The material production of cultural difference in real time: Punjabi, Bengali, and NWFP-ness among Partition refugees in Delhi

Abstract

Archaeologists understand the limitations of viewing cultural categories as deterministic of material culture use and preference. Nonetheless, it is challenging to avoid such assumptions when attempting to interpret material patterns associated with moments of migration. This paper considers how regional identities shaped the ways refugees interacted with resettlement housing landscapes in Delhi (India) following the 1947 Partition of South Asia. Collating information from in-site survey, oral history interviews, and documentary records, I argue that refugees often view their prePartition regional identities as a major orienting factor in how they have interacted with urban landscapes in the city. Punjabi refugees self-describe their resettlement spaces as modern and quick-changing. Bengali refugees highlight the green space and festival grounds in their communities. Refugees from the North West Frontier Provence highlight their resilience in the face of coercive government planning. All view foregrounding such identities as means to counter the negative stereotypes associated with the broader identifier “refugee.” This case study highlights how individuals can themselves contribute to dominant narratives about the determinism of cultural identities and associated material signifiers.