Bogie Number, Migration and Cultural Identity through Generations

Abstract

Bogie Number is a research study inspired by the migration history of the researcher’s ancestors and the cultural influences that emerged through generations of movement across different regions. Tracing a family journey from Afghanistan, India, and Bengal to Pakistan, the study explores how migration shapes cultural identity, family traditions, languages, values, and the sense of belonging. The title Bogie Number? Draws inspiration from a train bogie, where people from different cultures, ethnicities, and backgrounds travel together while carrying their own histories and identities. Similarly, migration brings individuals and communities into contact with diverse cultural environments, creating opportunities for cultural exchange and transformation. As families move from one place to another, they adopt new practices while preserving elements of their ancestral heritage. Using family narratives and historical migration experiences, this study examines how repeated migration influences identity across generations. It investigates whether a family’s original cultural identity remains unchanged or gradually evolves through interaction with different societies and traditions. The research suggests that identity is neither fixed nor singular; rather, it is continuously reconstructed through memory, adaptation, and cultural exchange. The findings highlight that migration is not merely a movement from one location to another but an ongoing process that reshapes personal and collective identity while preserving traces of multiple cultural roots.