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Description

Digital Story from the Bawso Stories Project. Madi's story "Lantern in Pakistan" was inspired by a visit to St Fagans National Museum of History. Seeing a traditional lantern reminded Madi of a special oil lamp that her family had and that always scared her, until one day, something happened to the lamp.

English transcript: All people are mostly using the lantern, because they are saving electrical city’s bill and because it’s very cheap source of energy in Pakistan. And so every house use the lantern and I am always like fear and scared by lantern because you put the oil and I am always thinking maybe there’s a fire. I am always scared. Because it’s a smell, and it’s the light, it’s an orange light, I hate orange light, I don’t like and when it is on the lantern, it’s smelly, I don’t like the smell.

I am 9 years old when I broke this, remember this place is like a mud house and I broke it. Because my mom is not in this moment home, and then the light is off, and it is all darkness and everything and I’m very scared in darkness. Urgently I had no option, and I open the lid, and I put the oil and it’s like my hand is totally shaking. Crash! And then, oh, what happened? Inside I’m so happy, but my face expression is too much, oh, my mom, when is she coming and shouting and I don’t know what happened next. And then my mom is coming, and I just keep silent. My mum says, “What is this, you don’t turn on the light? It’s very dark.” And “No mom I don’t like this light.” And then my mom turn on the mobile torch and then we can see, and then mom is, “What it is?” “Oh no no, sorry mom, it’s not my fault.” But I have only one lantern and I have broken this and I’m so happy it’s broken! And mom is always, when I remember, “Mom please repair the lantern and you can use it.” “No, I don’t repair.” I still have in my home in Pakistan. Yeah, it’s broken, but we still have because it's my mom’s memories, because my grandfather give as a gift, give my mother.

My grandfather is a railway station’s officer, so many times he used the lantern. Many things I saw in the St Fagans museum and everything is related to my memories. Some memories is happy, and some memories are bad, but I’m really happy, once again remember my childhood’s memory.

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