The Edinburgh Mela is an annual multi-cultural festival held in Edinburgh, Scotland,and is one of the 12 festivals that make up the Edinburgh Festival. The first mela, a Sanskrit word meaning "gathering" or "to meet", was held in 1995 at Meadowbank Stadium, and was organised by members of the city's minority ethnic communities. The festival moved to Pilrig Park in 2000, and to Leith Links in 2010.[1] Running over three days in September, the event attracts around 20 to 25,000 people each year.[2]
Creative Scotland said "The [2010] program aimed to and successfully reflected a range of cultural influences and intercultural influences through the selection of music, film, arts workshops and stalls. The festival site contributed massively to the overall Mela programme offering a centre and focus for celebration, community togetherness and providing the context for a great family day out."
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A colourful celebration of the world’s different cultures returns to the capital, bursting at the seams with a jam packed three day programme. The Edinburgh Mela Festival, Scotland’s foremost celebration of cultural diversity through arts and culture, returns to Leith Links with an exciting programme including Maasai Tribal Warriors and world class musical performances, as well as the firm favourites of the fashion show and children events.
Taking place September 2 to 4 and now in its 16th year, the Mela will be themed around Asian urban arts under the artistic guidance of new director Stephen Stenning. Funded and supported by the City of Edinburgh Council and Creative Scotland, the Mela will also see the unveiling of a specially-commissioned Pandal, supported by the Scottish Government’s Expo Fund, formed of South Asian and Scottish cultural symbols designed and created by Bengali and Scottish artists.
At the launch of the 2011 programme, Stephen Stenning said "The 2011 Mela boasts a truly varied multi-national and multi-cultural programme. The weekend includes an urban music programme featuring award-winning artists, choirs, traditional dancers, world music, sport, circus, a fashion show, drumming, beat-boxing and BMX."
The Mela will be returning to Leith Links for the 17th Edinburgh Mela Festival. The venue proved to be very popular last year and it is also continues the Mela’s strong and fruitful association with Leith.
The relationship between South Asian and Scottish culture is further highlighted with a celebration of the 150th anniversary of Rabindranath Tagore, the first non-European to be awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature. Tagore translated many Burns songs and poems and the Edinburgh Mela celebrates that association in a tribute to the Bengali poet.
The Big Top Tent will play host to an impressive collaboration of Indian and Western musicians, Simon Thacker’s Svara-Kanti, performing their world premiere which builds on the achievements of the acclaimed Nava Rasa ensemble. Also performing is the award-winning urban singing sensation Mumzy Stranger who combines R&B and hip hop with the New Jack Swing riffs and reggae-inspired rhythms. MOBO Award winner classical Hindi and RnB singing sensation Raghav, phenomenal Punjabi vocalist Des-c and his band, along with newcomer to the UK Asian pop scene Junai Kaden will be performing over the weekend.
Elegant Asian high fashion mixed with raw contemporary western designs will be laced down the catwalk this year at the Mela Fashion Show, devised by Dutch ex-supermodel Anna Freemantle.
There will also be a range of free sporting activities for children and adults including cricket at Leith Links supported by ActivCity and City of Edinburgh Council Culture and Sport.
Other performers over the weekend include Dance Ihayami – Ekam who will present the world premiere of their spectacular brand new dynamic Indian classical dance production; breaking new ground with its cross-cultural overtones, also, Jaipur Kawa Circus, a charming family story of a travelling circus troupe from Rajasthan using materials, rhythm and music to tell their tale. Ashesh and Nekhvam are Nepal's outstanding blues rock band with their unique blend of rock, blues and Eastern rhythms will be at the festival as well.
The Garden Stage will be a platform for Bollywood and classical Indian dance along with choirs and musical jam sessions.
The Mela site will be transformed with colourful original creations made by a combination of West Bengali and Scottish artists. The project, led by artists Nandita Palchoudhuri and Graeme Gilmour and supported by The Scottish Governments Expo Fund, includes a spectacular original commissioned structure, representing architecture from India and Scotland, and specially designed flags and banners combining Scottish and South Asian symbols.Nandita is based in Kolkata but has worked all over the world (including having created spectacular works for the Thames Festival in the UK). Graeme Gilmour is a Scottish artists and who has created structures and designs for major events and performances outdoors (“Sticky” and “Full Circle”) and for theatre (Shockheaded Peter’).
For more information and the 2011 festival highlights visit http://edinburgh-mela.co.uk/2011/festival-2011/.
Melas are south Asian events which have spread around the world from the south Asian subcontinent. Mela means 'gathering' and can describe festival, market, trade event, religious gathering and more. Melas are celebrated with music, dance, theatre, fashion, food and stalls, these are days for the whole family, to join in and embrace south Asian culture. Melas are distinguished by their bringing together of south Asian cultures and those of other countries when promoted by south Asian Diasporas abroad. Melas first came to Britain in the late eighties.
The Edinburgh Mela is something unique and is not an attempt to merely recreate its south Asian counterpart. You are immediately aware of both Scottish and Asian cultures converging in a celebration of colourful costumes and performances. You are quickly immersed in the atmosphere of a bazaar with the food aromas of the east and traders selling clothes, fabrics, jewellery, crafts and much more. The Edinburgh Mela is a place to wander around and mix with people from all around the globe, all enjoying this spectacular event.
In 1995 people from Bangladesh, India, Pakistan and other traditions of the sub-continent established a mela in Edinburgh. Chinese, African and other groups were also involved. The first festival was held in Meadowbank Stadium, London Road, Edinburgh. The Edinburgh Mela Company formed in 1996 and since then it has sought to use the form to create a very distinct and ambitious model for a multi-cultural platform. It has grown from its routes within Edinburgh’s South Asian communities to be an outward-looking organisation presenting an event with cultural offerings from across the globe. Edinburgh Mela now commissions and produces innovative work and is seen as Scotland’s foremost celebration of cultural diversity.
Stephen Stenning 2010–Present
Liam Sinclair 2007- 2010
Leith Links 2010–Present
Pilrig Park 2000-2007 & 2009
Ocean Terminal 2008
Meadowbank Stadium 1995-1999
Edinburgh Mela is one of the twelve partners within Festivals Edinburgh. It is therefore, a key part of the offer of the world’s leading festival city. As well as contributing a diverse programme with international, national and local artists, it celebrates Edinburgh’s communities and makes a statement about the multi-cultural nature of Scottish identity. The event has grown in popularity with increased audiences and a consequent move to a bigger site within its traditional Leith home. Edinburgh Mela is a friendly welcoming event with an extraordinarily diverse audience that reflects the range of ethnicities within modern Scotland.
In a recent survey to evaluate the social and Cultural Impact of the Edinburgh Mela over 85% of those asked said that the Edinburgh Mela Festival increases their pride in the city. 93% said that the Edinburgh Mela gives a positive message about diverse ethnic culture, 63% said that the Mela was a unique festival from any other festival that they had experienced and over 85% said that the Mela provided them with access to international work they would not otherwise get to see.