the CPEC Youth Contest short films were screened, along with documentaries by CPEC Cultural Caravan participants. The photography component of the caravan was also screened, and the images have been compiled in the form of a coffee table book.
On Sunday, a seminar titled ‘Art and Culture Enabling Creative Economy’ was arranged, which was attended by cultural experts from around the country. Presentations by these experts highlighted the ways in which culture contributes to development. The closing ceremony was a star-studded affair, attended by the Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi and Ms. Marriyum Aurangzeb, who announced the first film and cultural policy of Pakistan.
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