For most of her life, Fazilat Shu has given those around her a crash course in Uyghur identity. Not because she’s an educator or cultural ambassador, but purely because she stood out in her hometown of Adelaide. “I look different – people can’t put me in a box,” she says.
When asked about her ethnicity, Fazilat would launch into the basics: Uyghurs are a Turkic ethnic minority group native to north-western China; they are ethnically and culturally different from Chinese people; and their nation enjoyed brief independence before becoming a part of China. Over time, the conversation changed to, “now we’re being ethnically cleansed”. Constantly explaining her heritage, and the human rights situation in China, took a toll. “It gets really overwhelming,” she says.
Fazilat wants to highlight the beautiful parts of Uyghur culture – to show her community’s achievements, and that her heritage is more than a news headline. That’s the throughline in Melbourne photographer Sam Biddle’s visual project, of which she’s a part. Sam is currently photographing Uyghurs from different walks of life – including an activist, designer, restaurateur and musician
