Aisha Yahaya

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Ina Mutanen Jakara? (Where are the people of Jakara?)

“Ina mutanen Jakara?” (where are the people of Jakara?) is one of the first questions my mum asks whenever she calls home, and although she is primarily referring to my grandmothers, she is also referring to anyone else who is around. The family usually gathers at the house every evening after work.

In March 2024, a section of my grandfather Malam’s house was demolished for a highly politicised road project. Although everyone assumed that there was more time before the demolition reached us, some houses in the area had already been demolished since December, which had created a lot of frustration for people, making the neighbourhood increasingly unsafe for the family. My grandmother and uncle’s family were quickly moved to my other uncle’s home where they have been living since, but they are set to move to a new house in September.

The question “Ina mutanene Jakara?” is now always answered with “ay babu Jakara yanzu” (There is no Jakara now). 

This body of work serves as a starting point for the future generation, for when they become curious about the family. I also want it to serve as a reminder of how beautiful the house was for nearly 80 years, and that it was a house filled with joy, celebrations, sadness, chaos and energy. 

This work explores themes of memory, matriarchy, loss, privacy, family, architecture, indigenous knowledge and land displacement.