The video of a young girl in hijab drumming with a youth band has become the Internet sensation of the time.
The girl in question, Nazia Samantha, can be the image of a new face of youth-modest yet progressive, religiously inclined but not blinkered.
The social media uproar is divided into two categories " one which lauds Nazia for defining the new role of a woman who has decided to pursue her passion in music while staying within religious norms while the other segment contends that if a girl is performing hijab then she should not engage in music.
In Bangladesh, any debate involving religion is a passionate one but perhaps those who are looking at Nazia with a skewed perspective can take inspiration from women football teams of Arab nations which take the field wearing headscarves and full body covering.
When asked about attire code in general, Nazia Samantha reportedly gave a very mature answer saying that whether a person decides to wear jeans and tops or a hijab depends on that person’s desire only and, whichever dress she chooses cannot be used as a yardstick to judge her.
In fact, she is right because it would be wrong to state that a woman musician, sports person, security personnel or a professional has to adhere to any given/rigid attire code.
It’s her choice and her alone!
Naturally, if Nazia had not worn the hijab, the video would not have become the talk of town.
We all know that, but she has done what is right in her view and in an evolving society where women are regularly discovering new roles, a girl in hijab playing the drums is a challenge to orthodox concepts.
Smashing the stereotypes:
Social stereotyping is a pervasive problem, affecting all nations.
If some tells you, a doctor is coming to the room, in our subconscious mind we create the image of a man or a woman with a solemn expression, stethoscope in hand, followed by a female nurse.
Instead, when a young lad in jeans, t shirt walks in, the image we had imagined earlier gets a jolt.
In imagining a police officer, we automatically conjure up the image of a man but the person in uniform can very well be a lady.
Even in negative situations, when we hear a drug seller has been arrested, we expect a shady looking man, whereas often the peddler is a woman.
In Nazia’s case, it’s the stereotyping entrenched deep in our minds that has been given a shake-up.
A female vocal, piano player or, a guitar player is something we have seen before and, therefore, if Nazia had been in one of those roles the surprise factor would have been low.
Drumming is deemed the most strenuous of part in a band plus majority of us are programmed to imagine a drummer wearing sleeveless t-shirts with bulging muscles, exuding machismo.
That preconceived notion was challenged by Nazia.
Also, the word religiously inclined or devout usually creates an austere and spartan image.
Consequently, a person in modest attire, wearing a headscarf playing a musical instrument shatters programmed notions in us.
A modestly attired Nazia playing with a band and killing it with her drum-beats captures the ethos of a modern Bangladesh which respects someone’s lifestyle while cherishing talent.
In several of her interviews with a variety of media houses, Nazia spoke of her past as a serious badminton player who had trained with national level shuttlers but was forced to give up due to a shoulder ligament injury.
This means she had shown talent in sports too.
If someone has talent then that must be promoted, supported and encouraged.
Whether Nazia will become a professional drummer or not in the future is not for us to determine or speculate.
She is showing talent now which needs to be encouraged.
What should also be respected is the attire of choice of a person.
One may wear the hijab or one may not and that’s the decision of that person only.
Nazia and her drumming skills will inspire others to also pick up the sticks to learn the drums which had so far been the domain of men.
From a lighter angle, the youth band with which Nazia plays, may soon be performing at gigs and the lady drummer will be in the spotlight.
Today, this girl has set a new example for living and enjoying life while adhering to attire principles of religion.
The underlying message is simple: stereotypes can be challenged without being radical.
Author is a former journalist!
