From Tehran to locations around the world, on Palestine’s own Radio Alhara, we now have hours of music to play and repeat and female and nonbinary artists to discover, in solidarity with Iran and Kurdistan.
If you missed it, please do read through the interviews from last week – some conducted with artists in Iran (which means they take some risk to share with us).
But we now have music to move us, too, on-demand, covering the two-day takeover of Sonic Liberation Front radio. These sounds say things words cannot. They’re full of the emotions of this moment to a lot of listeners, and they express some deeper spirit than news articles alone could contain.
They also serve as a vital guide to the talent and depth of just a few of the people inside this scene – producing music even when the authorities in Iran deny such expression. Curator/organizer Pouya Ehsaei put these together.
I’m right now listening to Sarah Homami, and it’s chillingly beautiful. But then that’s a reason we have to give back – I always found musicians I resonated with from Iran and the Iranian diaspora, but as so often in music, we need to value not only the musical object but the humans making it and the work they’re doing that goes beyond only musical production. (It’s worth re-reading that article for some direct advice for what to do.)
Have some social tags, too – and stay tuned in.
More here:
We also have this poem and text shared with a poem by Maziar Samiee – thanks to Zuri Maria for forwarding this.
Stand with the Iranian people who get slaughtered all over the country. They don’t fear death, they suffered enough. People are standing in solidarity against 43 years of dictatorship, people are shouting woman, life, freedom. The change of values of a society against patriarchal law and in favor of feminist politics cannot be clearer! Don’t look away – let‘s amplify their voices!
Here is an old song sung by Iranian feminists, while protesting. Music by Samin Baqchebaan, re-arranged by a contemporary Iranian musician, i will not tag here, cause of safety reasons.
Text by Maziar Samiee:
I am reborn again,
from the wounds upon my body,
Judged for existing,
since I am a women, a women, a women.
As we get together
step by step let s go,
hand in hand let s do,
from oppression rid us be.
Another world,
lets built from equality,
with empathy and sisterhood,
a better world and happy.
No stoning,
No gallows,
No crying over and over,
No disgrace
No humiliation.
I sprout to the wound on my body
Just because I’m a woman
If we get agreed, taking steps together hand in hand
We can be free from oppression
If we create a world of equality, sympathy, and sisterhood
It would be happy and better
No stoning, no hanging, no crying
No shame or disgracefulness
If we create a world of equality, sympathy, and sisterhood#mahsaamini
#iranprotests
#woman_life_freedom
#OpIran
#زنزندگیآزادی
#ژنژیانئازادی