Breaking gender stereotypes through stories

Meet Fouzia, the new, strong voice in the male-dominated world of Dastangoi

Tales of adventure, heroism and love unfold through the lyrical grace of Urdu poetry in the timeless storytelling tradition of Dastangoi. The storyteller, known as the Dastango, keeps the audience immersed in the narrative, using voice and gestures, sans sets or props. Like many other performance traditions, this too has historically been performed by men, but is gradually finding new voices with emerging women performers. Fouzia Dastango, a pioneering woman performer, is pushing the horizons of Dastangoi, one story at a time. Recalling one of her earliest presentations in 2007, Fouzia says, “Someone from the audience remarked that this art form isn’t for women. This is something I have been told many times, and my response is — there are many things women may not have done earlier, there are many spaces where they weren’t allowed, that does not mean women cannot do it. We need to question this attitude.” Unfazed by the scepticism, Fouzia decided to pursue all nuances of the art form.