Nationalities of Nepal: Preserving Culture and Building Connections
Nationalities of Nepal is an ongoing initiative by the Folkestone Nepalese Community (FNC) that celebrates and preserves the rich cultural heritage, traditions, and identities of Nepal’s diverse ethnic groups — including Magar, Rai, Gurung, Limbu, Tamang, Sherpa, and many others.
The project aims to honour our original Nepalese culture and heritage while promoting integration with the wider British community, fostering mutual understanding and respect through shared experiences, art, and celebration.
As part of this continuing cultural work, FNC collaborated on the Women of Faith Exhibition with artist and photographer Anita J. McKenzie, a creative project exploring the lived experiences of women of faith from different backgrounds.
Women of Faith Exhibition – Collaboration with Anita J. McKenzie
The Women of Faith project was conducted from February to March 2024, with the Folkestone Nepalese Community (FNC) participating as one of the community partners. The project explored the experiences of women from diverse faith and spiritual backgrounds through portrait photography and reflective storytelling.
The exhibition was unveiled at the FNC Centre on Sunday, 17 March 2024, as part of the FNC & Healing Image Photography (HiP) International Women’s Day Celebration with the Nepalese Nations.
The unveiling event featured:
🎨 Digital Exhibition of portraits by Healing Image Photography
✍️ Poem Recitation
💬 Talks and Interaction with participants and guests
🍴 Cultural Nibbles (provided voluntarily by members and volunteers)
The project highlights how faith, spirituality, and cultural identity shape women’s daily lives, resilience, and sense of belonging. The Women of Faith Exhibition also raises awareness of “othering” — the separation and misunderstanding that can occur around religion or belief — and promotes understanding, empathy, and unity across communities.
Curated by Anita J. McKenzie and funded by the Folkestone Women’s Forum and Healing Image Photography, the exhibition forms part of a wider artistic and community engagement initiative encouraging women to share their stories and celebrate the beauty of faith diversity.
✨ Reflective Questions
Participants were invited to respond to a series of reflective questions exploring how faith and spirituality shape their lives, including:
What is the name and nature of your faith or spiritual practice?
How long have you followed this path?
What are your everyday practices?
What life lessons has your faith taught you?
What visually symbolises your faith — an object, a place, or a moment?
Their handwritten reflections accompany the portraits, offering a deeply personal glimpse into each woman’s spiritual journey. Together, the images and words celebrate identity, resilience, and connection across cultures and generations. (Click on the images below to explore the full gallery.)