For the locked-down student far from home, a little culture goes a long way

Fakhar (fa-kh-ar) is the Arabic word for ‘pride’. A Kuwaiti student, recently graduated and far from home, has used Melbourne’s lockdowns to cultivate connection to her culture and her distant family. Prealene Khera continues our special photographic series, First Person Pandemic.

A big part of Ayah's culture is hanging in her closet, though it is not her usual go-to attire. The outfit is a hand embroidered Dara'aa and a Bisht which locals across the Gulf and Iraq wear on special occasions. “I feel like myself,” says Ayah as she flaunts a piece of her home. Photo: Prealene Khera

Paraphernalia from her distant homeland clutters Ayah Alkhar’s Melbourne apartment.

Regal miniature teapots, scribblings in Arabic and framed paintings of Umm Kulthum, a popular Arab music diva, are on display. Having left behind her family and her physical ties to tradition in Kuwait, in Melbourne’s lockdown, the 26-year-old who travelled here to study is finding comfort in the haven of her heritage.

She and her miniature pinscher, Mallory, spend their lockdown evenings together watching Al Jazeera, listening to Arabic songs, and are currently “savouring” Al Rawaby School for Girls – a Jordanian production. She doesn’t look at her habits as being culture-centred, for her they’re just daily activities.

“It’s like calling someone who watches Jeopardy and eats Mac-n-Cheese, cultural,” she jokes.

When Ayah thinks about Kuwait, the first thing she thinks about is the food – biryani, machbous, kebabs and sabzi. “People travel to Kuwait to eat, we have the best food in the world and I will die defending that statement.”

When restrictions allow, Ayah takes the tram up to the northern suburbs to stock up on Arab groceries. “After graduating the storekeepers began giving me discounts and free items, and it made me feel like I was part of something larger.”