Response To Arts Council Article - People Rewriting Our History In Their Own Image By Pete Stitt

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I would like to thank the Editor of Hami Kurd magazine for waking me from a sort of self-imposed coma this week. I had walked away from the local asylum situation, completely disillusioned, as loads of middle class white (and ethnic minority) English individuals and organisations came flooding into the 'industry' when it became clear there were funding opportunities. I didn't need the aggro, I was bringing up my son and really didn't see the point of arguing. If they want the credit for everything achieved, let them have it.

I wasn't bothered but I did not think the abuse of the system would go further and further. I concentrated on my writing in the larger international Kurdish media and helping out with legal cases. When you have been on stage since the age of fifteen you really don't get too excited about your picture or name being featured in the Hull Daily Mail anymore. Let them have their way, I thought.

Most of the 'newcomers' to the asylum 'industry' had never taught anyone their first English language, got out of bed at 2.00am to go to a police station or hospital in response to a crisis, listened to a man through the night as he spilled the dreadful story of his family's suffering.

I, and a few others, have done these things and we didn't get rewards because we were not seeking them. People such as Guy Cheverton and Val Brady did not see the asylum seekers as 'clients', they saw them as fellow human beings. Now it's like Woodstock, everybody was there at the time, 'fighting the good fight'. Bull! There was a handful at most. Hami Kurd website has posted the article you guys felt was too hot to handle.

I told the editor he should have a quiet word with Ken Branson rather than take risks but, God bless his reckless Kurdish approach, he ignored my advice. It made me feel somewhat ashamed that I had walked away from this fight simply to ensure a quiet life.

History is written by the victors, the people who secure powerful positions after the events described in their writing, and I have seen this happen before with the Hull music scene... Apparently punk in Hull consisted of The Odds who were terrible and poppy and far too pretty, and Dead Fingers Talk who were good musicians but were actually old. They were the first wave, then we had the Red Guitars and Moscow and Indians in Moscow. None of the above bands were punk bands but, according to any websearch you carry out (and the Hull Daily Mail's recollection) that was Hull's punk scene.

Continued.... Next Page

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