Shafana and Aunt Sarrinah: Exploring Cultural Assumptions and Language

This essay explores the cultural assumptions and language used in the book 'Shafana and Aunt Sarrinah' by Alana Valentine, which addresses the lives of Australian Muslim women and their identities in contrast to their religion and life in Australia.

Running Head: SHAFANA AND AUNT SARRINAH
SHAFANA AND AUNT SARRINAH
Name of the Student
Name of the University
Author Note

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‘Shafana and Aunt Sarrinah’ is an iconic book that has been written by Alana
Valentine. This books is rather daring as it taken on a very sensitive and personal subject
while exploring the lives of Australian Muslim Women. She divulges details about these
women who are trying to achieve an understanding of their own identities in contrast to their
religion and life, which is based in Australia. This essay will be exploring two important
aspects of this book, which has been adapted into countless stage plays. Firstly the cultural
assumptions regarding these women which are addressed in the book and the language which
is used within the book, to explore the various complexities within the fabric of the society
and their equally complex cultural identities. On a social level, the book talks about a rather
sensitive subject. It is rather ironical that the Muslim women, who have always been
overshadowed by countless norms, have been brought under a bright light within this novel to
provide them the humane exposure they deserve and need. The scenario is very different in
Australia and the characters rebel against the social identity that has been associated with
them for so long. It is true that they are rather well established unlike what the world thinks
of Muslim women. They are highly educated and deeply spiritual. They are extremely
articulate when they talk. They constantly address the bias of media who portray them as a
submissive group.
The story revolves around Shafana’s decision to wear the hijab. This is not agreed to
by her aunt. The hijab is the traditional head cover that Muslim women are seen wearing as a
cloth that preserves a woman’s modesty, the holy Quran refers to it as a ‘purdah’ that will
save a woman from the eyes of men who lust after them and jinns. In reality the purdah has
always been considered regressive and as something that robs women of their freewill. It
seems like something devised by toxic masculinity because men wanted to suppress women
and disallow their rights by painting them as objects that need to be protected. The women
are considered meek and they are subjected to a life without exposure (Donkers). Her aunt

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was of the same view. The Hijab system had for long been a method, that according to her,
robbed women of free will. The decision to wear the Hijab on Shafana’s part is rather sudden
and seemingly unnecessary; after all, she has graduated in marine biology. She wanted to
make a point aginst the backdrop of the 9/11 attacks when the world became fearful of
Muslims because the attack had been orchestrated by Muslim terrorists and radical
extremists. In an atmosphere of immense hostility from people in the society and they being
shunned because of the presumption that all muslims were terrorists, she wanted to wear the
Hijab and stand up strong against the hostility and the fear within the minds of muslim people
all over the world. One, instead of considering the Hijab as a result of toxic dominance by
men, may look up to it as a method of avoiding objectification by men. One may believe that
wearing the hijab will help her be in harmony with the muslim religious text, the Holy Quran.
However Shafana’s reason seems like her interest in renewing her faith.
This is where the book makes us question ourselves. From the social context, all the
previous reasons would have been acceptable from a certain point of view but it has to be
considered that Shafana has a say and will of her own and if that wants to wear the burkhs,
then so be it. This is a very complex argument because it makes us question if all those years
of research and exploration about the same is wrong in any way but I reality, despite what
seems to be the truth with the hijab system, her free will is what matters the most (Peters,
2015). One may say that even without the hijab, her free will is being judges for being
apparently regressive and unnecessary but despite everything; it is her freewill and her
understanding of her faith. She is allowed to embrace it in any way she likes. The conflict in
the play is present in between the two women’s very different understanding of hijab and our
understanding of islam. The latter is known to provoke various responses from people in the
light of events that have shook the world, very few of which were positive in nature. The
term has been unfortunately associated with terror because of cases that did not involve

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majority of the muslim population. We look at the religion with both disbelief and disgust.
The mysteries fascinate us to a large extent and the stories of these women are unveiled
slowly. They try to explore their identities in Australia through the conflict (Peters, 2015).
The conversations between the two main characters point to the different takes on an issue
this has been a major debate worldwide. One might talk out countless reasons why the hijab
system is not meant in a progressive and modern society any longer. Women owns their body
and the rights to it, the hijab limited this right. Women should own their bodys and sexuality
and wear it with pride. This was to show that people were more than the dress they wore and
that they were not defined by their religion. However, Sarrinah’s answer to Shafana is that
the hijab has brought her a lot of ill consequences in Australia as a woman who dared show
her faith. She does not want Shafana to be troubled in the same way hence; she tries to
convince Shafana that the Hijab is not a good idea in Australia. Social constructs are indeed
very difficult to break and Shafana embracing her faith will always be seen in a bad light.
“But believe me….there are new worlds to be fathomed and new impossibilities to be
revealed”. This is said by Shafana during her opening soliloquy. She wants to explore new
boundaries and make substantial changes in her life. She does not want to confirm to what the
society thinks of her religion. She wants to explore her faith in her very own way and be
unapologetic about it (Reid, 2015). She flawlessly brings together her knowledge of deep sea
creatures to metaphorically explore the fact that things are not always what they seem.
“Sometimes a Giant Tube Worm is not just a Giant Tube Worm.” It grows and thrives
without eating, symbolic of the mystery of faith. After the troubles that faced her after
migration, it is evident that she realized the hostility she faced was because of her religion. “It
wasn’t until I started investigating Islam, you know, after 2001 that I wasn’t satisfied at the
deepest level that I could be….. I want to put on the hijab”. It was her “Spiritual awakening.
“This play makes us question cultural stereotypes in countless ways. It is especially put

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forward in a poignant line: “I think that in some ways it can be seen as a symbol of
something…..I think that people will see the scarf first instead of me”. Even aunt Sarrinah
had added, “I do not have to ask to be tolerated.” Muslim women had always been seen with
the eyes of pity and then with the eyes of hostility after the 9/11 attacks. Aunt Sarrinah puts
forward the question, “Do you think I am not a good Muslim because I don’t wear the scarf?
Do you think you will be a better Muslim than me if you wear the scarf?” This is an
important question that has been raised, after all, does piece of cloth define how connected
someone is to her religion? Aunt Sarrinah makes it obvious that she does not approve of
Shafana because her longing to wear a hijab is simply a longing that has been ignited after
reading the Quran. She wants Shafana to pay heed to logic and reasons that a pure
overwhelming emotion. Shafana is so emotional about it that she adds, I am trying to tell you
what has been happening to me. Education is no longer getting a degree, getting your PhD
and that’s it, and then one day, when you die, that’s it. The value of education is that…its
getting spiritual here…but education illuminated not only my mind and my heart….it even
qualified why I should educate myself in all the sciences. I had this…wow level.”
Australia is highly multicultural. There are countless people of different origins
throughout the country and all of them have varied traditions and cultural necessities. In the
process of standardisation in order to be more wholly accepted, all of us have gone through
changes that make us less of what we are and more of what is expected from us. People will
inevitably lose important aspects of their being in this change and environment that demands
a certain degree of sameness. This is both necessary and sad, that one let’s go of important
aspects that define him or her to become someone, people would love or accept better. Our
cultural identities are important aspects of our being and embracing them wholeheartedly
requires courage. Maintaining cultural diversity and acceptance without letting stereotypes
and assumptions get in the way is a difficult task. Shafana wants to embrace her faith as a

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weapon of defence against the face of hostility. It is to her, a symbol of pride and ownership.
She wants to wholeheartedly own who she is and refuse any kind of subjugation that
demands her to constantly confirm in the society by giving up her actual identity. She wants
to be both a Muslim who is a migrant and very proud Australian citizen. She has earned he
place in the world and she refuses to be apologetic about who she actually is. A ‘Soft
Revolution is brewing against the stereotype against the people of a ‘middle eastern
appearance’. People in a hijab often get harassed in public transport and are not provided jobs
in countless places because of their culture. This is naturally enraging countless women who
have dared embraced their culture id public. The play focuses on all that has been done on
these people. They are frustrated of being treated any less than the average human. They are
naturally willing to break free and do what they are not supposed to do to make a point,
which they can. Every human has a right to live the way they should. It is difficult for people
of different cultures to be comfortable with each other because of their culture. Everyone is
brought up differently and it is difficult for people to relate to each other when they are so
different. Everyone is unaware of the life other people have. People are especially unaware of
what the stereotypes do the women who are Muslims. This play does a commendable work at
exploring the lives of these women behind the hijab though Shafana and Aunt Sarrinah. They
are from two different generations and have different taken on the Hijab. Sarrinah does not
want Shafana to go through the trouble she had gone through hence is very much against
Shafana’s decision. The stereotyping and trouble she had gone through for having stayed
close to her roots was traumatic and unnecessary. Every religion has the right to be heard and
to live freely. It is not only right but also humane. Religion and culture is a very integral part
of all kinds of lives. It is a part of our identities.
While reading the book the reader naturally gives in to the stereotypes that have been
long engraved within our minds. It is natural that we let them impede our ideas of the

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characters. We even judge Shafana’s decision and that was the point that had to be made. We
wonder why she would take up something that so apparently pulls a woman down and robs
her of her freewill. Shafana wants to wear the hijab and still be real about her idea of free
will. She is a marine engineer who has made herself a place in the world and has every right
to lead her life the way she wants to lead. She finds her answers in Islam and it is important
that we accept it just as much as we accept a non-Muslim person doing whatever he or she
wants to do. In conclusion. It is evident that this book explores the countless stereotypes that
revolve around the women of this culture. They makes us identify these stereotypes and talk
against them. It makes us want to get over the stereotypes and allow people to live their life
according to their free will. The controversial decision to wear the hijab is an expression that
makes a point and takes a stand against cultural identities that are often misunderstood and
people are subjected to trouble.

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References
Donkers, M. Tag Archives: norm and ahmed.
Peters, S. (2015). Shafana and Aunt Sarrinah: Soft revolution [Book Review]. Australasian Drama
Studies, (66), 283.
Peters, S. A. (2016). Bald heads & blue stars: a theory, model and impact of verbatim theatre
practice (Doctoral dissertation, University of Southern Queensland).
Reid, L. A. (2015). Women in Shakespeare: A dictionary [Book Review]. Australasian Drama Studies,
(66), 280.