Growing up in working class London and being Bengali, Muslim, and queer, Sabira Haque felt the weight of the prejudices pinned against her. At different stages in her life, she faced racism, sexism, classism, Islamophobia, and homophobia, causing her to feel a deep sense of fear.
“For a long time, I felt that my confidence had been knocked to the point of silence,” Haque tells VICE. Then she sought out art therapy in her early 20s, which helped her find her voice, and discovered safe spaces that introduced her to other people who had been through similar challenges.
Then, when it came time to plan her wedding a few years ago, Haque, who is now 29, looked deeper into Bengali marriage rituals and became fascinated with henna art, its application process, and rich history. She began practicing the ancient body art as a hobby, and after a year or so, decided to try it professionally.
The result is Huq That, a platform aiming to make henna more accessible by taking it outside of the traditional space. Haque is introducing London’s young creative community to the ancient art by hosting a myriad of cultural events and selling temporary tattoos.
Models: Iqra Khan, Norhan Shubar, Amani Saeed, Salwa Rahman, Nazifa Hussain, Salma Khatun
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from VICE http://bit.ly/2RKfISP
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