Hajia
Transcript
Hajia: My name is Hajia
Interviewer: And how old are you?
Hajia: 58.
Interviewer: How long have you been a resident of Newham?
Hajia: I’ve been a resident since 1986.
Interviewer: How was it like when you first came to Newham?
Hajia: I think when I first moved to Newham it was a little bit more quiet then now, less populated than now. It was more like a village when I moved in than later on.
Interviewer: How does it compare to before?
Hajia: It was less congested than now. The people, when we moved in, were really more friendly or more connected to the community compared to now, where everyone is diverse and doing their own thing. When I first moved in, you knew all your neighbors, they knew you, they said hi, and your kids played with their kids and all that. Now everyone is doing their own thing.
Interviewer: What would you like to see for the future of Newham?
Hajia: I always wanted to see that the youth center is brought back in. because when my children were young there were a lot of activities for them to do. Now, there’s hardly any activities for young people. Before they had dedicated centers, after-school activities within the school and outside the school. There was more of that than now.
Interviewer: Do you have any special memories of Newham, growing up here? You’ve been here all your life.
Hajia: I’ve been here most of my adult life, so it’s like home, to be honest. I can see the changes that have been happening now, compared to then. The buildings are changing, the people who are living in the area are changing and all that. It’s more diverse now, but you see the changes, and the gradation of the changes.
Interviewer: What does Newham mean to you?
Hajia: It’s home to me. This is what I know, since I came to this country in 1986.
Interviewer: How are you celebrating the Platinum Jubilee?
Hajia: I’m actually trying to make a list of things to do, because there’s a lot of activities all over. I plan to at least attend five. That’s my plan.
Interviewer: Have you celebrated any of the previous jubilees or royal events before?
Hajia: Not really, I only watch it on the TV. For one reason or another, I plan to attend, but something will come up and I can’t make it, so I only watch it on TV.
Interviewer: Do you have any memories of the queen or the royal family?
Hajia: I can’t remember which year, the queen visited Newham, and we were in Upton Park, so she passed through where the West Ham Stadium used to be. So, all the residents and their kids came out. That’s what I remember. It was a really nice parade.
Interviewer: What does it mean to you to be celebrating the first Platinum Jubilee?
Hajia: It’s unique, isn’t it? When will you be able to celebrate it again? It’s a special one. I’m looking forward to it.
