Both Not Half: How language shapes identity | Jassa Ahluwalia | TEDxChandigarh
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- Опубліковано 12 сер 2020
- Is he British? Is he a Punjabi? No, he is both. Listen to the powerful story of a man torn between two identities and how he overcame it all. Jassa Ahluwalia is an actor, writer and filmmaker. He came to prominence as loveable badboy Rocky in the hit BBC Three series ‘Some Girls’, followed by starring roles in ‘Ripper Street’ and the internationally acclaimed series ‘Peaky Blinders’.
‘Heart’s Ease’, his writer-director debut short film, won two Best Film awards during its festival run, and was an official selection at San Diego International Film Festival and the BAFTA-qualifying London Short Film Festival. It was described by bestselling author Anthony Horowitz as “an accomplished piece of film-making”.
Jassa’s second short film, ‘Near’, in which he also stars (alongside Olivier nominee Amy Lennox), is currently in postproduction. ‘Ancient Giants’, a documentary short that he produced, exploring deforestation in Chile, recently premiered at the prestigious Kendal Mountain Festival. In addition, he is developing a TV series with his sister Ramanique Ahluwalia, from a script longlisted by the BBC Writersroom.
Jassa found further recognition in 2019 after his homemade comedy skits went viral on social media. His videos, in which he plays an old Punjabi uncle, were accompanied by his hashtag #BothNotHalf, the distillation of his ideas on mixed heritage experience. This led to Jassa being elected to the Equity Minority Ethnic Members Committee to help lead the fight for better representation in the performing arts.
Jassa concluded 2019 by hosting the BritAsia Music Awards at the historic Wembley Arena. In the New Year, he will be reprising his role in series 4 of ‘Unforgotten’, starring Nicola Walker and Sanjeev Bhaskar. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at www.ted.com/tedx
"Mixed heritage and one human race". damn, that was rlly powerful - more people need to hear this kind of thinking. ❤
but even if we were a different race it would be ok too :)
proof that racism is a lie.
what a beautiful message... "all of us are both of something"...
That Ted talk was fantastic. No matter what our age; we are all on a learning curve. As a second generation British Indian , I can confirm that a lot of our extended family is of mixed heritage. Learning to accept everyone & understanding other cultures is paramount to a happy life. I wish you lots of success & happiness for the future. Wonderful presentation!
Proud of you. Punjabi is a beautiful language. Spot on message. Stay Blessed.
Omg who was expecting Rocky's voice 😱😱😱 hahaha so shook! What an actor 😂❤
"Mixed heritage". I love that instead of mixed-race.
Then you'd love legalese
It doesn't fully explain the term, because you can have mixed heritage from parents of the same race, but from different countries or ethnicities
At school in the 1990s, we always use to say half cast
Your punjaabiyat is so impressive and your Britishness is shining through too! You have the best of both the worlds and we wish you the best in all your endeavours wherein you can impress and resonate with more gripping talks like this one!
My parents are from India, I was born in England and now live in Canada where my children were born. Even having both Indian parents, this resonates so much with growing up in England in the 80s and 90s. And how it felt again after we moved to Canada.
"I'd been shown the way beyond naivety and nostalgia; I began the pursuit of wisdom." I love this
Mixed Heritage!! Brilliant. Very impressed with your journey.
Excellent speech and what a brilliant analysis in conclusion. Wonderful message.
Really excited to see such a topic discussed on a global platform. This will validate many people's feelings as they grapple with their sense of self and identity
As a Canadian Malayalee, I didn't expect to see you hear.
Love this young man. My children are Both Not Half!!! Thank you for doing this talk Jassa A! ☺🙏😅👍
This talk was SO well crafted and just so beautiful!!!!!
Wow... what he’s saying sounds so familiar. I’ve been feeling lost, disconnected, not fitting into these power labels he’s talking about. Thanks for bringing some confusions to light. Let’s change our thinking or language.
Wonderful to hear you jassa. How I wish you could reach out to all those Punjabi families who are happily renouncing their Punjabi roots in search of a "better" identity somewhere else.
This is beautiful. I always say you lose the language you lose the culture. Wadia prah. Proud of you. It’s amazing because Punjabi’s never take even as much pride of their heritage as much as this man. God bless you brother.
Meherbani veere!
Jassa Ahluwalia haha Rabh Rakha Bhau. Stay kaim.
I was born in the UK, grew up in the US to Sikh-Indian parents. I’ve called myself bicultural since the 90s. When I heard that term, it made so much more sense.
Beautiful talk, great use of humor.
Something my boy will want to hear about as he's starting his journey
My nephew as well . Sending this to my Brother and his wife
@@nnanuwa I sent the link to my kids immediately after watching....
I was there to witness the event. There were others talks as well, and this was one of the best talks I heard that day. Listening to it felt like watching a mobile but all the scenes in your mind. Well done jassa.
Thank you for being such a wonderful audience!
@@jassaahluwalia9753 it was not me who was wonderful, but your ability to bind us. Keep shining keep rising 💪
At first it will look like a delusion
But then you'll realize it's just a perfect fusion with a strong conclusion.
I met him at my friend's home at my hometown , he was a sweet child i remember
hugely entertaining with a strongly positive message.
Agreed!👍
Thank you, Carmel!
@@jassaahluwalia9753 super star!
Jassi, you're a national treasure! Both for India and the UK. We need more minds like yours in our divided world today. And your punjabi is top notch 👌
Wonderfully said. More power to you!
Thank you so much!
Finally. I was waiting for this for a long time.
Same! Haha.
@@jassaahluwalia9753 I second that! Well, I'm not sure entirely how long you've been waiting, but it's been a few months for me at least.
This was such a good talk and the perfect time for it too!!! Thank you!!
Speaks from the heart...
Where it not for his "exotic" name, Jassa Ahluwalia could live a totally white life, BUT he is steeped in his family's identity and crucially speaks the language. I am saddened when parents do not teach their children the mother tongue in the mistaken belief that they must be wholly immersive in the adopted country.
Thank you. It hit a few of my heart strings. I also have similar issues to you but youre making me aim and keep going for the better!!!!
Fantastic message and a great talk, very enjoyable, thank you
Very well spoken and excellent content, thank you for sharing your insight. 🙏🏽
Very interesting talk!👏👍🙌 Great storytelling!💪😃
Thanks! So pleased you enjoyed it.
Such an important message, and applicable to so many modern predicaments
Well done... Shows the importance of language and knowledge of culture.
I enjoy your skits on social media and your hosting on UKPHA bookclub. So impressed by your being drawn to both cultures and wanting to honour them both. It's something we all face as immigrants and children of immigrants, and you've dealt with it with humour and grace. Well done! Looking forward to much more success for you in the future!
Khush keeta Jay Putr Ji. Rubb lummi hayati de te dhair sariyaaN khushiyaaN de. Ameen
Inspirational young man. Well done.
wow. this resonated so hard. both not half and mixed-heritage not mixed-race
He definitely reflected so much on the richness of the two cultural heritages, deepened them with his studies that he ended up possessing a privileged brain and an ability to communicate and entertain that are admirable.
Loved it
Thank you for this fantastic talk - thoughtful, insightful and entertainingly-delivered! And especially meaningful for those of us with mixed heritage.
Both Not Half= I am Punjabi AND English …. Rather than “I am ‘half’ Punjabi and ‘half’ English’ which sounds degrading.
In their day the Angrezi referred to Anglo-Indians as “half-castes”, a disparaging term so typical of the racism engendered by colonialism.
I love it when he said we are not half nothing we are all something!! Labels allow control, divide and rule!! This is so true!!
This speech is incredible and it will inspire others
this is wild man. My family comes from punjab too but its like i don't like the culture. I just don't fit in, i'm not necessarily concerned by it but when i see stuff like this its kind of like "damn i wish i could be this passionate or intuitive when it comes to where i come from instead so dismissing" but i guess it just is how it is. Great talk though.
Wonderfully and well said!
Idk why I just love him, I'd bring him home to my parents
Great speech Jassa! Loved it :)
Thanks dude!
Jassa...PURE PUNJABI SO POWERFUL JI!
YOU are you....be proud of yr heritage. # don't solve problems...# problem solve ji🙏🇬🇧😊you can do it. Inner peace and tranquility is vital. Guru ji bless you always. WJKKWJKF
SABH THAAI HOVAI SAHAAI JI
So proud of you 💕❤💕🇬🇧🙏🇬🇧
Thank you! Fabulous! Great speaker.
Amzing story...😀
Wonderful speech so inspiring to many people that speak a foreign language and struggle to embrace two languages.
Bro, I've subscribed. Keep doing what you're doing and you're going to have at least 1 million subscribers.
Brilliant insight and a brilliant presentation👏👏👏
Just amazing 🙋
That was very educational. Glad I watched that.
Excellent!
Absolutely love this ❤️❤️❤️
Can you contribute in saving our language Punjabi? In west punjab we are facing state’s oppression as for as the language is concern.
Punjab needs independence from Pakistan and India.
@@mehnoordhillon2281 Pakistani punjab literally created Pakistan 75% of Pakistani population is in punjab and 99% Muslim so good luck🤨
Ariana gandhi spread of Wahhabism is going to destroy west Punjab. If they choose to wake up, they can. Otherwise their language and culture will die.
@@mehnoordhillon2281 you do know that they are Muslim they are not even punjabi anymore they now speak urdu an Islamic language their culture died hundreds of years ago
@@arianagandhi2601 its dying now. I wouldn't say it died hundred of years ago.
That was very good. How blessed you are to have both heritages.
Flipping brilliant 👏
An absolutely amazing talk...somewhere reinforcing the idea of this and that...not this or that...either and or...and not necessairly either or OR...
Even showcasing in what ways are identities are embossed...or maybe the "dents" in the identities are embossed...which makes it both fragile and resilient...fragile because it can be disassembled so easily...and yet resilient...for it can be reassembled, which is how it transforms and evolves.
This is awesome. Thanks for sharing :)
So nice to hear from you ❤️
Brilliant video, exceptional delivery!!
Enriched Heritage rather than mixed race ....
Thank you for your great speech. Your creativity and attitudes are amazing!
Very kind of you. Thank you.
@@jassaahluwalia9753 Not sure if you'll see this, but is there anywhere I can read _Alien Nation_ please❔
"both/and is an idea (not a label)"
"i am mixed heritage... one race."
"nothing is half anything... all of us are both something."
Super!! Love this 👌
WOW.
This is beautiful, it's on point :-)
Both are one. Never give up.
Amazing!! Still weird not hearing him as Rocky.
I was actually born in Australia and when I was in pre primary my friends used to always get confused how I was indian when I was born in Australia.
Wonderful simply wonderful...
We are universal there is no divide. I can so relate with you. Sat Sri Akal....we are one.
phantastic! and touching me deeply. (2 of my 3 children are German-Japanese; 2 of my 4 grandchildren German-Japanese-Japanese)
Geat!!
Positive !!
He is simply a wise person. ✌🏻👌
I love how Jassa embraces both cultures! Your parents raised you well 🙂Truly beautiful! Wish you well in your endeavours...Blessings from South Africa
Good job.
That was great to watch and really informative! Well done! 🙂
Thank you, Natalya!
Bless you! 😀😀
Great video
exactly, caught between 2 worlds!
I feel you! 😍
Wow! Your awesome 👏🙌
Kid you are a true punjabi boy! ❤👍🙏
This is so relatable, I’m literally half Punjabi and half European as well and I have light skin
He's charming. And will bloom wherever he is planted.
Very nice
Great Ted talk. We are one people. no pure race...never was. were are one. Peace🙏🙏🙏
Hes a better sikh than i will ever be as born one
Fabulous TED talk with a very powerful message of inclusion for everyone - bravo Jassa Ahluwalia!
Wow, Amazing! 😅
te amo.
He speaks English like a typical middle-class Englishman from the Southeast. I presume that he sounds Punjabi in Punjabi. But when he sings, he sounds American -- like most native English-speakers all over the world.
What is story ,good job brother
Fantastic!! Meri kushi bahut hai tehnu suun kai!! Waheguru ji bless you success always 🙏🌹🙏
Punjab da Gora is...awesome
So relatable... Me being from a mix race too