Lascars – Forgotten Seafarers: brought to life
Unveiling the untold story of the lascar sailors, Glasgow Museums' latest exhibition immerses visitors in the seafaring legacy of South Asian men who shaped Britain's maritime past. Through a community-led research project, 3D-printed figurines, and a vivid film installation, this display offers a powerful tribute to these overlooked seafarers, inviting reflection on their enduring impact.
By Kulsum Shabbir | Photos by Miriam Ali
“Forgotten histories”. A term used by museums to introduce their latest installation or exhibition exploring the ignored pasts of the marginalised.
Oftentimes these displays can feel performative, or even exploitative of the trauma of People of Colour, however, Glasgow Museums’ latest exhibition, Lascars – Forgotten Seafarers of the British Empire, brings forth a refreshing change.
The display is the final outcome of ‘Scotland’s Lascar Heritage', a community-led research project which connects the lascars’ historic seafaring story with contemporary South Asian identity in Scotland, as well as linking to the lives of surviving lascar seamen in Bangladesh.
Read more: South Asian History in Glasgow’s Southside
The focal point of the entire project: a plaque reading “Lascars Only”.
Emily Malcolm, Curator of Transport and Technology, details the plaque’s journey: “Its survival is down to the work of Dr Robert Prescott, who rescued the plaque as Queens Dock was being redeveloped in the late 1970s/early ‘80s.”
Prescott, Senior Lecturer in Maritime Studies, donated the plaque to Glasgow Museums, allowing for the Lascar Research Project to take shape.
While the plaque began this entire research project, it sits next to an impressive model ship of the Viceroy of India, made in 1929, almost stealing the plaque’s limelight with its intricate detail and – most strikingly – its miniature figurines of the lascar sailors.
Malcolm explains the significance of the miniature figurines featured upon the model ship:
“The figures are 3D printed and modelled off of members of the Bangladesh Association Glasgow… it was important to us that the sailors were a focal point.”
Bringing the human element to the forefront makes this display stand out amongst the landscape of exhibitions featuring “forgotten histories” – it's simply impossible to miss the visibly South Asian figures dotted across the ship. Scattered across the deck, some are congregated in prayer at the front of the ship, some sitting on the ground in a circle enjoying a meal, one man crouched upon a lifeboat, looking out into the museum. The Lascar seamen unapologetically take up space upon the ship, grounding the display in the individual, human experiences of these men and their journey.
What’s more, the display sits proudly in a prominent and central part of the museum – a far cry from previous displays of this nature, often shunted away in a dark corner with minimal foot-traffic.
The display also features a film by interdisciplinary artist, Aqsa Arif. The film installation stands at the front-end of the display, its bright colours a sharp contrast to the rest of the display.
Isobel McDonald, Curator of Social History, makes it clear that Arif had complete creative control, down to the colour of the case that the film is presented in.
“[The deep blue display case] definitely stands out against the pale green interior of the rest of the museum,” explains McDonald, who is hopeful that this will draw visitors in as they explore the museum.
I asked both curators what they hope visitors will take away from the display:
“We’d like people to enjoy the display and take away some additional knowledge about these “forgotten” crews – we’d also like them to be emotionally engaged with the subject through Aqsa Arif’s film,” says Malcolm.
McDonald agrees, adding:
“Riverside Museum is by the Clyde and thousands of lascars have passed the spot where the museum now stands. I think it’s great to have a display about those men in this location, and for visitors to learn more about lascars and their connection to Glasgow. I hope that visitors will imagine what the docks of Glasgow used to be like – busy with men from all over the world, lots of languages spoken, different foods and cultures mixing in the middle of our city.”
While this display is the final outcome of the project, both Malcolm and McDonald explain to me that a project like this is never truly completed – you never know who will see the display and come forward with a key source of historical information, opening the project up to potential future research.
The Bangladesh Association Glasgow is putting on a performance of their play Lascari at the Riverside Museum on 21 June; a great opportunity to see both the performance as well as the new display.