Oitij-jo: Festival of Bangla Culture

Since the first Bengali immigrants landed in London in the seventeenth century, Bangla culture has made its mark on the capital, from Sake Dean Mahomed’s first Marylebone curry house opened in 1810, to the competitive hustling of Brick Lane’s twenty-first-century tikka touts. But if you need reminding that there’s more to Brit-Bangladeshi culture than spicy sauce, head to this weekend’s Oitij-jo festival, celebrating Bangladesh’s past, present and future. There are free exhibitions showcasing Bangla-rooted art and fashion, or you can buy a £7.50 day pass that gives you access to a line-up of talks and screenings. If you want to see the best stuff, however, you’ll need to buy separate tickets (£25) to the evening concerts. Jazz pianist Zoe Rahman – last year’s Best Jazz Act at the Mobos – will be riffing on the work of poet Rabindranath Tagore on Saturday, and Afro-Cuban-Bangladeshi fusion band Lokkhi Terra will play on Sunday. The gig is preceded by ace dancer Akram Khan (of Olympic opening ceremony fame). But sadly he’ll only be talking, not dancing, as he discusses creativity with author Tahmima Anam and musician Kishon Khan. See www.oitijjo.org for full details.