During class, prior to our visit to the East End, we learned about the history of that area. Starting in the 17th century the East End was home to immigrants and others seen as ‘undesirable’ by other Europeans, Jewish people, Cockneys, Gypsies, etc.. The East End is still home to immigrants today, now mainly Bangladeshi and South-Indians. The presence of these communities can be seen in the shops and markets around the area. But the area has gone through a bit of gentrification. This can be seen in housing prices and I noticed a few chain stores and restaurants in the area, although gentrification is seen as a negative, according to The Independent, infrastructure in the area improved.

The East End is also popular among artists. While visiting the Whitechapel Art Gallery one piece stood out to me, a piece by Daniel Richter called Tarifa. To me the painting depicts refugees, or immigrants, crossing a body of water in a life raft. I believe this painting fits in well in the East End because historically it has been home refugees and immigrants and it shows the sacrifice that many of those people have gone through on their journey. Other pieces in this Radical Figures exhibit depict subjects that have also oppressed in the past and still experience oppression, including women and homosexuals. I think overall this exhibit did a good job depicting these struggles and I enjoyed having this experience.

During our visit to the East London Mosque, we learned about various aspects of Islam. One of the most interesting things I learned is that followers of Islam are not supposed to go into debt. This results in mosques and homes being built in multiple stages. This shocked me because taking on debt to make big purchases is so common in the US and other western cultures. I also was able to compare this mosque to a mosque I have been to back home in Iowa City. The East London Mosque is significantly larger and more intricate. This is probably because the community in London is much larger and therefore is receives more donations, but many of the basics are still the same.

The food that is available in the East End is one of the many ways to see the different communities that are present. Eating at Tayyabs gave many of us our first experience with South Asian food. I was surprised by how many ways they could use one item there. For example, naan bread was prepared in two very different ways. One was a garlic naan and the other was a very sweet naan, it could have been served as a dessert.

While lots of the area has changed, some of the classics still remain and remind you of its origins. Such as the Beigel Bake, which is a reminder of its once Jewish community. When I got my bagel it was not what I was expecting, I am used to a New York-style bagel, which is denser and drier. But what I got was soft and buttery. I will definitely return to Brick Lane to try other famous shops.