Route to roots: Finding heritage in the everyday

As South Asian Heritage Month 2025 unfolds with its theme "Route to Roots," I find myself reflecting on how identity and culture weave through our daily lives in ways we might not always notice. For some, these heritage celebrations may seem distant or abstract, but I've come to realise that the connections surround us constantly, in our language, our rituals, even in our morning cup of tea.

I'm a GP in Manchester, and I also hold degrees in political science, history, and international relations. Now, with the perspective of time, I have even more appreciation for understanding my own personal history as someone from Peshawar, Pakistan.

Third culture journey

I spent a significant part of my life as a "third culture kid", someone with origins in Pakistan and South Asia but born in the Middle East, raised across the United Kingdom, the Middle East, and Pakistan. At different stages of my life, I felt like I didn't fit in anywhere. I often had to forge new relationships and friendships in each place, sometimes leaving me feeling like I didn't belong. I also struggled to understand local jokes and customs.

To help me understand the places I was living in, I sought out historical reading to give me context. This created curiosity in me about how and why certain things exist in certain ways within specific contexts. As a result of that curiosity and fascination with history, I developed knowledge that others found valuable when discussing certain events and topics.

However, even with that knowledge, I'm often surprised by how certain connections come to my attention. For instance, a few years ago, I encountered a patient who explained how things had gone awry in his life. He then proceeded to explain the origins of the word "doolally." As someone who had served in South Asia and the Middle East during the Second World War, he shared that there was a stopover point in India called Deolali. People who stayed there for extended periods during transit experienced what we would call cabin fever. So, someone who became agitated became "doolally."

Another example came when a colleague was appointed to a lovely job, you know, one of those where it never seemed like work. Someone commented on how it was a cushy job, and I reflected on how the word "cushy" originates from the Persian word "khushi," meaning "happy."

From tea leaves to trauma

There are other stories as well. When I'm having a cup of tea in the middle of surgery, I can't help but reflect on tea's origins. Tea was one of China's prized exports, and once it became mass-produced in the British Empire, the primary market was in the United Kingdom. However, once that market became saturated, tea was exported to South Asia, where it became the most popular drink in the region. Inexorably, my cup of tea carries a history and identity that crosses from China to this country.

Then there are more poignant moments, when I was discussing partition with a large group of people at a community event, one person shared his personal family experiences of shared trauma from those events. He explained that his family had to move from what became Pakistan to India, then to the UK after being displaced from employment in the Gulf. He asked a thought-provoking question: "Is there something to be said about someone once they're displaced that they never settle?"

This moment was deeply emotional, as it raised questions about when the past becomes another country, and what impact trauma has on generations. Some of these scars can leave deep-seated issues in our societies, which can manifest as inequalities.

The threads of belonging

Overall, these moments make me wonder about identity and how we all wear many hats at once. The richness of our lives comes from weaving all these aspects into the tapestry of our existence.

So maybe next time we want to look at roots and routes, we don't have to look very far. All we need to do is sit on a cushy chair while putting the kettle on and step back for a moment to see the interdependence in our lives.