Sameena Zehra is an award winning storyteller, comedian, writer, director, political satirist, blues musician, intersectional feminist and humanist with a unique take on the world; equally at home exploring the individual experiences of daily life and the larger issues of the world we live in. 

Born in Kashmir, raised in the UK but living in Wellington, Zehra has toured all over the world throughout her career, including live comedy hubs like Edinburgh and Melbourne - with her latest show ''Homicidal Pacifist - Dust Off your Guillotines' part of the NZ International Comedy Festival.

She opens up to The Big Idea with some words of advice from her years on the circuit.

Live with integrity and joy

What does that mean, though? 
Here’s what it means to me… 

Question everything

Most of all the things and people you agree with. Intent and consequence matter. The enemy of your enemy is not always your friend.

Do not try to explain chess to a pigeon

Understand the difference between an argument that is a clash of ideas, or philosophy, or a genuine desire to understand, and a bad faith argument intended to derail, make noise, waste time, enjoy the wreckage… by the ones who are incapable of building, so must find their power by tearing down. They lack both integrity, and joy. 

Keep some phrases on hand to respond quickly and without giving toxic people the privilege of your time. 

Some I have used repeatedly over the years… 

‘Did you mean to say that out loud?’ 
‘I don’t recall asking for your advice’ 
‘No is a complete sentence’ 

You’ll find the ones that work for you. 

Also, celebrate the good ones. You won’t need phrases ‘on hand’, it will be obvious what to say. Take joy in saying it - loudly. 

Be brutally honest 

Let the honesty be brutal, the expression of it, compassionate. 

It can take a while to get used to this; in a world where we are taught to value appearance over substance, honesty can feel harsh and dangerous. Please persevere… It's incredibly liberating, when it is coming from a place of collaboration. (If it’s coming from a place of control, that’s gaslighting and can get in the f*cking bin!)  

Most of all, be brutally honest with yourself. Know why you are doing what you are doing; what it is your joy to do; what you are prepared to do when you are pushed against the wall; what you will not do under any circumstances. 

You don’t need to explain yourself to anyone else. But you do need to know where to draw your lines in the sand. 

Build community

Collaborate, listen well; understand the intent and consequences of other positions. Be an activist, not a bystander- there is so much joy and delight in the power of the collective.  

Understand that if your activism is not intersectional, it’s incomplete. And if that’s as far as you can take it, fine… acknowledge and own that. Brutal honesty, right?  

Recognise your privilege

Normalise turning down opportunities which belong to other people.

Acknowledge the fact there are people out there who are more talented, more hard working and more capable than you who have not had the opportunities you have because they are not able bodied, or rich, or white, or male, or cishet, or neurotypical… or whatever flavour of privilege you hold. Understand the difference between ‘advocating for’ and ‘speaking for’. 

Allow for redemption… yours and others’

… normalise being challenged, making amends and getting past it. Normalise not hiding your mistakes, but being able to acknowledge them and talk about how you fixed (or are fixing) them.  

Abandon capitalism 

It is a degenerate philosophy that nurtures what is base and obliterates all that is good and joyful. 

Resist commodification, especially of your art. Do things you enjoy for the pure enjoyment of them- hard to do when we live in late stage capitalism and need to ‘hustle’ and ‘monetise’ everything to survive. Keep a few things, at least, to yourself. Make art. Enjoy it. Love how it makes you feel. Let it love you back. Have a nap, a walk, daydream often. Revolution is not an event, it’s a process.  

Humour is a great companion 

Don’t forget to laugh. 

See Sameena Zehra as part of the NZ International Comedy Festival with her show 'Homicidal Pacifist - Dust Off your Guillotines', 21 – 24 May at Te Auaha in Wellington.