A critical analysis of Taufiq Rafat’s poems “Kitchen,” “Vulture,” and “Eid Morning” through Homi K. Bhabha’s postcolonial theory

Abstract

This study examines the impact of colonization on the cultural identity of Pakistani society through a critical analysis of three poems—“Kitchen,” “Vulture,” and “Eid Morning”—by Taufiq Rafat. Drawing on Homi K. Bhabha’s concepts of cultural hybridity and the third space, the study explores how traditional Pakistani values have interacted with Western influences to produce a fluid and hybrid cultural identity. Rafat’s poetry illustrates the gradual transformation of indigenous traditions, social practices, and religious celebrations, reflecting the emergence of mixed cultural forms. Using a qualitative approach based on close textual analysis, the study reveals that cultural identity in postcolonial Pakistan is not fixed but continuously evolving. The findings suggest that contemporary Pakistani identity occupies a “third space,” shaped by the coexistence of local traditions and colonial influences. Rafat’s poems thus highlight the dynamic and transformative nature of Pakistani society within its postcolonial context.