Anthropology students at the University of Sindh have resurrected the province’s vibrant cassette music era of the 1990s through a compelling visual exhibition, blending rigorous academic inquiry with innovative artistic expression to bring a significant part of the region”s cultural past back into the public eye.
According to a statement by the university today, the Department of Anthropology and Archaeology hosted the Poster Art Exhibition on Sindhi Music Heritage, a showcase curated entirely by third-year undergraduates as part of a semester-long research initiative.
Under the guidance of Dr. Rafique Wassan, the project drew upon creative anthropological methods. Dr. Wassan explained that the display featured poster art derived from archival photographs of Sindhi music album covers, originally published in Daily Kawish, a newspaper recognized as a major cultural force during that period.
Throughout their research, students explored Sindh’s rich musical traditions by delving into online archives. Their investigation focused on prominent artists, production houses, and the changing aesthetics that defined the era.
The event, inaugurated by the department”s Chairman, Dr. Abdul Razaque Channa, attracted a large number of students and faculty members. Attendees appreciated the powerful visual storytelling and the creative curation that revived a key chapter of the region”s artistic history.
Dr. Channa praised the students” efforts, describing the exhibition as a “meaningful blend of creativity and research.” He highlighted that Sindh”s cassette music era effectively captured the province”s social history, linguistic diversity, and emotional landscape, immortalizing contributions from icons such as Jalal Chandio, Ustad Yousaf, Mai Bhagi, Shaman Mirali, Sarmad Sindhi, Ustad Manzoor Sakhirani, and Fouzia Soomro.
The proceedings were moderated by Dr. Muhbat Ali Shah. During the event, Ms. Zahida Rehman and Ms. Quratulain also spoke, lauding the educational value of hands-on learning and creative inquiry.
Adding another layer to the academic exercise, the student researchers took the opportunity to share their own interpretations and analyses of the showcased archival materials with the audience.