Music Freedom Day 2013 was marked in 19 countries
On 3 March every year, Music Freedom Day celebrates freedom of musical expression world-wide. This year, on Sunday 3 March 2013 and in the days leading up to it, there were activities in countries such as Australia, Belgium, Cameroon, Canada, Denmark, Egypt, Germany, Holland, Hungary, Italy, Norway, Pakistan, Poland, Serbia, Spain, Sweden, United Kingdom, USA, and Zimbabwe.
Focus: Mali’s musicians — and Russian Pussy Riot
In 2013, Mali was a focus area of the advocacy campaign. Festival au Désert in Mali received the Freemuse Award this year. Also, 4 March was the One Year “Shame Day” of the arrest of two members of the Russian punk band Pussy Riot.
Role of Freemuse
Music Freedom Day is an advocacy event — not for Freemuse, but for the persecuted musicians. Freemuse is not able to fund Music Freedom Day events but we are happy to advise and inspire you. The role of Freemuse is primarily to provide coordination, knowledge and awareness. For the 2013-event, published an in-depth report on the situation for persecuted musicians in Mali (see below).
Would you like to join?
Drop an e-mail to Music Freedom Day’s secretariat, (info AT musicfreedomday.org), when you have made up your mind and decided to join the event in 2014.
This website for Music Freedom Day is provided as a forum for the Music Freedom Day activists and organisers.
Editorial
Broadcasters and artists in Asia, Africa and Europe join Music Freedom Day 2013
Mali: What the musicians have to say
Pakistan: The undeclared ban on playing music lingers on
Music
Recommended Mali music for airplay
Ranagri track for Music Freedom Day
Graphics
Download Music Freedom Day logo for poster, website or t-shirt
Events
Cameroon: Music Freedom Day event in Garoua
Denmark: Workshops with rappers from Gaza, film from Turkey
Egypt: Conference and concerts
Germany: Radio WDR’s ‘5 Planeten’ highlights Mali music on Sunday
Holland: Music Freedom Day ‘wake-up call’
Hungary against music censorship
Italy: Leading independent radio station joins Music Freedom Day
Italy: Music Freedom Day of debates, week-long radio campaign
Norway to mark Music Freedom Day 2013: ‘Free the arts’
Pakistan: Event in Peshawar in Pakistan
Poland: Two hours of Music Freedom Night on Polskie Radio 2
Serbia: Radio show on Mali, music and freedom
Spain: Catalunya Radio marks Music Freedom Day for the sixth time
Spain: RTVE promotes Music Freedom Day
Sweden: SR P2 radio: attention on Music Freedom Day
United Kingdom: The Little Proms are supporting Music Freedom Day
Zimbabwe: Festival Event for Music Freedom Day in Harare
In: Posts from Freemuse · Tagged with: 2013
Belgium: Radio programme about ‘music for freedom’
On Music Freedom Day, Benjamin Tollet from Brussels, Belgium, produces a Radio Mukambo special about Music Freedom Day and ‘Music for freedom’ on Groovalizacion, an online radio programme which has been broadcasted since 1995.
“Starting with Fela Kuti’s struggles with the Nigerian authorities in his days, we’ll take a look around the globe at musicians who are fighting for the liberation of their peoples. From Nigeria over Jamaica to Angola, fighting against dictatorships, but also from Lisbon over Marseille to Wall Street, fighting against the dictatorship of the consumption-driven capitalist system.
Here’s a little warm-up: WATCHA CLAN!”
Lisboa / Dublin / Brussels / Barcelona / Paris / São Paulo / La Paz / Valencia….
24h online Radio + podcast + Dj mixes
Stream in to Groovalizacion Radio on 3 March at 20h (Brussels time):
• Stream here: tunein.com/radio/Radio-Groovalizacion-s116878
• 24h online Radio – groovalizacion.com
• Facebook page: facebook.com/GroovalizacionRadio
In: Posts from organisers · Tagged with: 2013
Photos and media coverage
IFEX’s newsletter ‘In Context’ featured Music Freedom Day with the following stories — and a game.
On the issues: Censorship
Based on a Freemuse report written by Andy Morgan
An overview by Freemuse of how music and musicians in Mali fared after a religious ban on music in the north. (Read more)
By Natasha Grzincic
Listen to some of the music that Mali’s musicians have put out in the face of musical censorship by religious extremists. (Read more)
Sweden
Music Freedom Day: Svensk-kurdisk rappare inför rätta
Idag, den 3 mars, uppmärksammas Music Freedom Day runtom i världen. Det handlar om musikalisk yttrandefrihet och rätten till sitt eget ord och uttryck. Samtidigt väntar svensk-kurdiske rapparen Serhad Ayaz på rättegång i Turkiet – eftersom hans spelningar och musik enligt åtalet är uppviglande, rapporterar SVT.
Music Freedom Day: Swedish-Kurdish rapper on trial
Today, on 3 March, attention is on Music Freedom Day around the world. It’s all about musical freedom of expression and the right to have your own words and expressions. At the same time, the Swedish-Kurdish rapper Serhad Ayaz is waiting for his trial in Turkey because his concerts and music according to the indictment is ‘seditious’, reported SVT.
Pakistan
On Music Freedom Day 2013 at a local hotel in Peshawar, music lovers put their voices together to ensure the freedom of artistic and musical expressions. The participants boldly condemned militancy and extremism in all its forms. Also, at the Peshawar Press Club, a seminar and a protest walk was organised to inform about the importance of music and free expression.
-
- Ahmad Gul performing
Demonstration and meeting for the importance of music and free expression
The event that was held on Music Freedom Day in Peshawar Press Club was the first step in the direction of providing coordination, knowledge and awareness to all stakeholders about music censorship and artistic freedom of expression.
The News – 4 March 2013:
World Music Freedom Day marked in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa
PESHAWAR: Participants at a function held Sunday to mark “Freedom of Musical Expression and World Music Freedom Day” put voices together for providing social and financial security to the artistes and singers for promoting tolerance, peace and acceptance of art and culture through musical and artistic expressions. By Nisar Mahmood
VOA Deewa Radio – 3 March 2013:
خبرونه
پیښور کې موسیقۍ د تحفظ د پاره لاریون
Audio file: Peshawar Music Rally (2:45)
www.voadeewaradio.com
Muhammad Rome of Pakhtunkhwa Cultural Foundation had a one hour long interview live on Radio Mashaal with Haroon Bacha regarding the event and the organisation:
www.mashaalradio.org
Read more about the events in Peshawar
In: Posts from organisers · Tagged with: 2013, media coverage
Egypt: Conference and concert on Music Freedom Day
Photos from the Music Freedom Day conference in Cairo
The flyer for the event read:
Music Freedom Day celebrates freedom of musical expression, and advocates awareness about the many musicians who do not enjoy such freedom. Musicians and composers rights to freedom of expression are being violated in many countries around the world. Hundreds of musicians are imprisoned, censored and persecuted because of their music or lyrics.
All independent artists are invited.
Date: Sunday 3rd March 2013
Time: 6.00 pm
Venue: Vibe For Developing Arts
Address: 7 Mosadaq st., Dokki, Giza, Egypt
Schedule:
Conference:
• Ramy Essam starts the event with a speech about his prizes, The Freemuse Award 2011, and The Freedom to Create Prize, and how to express what you want through music.
• Short Speech about ‘Festival au Désert’ in Mali which received the Freemuse Award this year.
• Short speech about 4 March which is the One Year “Shame Day” of the arrest of two members of the Russian punk band Pussy Riot.
Speakers:
• Adham El-Said (Wust El Bald band, Vocalist)
• Amr Salah (Music Composer)
• Amr Yehia (Performer and Producer)
• Cherine Amr (Massive Scar Era band, Vocalist)
• Ezz EL Ostool (Sahara Band, Vocalist)
• Hany Mustafa (Singer-Songwriter)
• Mc.Amin (Rapper)
• Sherbini (Nagham Masry band, Vocalist)
• Speech through Skype by Mr Ole Reitov (Programme Manager of Freemuse)
• Speech through Skype by Ms Marie Korpe (Executive Director of Freemuse) (TBC)
Open Mic for the musicians attending.
Evening Concerts:
• Performance by The Jokers Band
• Performance by Cherine’s Project
F R E E M U S E – Freedom of Musical Expression
www.freemuse.org
In: Posts from organisers · Tagged with: 2013, conference, Egypt
Cameroon: Music Freedom Day event in Garoua
COMPTE RENDU MUSIC FREEDOM DAY 2013
Samedi 2 mars 2013 à Garoua
Par Ebah Essongue Shabba
Contexte et justification
Dans le monde, on ne compte plus le nombre d’artistes ou de chansons censurés sur les stations de radio, des musiciens menacés ou agressés, des artistes qui se sont vus refuser d’organiser des concerts, etc…
Au Mali par exemple, on dénonce la grave situation des milliers de musiciens dans le nord qui, il y a quelque jours encore, voyaient leur musique interdite par les rebelles fondamentalistes, soit disant au nom de l’Islam.
Le Cameroun n’est pas un cas isolé lorsque l’on parle de censure et de violation de la liberté d’expression musicale. Selon le rapport statistique compilé en février 2013 par l’organisation Freemuse sur la situation des artistes musiciens dans le monde, un nombre total de 173 cas d’attaques sur les musiciens et les violations de leurs droits ont été enregistrés.
Ce rapport indique par ailleurs qu’au Cameroun en 2012, 63 artistes étaient détenus dans les prisons du pays.
C’est dans ce contexte qu’intervient la célébration du Music Freedom Day, la journée de la liberté de la musique. La Music Freedom Day est une journée d’action contre la censure des artistes musiciens dans le monde.
Dans le cadre de cet évènement organisé chaque année par l’organisation suédoise Freemuse et célébré dans le monde entier le 3 mars, une série d’activités a été organisée à Garoua le samedi 02 mars 2013 par Arterial Network Cameroun dans le cadre de son activité l’Art en Palabre en partenariat avec l’Alliance française de Garoua.
LES ACTVITES MENEES
1) Les débats radiophoniques (avec les radios partenaires)
02 radios étaient partenaires d’Arterial Network Cameroon pour cette célébration : la radio Salaaman et Crtv Nord. Dans la matinée du samedi 2 mars, Ebah Essongue et Chembifon Muna sont intervenus sur le Music Freedom Day dans chacune des radios en direct pour des émissions spéciales. Ce fut l’occasion d’éclairer les auditeurs en répondant à leurs questions et d’interpeller l’opinion publique sur l’importance du respect de la liberté d’expression musicale, car celle-ci est également une preuve de l’existence d’une démocratie véritable.
2) La conférence débat
Cette conférence, d’une durée de 02 heures, a regroupé une vingtaine de participants autour du thème « Musique, liberté d’expression et créativité musicale ». On comptait parmi les panélistes Mr Chembifon Muna (Arterial Network, Fondation Muna), Mr Kombou Emanuel (Artiste) et Mr Ebah Essongue (2H Kulture, promoteur culturel et web journaliste).
Cette rencontre a vu aussi la participation active des artistes musiciens, des producteurs, des promoteurs culturels et des médias nationaux du Nord (STV, Camnew24, LTM TV, Afrique Média Tv, L’oeil du Sahel et L’actu).
Elle fut l’occasion pour Freemuse et Arterial Network Cameroon de soulever les réels problèmes de la censure musicale et de dire tout haut ce qu’on soupçonnait tout bas; cela devra forcément avoir un impact et aider les autorités camerounaises à prendre en charge les problèmes.
Les panélistes ont expliqué à l’assistance la notion de liberté d’expression dans le domaine de la musique et pourquoi la musique est parfois censurée.
Pour les musiciens, la liberté d’expression implique particulièrement:
• la liberté de jouer aussi bien dans les lieux publics que privés.
• la liberté de donner des concerts.
• la liberté de produire des disques compacts ou toute autre forme de reproduction musicale.
• la liberté de réaliser des enregistrements playback , quelque soit les termes contenus dans la musique ou les paroles.
L’équipe d’Arterial a par ailleurs exhorté les artistes du Nord à exercer leur droit à la participation à la vie culturelle, ce qui implique:
• La liberté de jouer et de donner des spectacles musicaux.
• La liberté d’écouter et d’apprécier la musique jouée par d’autres.
• Le droit à la protection des intérêts perçus lors d’un spectacle musical.
• La musique est non seulement un moyen d’expression mais aussi une activité culturelle.
• La liberté pour les minorités ethniques de jouer la musique appartenant à leur propre culture.
Le président du chapitre camerounais d’Arterial Network, Chembifon Muna, a également demandé à la famille des artistes musiciens du Nord d’adhérer au réseau Arterial Network, et d’aider Freemuse à mettre un terme aux violations de la liberté d’expression des musiciens dans le monde.
Les échanges lors de cette conférence ont permis d’apprendre beaucoup les uns des autres, à partir des témoignages marquants des acteurs eux-mêmes. Chaque participant est sorti de cette rencontre en ayant appris quelque chose qu’il ne soupçonnait pas, d’où l’idée pertinente d’Arterial d’avoir réuni des gens venant de tous les secteurs. Les personnes ressources étaient à la hauteur du sujet et elles ont su éclairer les artistes pas toujours au faîte de certaines considérations d’ordre général.
La presse a pu participer aux échanges et faire aussi son travail de couverture médiatique, en produisant des reportages tv et des articles dans les pages culture des quotidiens représentés et sites internet, publiés au lendemain de la conférence.
3) Bénéfices de cette opération pour Arterial Network Cameroon:
- Une Opportunité de communication et de visibilité pour le chapitre national : la famille artistique du Nord a pu s’imprégner des objectifs, des missions d’ANC et nombreux sont ceux qui ont adhérer en s’inscrivant sur le site internet d’Arterial.
- Des partenariats noué avec les opérateurs culturels : ANC a pu rencontrer et discuter d’une probable collaboration avec 3 directeurs de festivals basé à Garoua : Oxygène Amada (festival « Canaris »), Amadou
(festival des Arts Plastiques et Graphiques de Garoua) et Alfa Barry (festival « Son du berger »).
In Cameroon, the venue for the celebration of Music Freedom Day on 3 March this time around will in Garoua. It is the northern part of Cameroon – which matches the characteristics of Mali, the main theme of this year’s campaign.
Ebah Essongue from northern Cameroon is in charge of organising the event in co-operation with Alliance France-Camerounaise.
The new Arterial Network steering committtee member – who doubles as Arterial Network Cameroon chair – Chembifon Muna will be attending the event.
MUSIC FREEDOM DAY 2013 A GAROUA – CAMEROUN
Imaginez le monde sans musique. Ou imaginez un monde où on nous dit ce que nous devons jouer, ce que nous devons chanter et même ce que nous devons écouter dans le sanctuaire de notre maison.
Ce monde existe déjà. Dans bien plus de pays que vous ne pouvez l’imaginer, les musiciens et les compositeurs sont menacés et cette menace ne fait que grandir.
Parce que la pratique de la musique est droit, nous invitons à célébrer avec nous La Music Freedom Day ou encore la journée de la liberté de la musique. Il s’agit d’une journée d’action contre la censure des artistes musiciens dans le monde. Évènement organisé chaque année par l’organisation suédoise Freemuse et célébré dans le monde entier le 3 mars. Pour sa part, Arterial Network Cameroun dans le cadre de son rendez-vous mensuelle l’Art en Palabre, organise une série d’activités à Garoua le samedi 2 mars 2013.
Programme :
Samedi 2 mars :
7h30 : intervention sur les antennes de Radio Salaaman
11h30 : intervention sur les antennes de Crtv Nord
15h30 : conférence à l’Alliance Française :
Thème : Musique, liberté d’expression et créativité musicale
Intervenants : Prof Kombou Emmanuel / Chembifon Dibué Muna
Modérateur : Ebah Essongue Shabba
20h : cabaret show au MATIGNON (boulevard lamido hayatou, face maison du parti)
On est ensemble!!!!
PS: en pj le visuel de l’activité
EBAH ESSONGUE SHABBA
Communicateur Arterial Network Cameroun
Web Journaliste / Animateur radio
Directeur artistique festival Woïla HipHop
Manager d’Artiste
Tel: 96077524 / 77118669
www.arterialnetwork.org
www.journalducameroun.com
www.festivalwoilahiphop.skyrock.com
In: Posts from organisers · Tagged with: 2013, Cameroon
Pakistan: Manifestations of tolerance and acceptance of music, art and culture
On Music Freedom Day 2013 at a local hotel in Peshawar, music lovers put their voices together to ensure the freedom of artistic and musical expressions. The participants boldly condemned militancy and extremism in all its forms.
Also, at the Peshawar Press Club, a seminar and a protest walk was organised to inform about the importance of music and free expression.
By Sher Alam Shinwari
Participants at a gathering regarding the annual Music Freedom Day at a local hotel in Peshawar on Sunday 3 March 2013 put their voices together for providing social and financial security to the artists and singers for promoting tolerance, peace and acceptance of art and culture through musical and artistic expressions, adding that militancy and extremism should be condemned in its all forms and designs.
The Culture Journalists Forum (CJF) and Takhleeq Development Foundation (TDF) arranged a well-organised event where more than 100 senior and young artists, singers and music fans from Chitral, Hazara, Charsadda, Nowshera, Mardan, Dir, Bannu, Kohat, Peshawar and Fata attended the function and shared their views on the overall situation of art and culture in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and the restive tribal areas.
Security to the artists’ community
Ihtisham Toru President Culture Journalists Forum pledged that the culture reporters would continue to raise voice of the artists and singers and giving vent to their genuine issues and problems: “We strongly demand an art academy in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, provision of foolproof security to the artists’ community and establishment of an endowment fund for the welfare of the artists and singers,” Toru stressed.
Speaking on the occasion, Arshad Hussain, a noted tv artist and president of Takhleeq Development Foundation in Peshawar, said that due to the ongoing militancy, artistic and cultural activities suffered badly while artists and singers faced attempts of murder, kidnapping, persecution, harassment and threats to either quit their profession or face the dire consequences from militants.
Folk singer Khan Teshil
“During the last decade two historic music streets, one each in Swat–Banr and Dabgari bazaar in Peshawar where there used to be informal sessions of indigenous music training, have been hit. According to a recent survey conducted by our team, the population of Dabgari bazaar has been reduced from 8,000 to 3,500 men and women. Where they have gone? They must be around, but most of them are not related to art and music any longer because of the threats,” Arshad maintained.
He regretted that the outgoing Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government could not give a practical shape to a well-researched cultural policy draft which a panel of artists, musicians, intellectuals and art critics had prepared and which has been pending in the culture department for the last six months.
Testimonies
Alamzeb Mujahid, a popular tv artist who took refuge in Malaysia following his kidnapping by militants three years ago, and the mother of Ghazala Javed from Swat, who was killed in 2012, shared their feelings with the participants on live telephone calls.
“My younger daughter Farhat Javed will not sing because I have already lost my elder daughter to this art. If there is no security who will join and even think of adopting this career which has become such a risky job,” the mother of the slain singer argued.
Rising Pashto music stars
Alamzeb Mujahid said that he had been put in a refugee’s camp where he was not allowed to do any work, his children and wife are literally starving.
Artists must raise their voice
Sardar Yousafzai while narrating his woeful tale said, “How can I bring alive that fateful day when militants opened fire on my car carrying my six of friends, one of them, Anwar Gul, later succumbed to injuries. When a singer or an artist is driven by fear of being fired or killed, how can he or she then entertain other people? We have to fight this menace with the force of one voice and no other person but the artists’ community themselves have to raise their voice for their due rights. I will not make any demand from the authorities either because they cannot or will not do it as my country is in deep crisis,” Yousafzai added with a choked voice as tears rolled down his cheeks.
Earlier, some video clips of those artists and singers who had fallen victims to militant’s attacks were shown to the participants.
Speakers and singers
Senior music maestro Ustad Shah Wali, young singers Humayoun Khan and Shahsawar Khan, and Laiqzada Laiq, a writer and Station Director of Pakistan Broadcasting Corporation (PBC) in Peshawar, also spoke on the occasion.
Later senior folk singers Ahmed Gul, Khan Tehsil, Akbar Hussain and rising stars Sitara Younas, Amjad Shahzad, Shahsawar, Karan Khan and Humayoun Khan performed live.
| |
TAKHLEEQ DEVELOPMENT FOUNDATION & CULTURE JOURNALISTS FORUM (2) Institutional capacity building training should be offered to all music stake holders on freedom of artistic expression as a basic human right. (3) Government shall immediately establish a cultural policy for the region (a draft policy paper has already been submitted to the Government of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s culture department, prepared by TDF). (4) Expansion of art & culture organisations and council network in all Khyber Pakhtunkhwa districts. (5) The government and civil society organisations assisted by the international community should launch a door step specific project for preservation and skill transformation, and a culture mapping of dying music streets, communities such as Baanr Swat, Dabgari Gurden, Peshawar and Kailassh Chitral. (6) Establishment of crisis management cell and emergency shelter homes for artists at risk at Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. (7) Endowment fund for artists. (8) Protection and legal support to artists at risk. (9) Establishment of a/v studio for the promotion of immature talent. (10) Production of documentaries, music videos, albums, television dramas, theatre, short films, feature films, and fiction films. (11) Launching of a community culture FM radio. (12) Management of promotional events. |
Demonstration and meeting for the importance of music and free expression
The event that was held on Music Freedom Day in Peshawar Press club was the first step in the direction of providing coordination, knowledge and awareness to all stakeholders about music censorship and artistic freedom of expression.
A protest walk was organised by Pakhtunkhwa Cultural Foundation in front of Press Club in Peshawar to record the importance of music and free expression.
Speaking on the occasion, Muhammad Rome, the Executive Director of Pakhtunkhwa Cultural Foundation, said that “the famous singer Shabana was brutally killed in Swat by the extremists, and therefore we demand that a Shabana Memorial Cultural Centre should be established in Swat in her memory.”
Amjad Shahzad, the Art Director of Pakhtunkhwa Cultural Foundation elaborated the threats faced by the singers, musicians and artists of the region. He further said that music is innocent in nature. It spreads love and peace.
People from all walks of the society participated with great enthusiasm. After a walk the participants gathered in front of Peshawar Press Club. The forum demanded:
• The protection of singers, musicians and artists must be ensured
• Music should become the part of education syllabus
• Music as a subject must be introduced in Fine Arts departments of all the universities
There is no doubt that music plays a vital role in the evolution of a society. Pashto music in particular is rich in all its forms and varieties. The current crisis has badly affected this industry. Singers, musicians and artists have been targeted and killed. CD-shops were blown up. Professionals were forced to quit their profession. In these circumstances many singers, musicians and artists are finding ways to get refuge in other countries.
The Music Freedom Day provides a sole opportunity to demand the freedom of expression. Pakhtunkhwa Cultural Foundation believes in the importance of music and free expression. Pakhtunkhwa Cultural Foundation takes every possible step to promote culture of the region and all its positive manifestations.
Media coverage
There was a good coverage by the Pakistani and international media about the rally and the events. For instance:
The News – 4 March 2013:
World Music Freedom Day marked in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa
PESHAWAR: Participants at a function held Sunday to mark “Freedom of Musical Expression and World Music Freedom Day” put voices together for providing social and financial security to the artistes and singers for promoting tolerance, peace and acceptance of art and culture through musical and artistic expressions. By Nisar Mahmood
VOA Deewa Radio – 3 March 2013:
خبرونه
پیښور کې موسیقۍ د تحفظ د پاره لاریون
Audio file: Peshawar Music Rally (2:45)
www.voadeewaradio.com
Muhammad Rome of Pakhtunkhwa Cultural Foundation had a one hour long interview live on Radio Mashaal with Haroon Bacha regarding the event and the organisation:
www.mashaalradio.org
Dawn – 3 March 2013:
Stifling environment for Pashto music in KP, Fata
PESHAWAR, March 2: In the post-9/11 scenario, we see a dwindling trend of art, heritage and music as militancy has adversely affected every sphere of our life. By Sher Alam Shinwari
In: Posts from organisers · Tagged with: 2013, Pakistan, report
Pakistan: The undeclared ban on playing music lingers on
During the last decade, Pashto music has lost artists and singers of high repute. Some have preferred to seek political asylum in the foreign countries. Many are living a miserable life. Receiving threats from militants has become a routine matter. But have things improved lately? Sher Alam Shinwari set out to investigate what the situation is like in Peshawar right now, on Music Freedom Day 2013. He found stifling sounds of Pashto music amid militancy and hostility.
Sardar Yousafzai
A Music Freedom Day report from Pakistan – by Sher Alam Shinwari
According to a music critic, ‘music cannot be expressed in words, not because it is vague but because it is more explicit than words’.
But in the post 9/11 scenario, we have seen a dwindling trend of art, heritage and music as militancy adversely affected every sphere of our life. Artists and singers in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Fata are threatened, kidnapped and some have been forced to quit the profession.
Banr in Swat and Dabgari in Peshawar were two the main music streets. They worked as ‘learning nurseries’ where artists and singers used to transfer the art to their younger generations. These places were targeted by the militants, and Pashto traditional music suffered a serious setback. Hundreds of CD and DVD shops and music centres were also blown up.
Sardar Youafzai, a popular singer from Swat, and Gulzar Alam from Peshawar were fired upon by militants, while Haroon Bacha, a young folk singer, took political asylum in USA following threats from extremists.
It wasn’t always so. A Pashton is said to be born with tapa, rabab and mungay. These are the tools through which a man gives vent to his hard life. A Pashtun versifies his sufferings, miseries and romance in tapa – a couplet which consists of two irregular lines – and he turns to rabab and mungay to throw away his daylong fatigue and sings out both his heart and head.
Hujra and Jumaat represent a typical Pashtun’s religious, cultural and social life but modern age disturbed this balance in his routine life. Stuck between his religious obligations and social and cultural responsibilities, Pashtuns’ attitude towards art, culture and music became hostile, and militants exploited this changing mood in their own favour.
Pashto music touched new heights when a recording company, ‘His Master’s Voice’, recorded the first ever Pashto song in the voice of a Persian-speaking lady, Guahar Jan Kalkatavi, in 1902 in London.
Later, around 250 recording companies came to India and had a thriving business. Large number of Pashto singers emerged. Even some Hindus living in Pashto-speaking areas in the pre-partition era began singing in Pashto. Radio Kabul was set up in 1925 while Peshawar Radio was launched in 1935. This further gave a great boost to traditional Pashto music. PTV too played a significant role in promoting local art and culture, including music.
“Unless there is a change in mindset, the art of music will never flourish again,” Ustad Nazeer Gul, a senior music director, told Freemuse:
“Threats or no threat, our own people’s attitude towards music and singers has been hostile. Young female singers such as Rabia Tabbasum, Aiman Udas and Ghazala Javed, as well as Anwar Gul (a tabla player), and Shabana (a dancer), died tragic deaths while noted Pashto folk singers Rasool Badshah and Zarshad Ali fell victim to fatal diseases and a senior versatile folk singer such as Kamal Masood hailing from south Waziristan had migrated to Rawalpindi following threats from militants where he succumbed to serious burn injuries at his rented home caused by a gas cylinder blast,” he said.
Akbar Hussain, 72, a senior Pashto folk singer, said, “The conditions for Pashto music are not favourable in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Fata in many ways. My elder son was kidnapped three years ago by militants. They released him very fast, though. The feeling of being attacked from militants is still looming large.”
Musharraf Bangash, a young singer, too was kidnapped but was released after remaining for sometime in captivity of militants.
Laiqzada Laiq, an author and Station Director of PBC in Peshawar, who recently has written a book on the evolution of Pashto music told this reporter, “After digitalisation, Pashto music has gained widespread popularity. Every day a new singer joins Pashto music. Music bands with new experimentation also are getting momentum. I don’t believe singers have threats now from militants – most of them hype it in the local media just to gain the sympathy of some foreign donors. Yes, quality has suffered but quantitatively Pashto music today has more artists, instrumentalities and singers than it had a few years ago.”
The acclaimed singer Sardar Yousafzai who survived an attempt on his life on 15 December 2008, however, underlined that singers and artists in the scenic valley are still facing problems of insecurity and threats from militants:
“Hardly a week goes when I don’t receive threats from extremists. But we have to fight back militancy. I am used to it now. We need to uphold our cultural identity at all costs,” he determined.
Senior Pashto folk singers Zarsanga, Akbar Hussain, Hidayatullah, Gluab Sher, Mashooq Sultana and Qamru Jan are living a miserable life, they told Freemuse.
“There is an undeclared ban on playing music. Artists and singers cannot perform live in Fata, and in settled areas too they are reluctant to perform in open air, for instance at wedding ceremonies, because of fear being attacked by militants. Every moment the sound of music is being choked,” told Tajwali Khan, a music buff in Peshawar.
Sher Alam Shinwari is an active member of the Culture Journalists Forum in Peshawar, working for the freedom of expression, and welfare for the artists and singers in Pakistan – and in particular in North West province – the militancy hit – Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Fata.
The Takhleeq Development Foundation (TDF – which translates to ‘The Creativity Development Foundation’) and Culture Journalists Forum (CJF) will jointly celebrate Music Freedom Day (MFD) on Sunday 3 March 2013 at a local hotel in Peshawar where they will discuss issues being faced by artists and singers in this part of the world and also senior and new artists and singers will perform live. Sher Alam Shinwari will be posting a complete report from the event on musicfreedomday.org.
On 3 March 2013:
Pakistan: Music Freedom Day exhibition, seminar and concert in Peshawar
In: Posts from participants · Tagged with: 2013, Pakistan
Broadcasters and artists in Asia, Africa and Europe join Music Freedom Day 2013
Freemuse publishes new report on Mali and reminds the world of Pussy Riot
With one of the world’s richest music countries heavily affected by attacks on music, two Pussy Riot members still in prison, six musicians killed in 2012, and a total number of 173 cases of attacks on musicians registered during the year, there are good reasons to join the annual ‘Music Freedom Day’ on Sunday, 3 March.
“2013 is the year when artistic freedom of expression for the first time will be discussed at the UN Human Rights Council. Freemuse has played an essential role on a global scale in creating more awareness about how widespread repression of artists is. In relationship to Music Freedom Day, Freemuse is publishing a very extensive documentation of how music has been affected in Mali, and we are promoting a brand new CD with music from Mali,” told Marie Korpe, Executive Director of Freemuse.
Report for download
The report, ‘Music, Culture and Conflict in Mali’, is written by Andy Morgan, who is one of UK’s most respected writers specialised in West Africa and the Sahara. Morgan analyses the background of the conflict, and he has interviewed 20 of Mali’s most acclaimed musicians, artists and observers on how music and culture has been affected as a consequence of the crisis in the northern part of the country. The report can be downloaded from here: musicfreedomday.org/mali
Conferences and concerts
Two Freemuse Award winners are talking and performing during Music Freedom Day. In Cairo, Ramy Essam has gathered several colleagues to highlight Music Freedom Day, and in Oslo, Mahsa Vahdat from Iran will perform. In spite of the extremely dangerous situation for artists in Pakistan’s conflict-stricken north-western region, artists in Peshawar will also join Music Freedom Day.
One of Zimbabwe’s most respected rap artists, Outspoken, will be performing in his home town Harare with some of the country’s top artists. And in Copenhagen, Freemuse will join a discussion on artistic freedom in Turkey with one of the members of the persecuted Kurdish band Grup Yorum.
A full day event at Bakelit Multi Art Center in Budapest illustrates that artistic freedom is not only at risk in developing countries. Hungary and Belarus are two European countries where artistic freedom is under severe pressure.
Radio ‘festival’
Since Freemuse in collaborations with several international broadcasters initiated Music Freedom Day in 2007, the annual event has become an important platform for artists and broadcasters to discuss and advocate artists’ rights to freedom of expression. The national radio in Norway, NRK, will broadcast from Mali.
In Sweden, the national radio channel P2 will be focusing on music censorship throughout the day, and radio colleagues in several other European countries are currently preparing special Music Freedom Day programmes.
…and while we are writing this, more participants are joining.
Read more on www.musicfreedomday.org
PRESS: For more information, contact
• Marie Korpe, Executive Director, Freemuse: +45 2944 4280 (mobile), +45 3332 1027 (office), e-mail:marie.korpe@freemuse.org
• Ole Reitov, Programme Manager, Freemuse: +45 2323 2765 (mobile), +45 3332 1027 (office), e-mail: ole.reitov@freemuse.org
 |
 |
Freemuse is an independent international organisation which advocates freedom of expression for musicians and composers worldwide. The organisation’s home page, freemuse.org, is the world’s largest knowledge base on music censorship. For more information about Freemuse, its activities and publications, see www.freemuse.org
FREEMUSE – Freedom of Musical Expression
Nytorv 17, 3rd floor, DK-1450 Copenhagen K, Denmark
Tel: +45 3332 1027
Click on the cover below to open or download Andy Morgan’s report: ‘Music, Culture and Conflict in Mali’:
Click on the cover below to read more about and listen to the CD: ‘Live from Festival au Désert’:
If you would like to participate in Music Freedom Day on 3 March 2013, please contact the Freemuse secretariat.
• The official Music Freedom Day website: musicfreedomday.org
• News about what is happening this year: musicfreedomday.org/?tag=2013
About Music Freedom Day last year, in 2012
· What happened on the day
· Images from 3 March 2012
· Music Freedom Reports
· Media coverage 2012
Music Freedom Day — Previous years
[2011] [2010] [2009] [2008] [2007]
In: Posts from Freemuse · Tagged with: 2013
Recommended Mali music for airplay
New CD in support of Mali musicians
Freemuse has supported Clermont Music’s production of a new CD with music which was recorded at the Festival au Désert in Timbuktu, Mali. Clermont Music supports the mission of the Festival au Désert and manages and releases recordings primarily from the western Sahara of Africa.
The official release date for the CD is on 19 March 2013, but already now, radio broadcasters within Europe or the US can have promotion copy sent by post, or Freemuse can e-mail download-links to three music of the audiofiles from the CD-album (for use in radio programmes only).
In short: if you are a radio producer who would like to play this music on air, please contact Freemuse.
You can listen to two tracks from the CD here and now:
“Music in itself is the expression of freedom, and in some parts of the world, the joy and liberty it invokes are unbearable. It is painful to think that in northern Mali, the land of Ali Farka Touré, and a region some believe is the birthplace of the blues, music is being completely silenced by militants who adhere to strict Islamic laws.”
Angelique Kidjo – in The New York Times on 30 November 2012.
‘Mali-ko’ (Peace)
In response to the situation in northern Mali, the 30-year-old singer Fatoumata Diawara gathered together 37 of Mali’s most renowned musicians — including Toumani Diabaté, Habib Koité, and Oumou Sangaré — in a studio in Bamako in January 2013 to record a song and video calling for peace.
The song’s lyrics includes this line: “Never have I seen such desolation. They want to impose Sharia law on us. Tell the north that our Mali is one nation, indivisible.”
Listen to the report by PRI The World’s Marco Werman from 15 January 2013 — about the song ‘Maliko’, including an interview with Fatoumata Diawara:
PRI’s The World: Fatoumata Diawara Sings for Peace and the Emancipation of Women in Mali
“The Malian people have lost hope in politics. But music has always brought hope in Mali. Music has always been strong and spiritual, and has had a very important role in the country, so when it comes to the current situation, people are looking up to musicians for a sense of direction…”
Fatoumata Diawara
BBC Newsnight – 26 January 2013:
Fatoumata Diawara – Mali Special
AFP video interview with Fatoumata Diawara (in French language)
The Guardian – 18 January 2013:
Fatoumata Diawara gathers Malian supergroup to record peace song
Group calling themselves Voices United for Mali, featuring Amadou and Mariam, Oumou Sangaré, Bassekou Kouyaté, Vieux Farka Touré, Toumani Diabaté and many others, release song called Peace in response to country’s troubles
Tiken Jah Fakoly: ‘An Ka Wili’
“I’ve released this single to support Mali in its time of need,” afro-reggae star Tiken Jah Fakoly, himself no stranger to persecution and war, both of which have ravaged his native Ivory Coast, told Jeune Afrique.
He recorded ‘An Ka Wili’, which means “Mobilisation and Galvanisation” in Bambara and released it just after New Year’s Day 2013. It was given away for free in Mali.
“The single is a call for general mobilisation,” he explained: “Mali has known great men, great empires and it is unimaginable to allow the country to be cut in two as it is today. Malians must count first and foremost on their own forces.”
In: Music for MFD · Tagged with: 2013, Mali, radio
Mali: What the musicians have to say
Quotes from musicians and a festival organiser in Mali who were interviewed by Andy Morgan for the Freemuse report: ‘Music, Culture and Conflict in Mali’
|
Rokia Traore: “Under shari’a, it would mean that people like me could no longer live in Mali. Obviously, I’m a Muslim. I’ve always been a believer, but shari’a law is not my thing. I don’t believe in it and if it has to exist in my country, I could no longer work in Mali. I would cease to exist in one way or another. And at the same, Malian culture would cease to exist. I hope that Mali won’t be another global catastrophe in cultural terms.” |
 |
|
|
Manny Ansar: (Director of the Festival in the Desert) “Everything is transmitted in Mali through music, through poetry. We enjoy life through music. The MUJAO can exist but not among this people. And I don’t see how, in the 21st century, they’ll manage to occupy this entire territory without the support of the people who live there. So, that declaration of theirs, instead of making me panic, at least it tells me that we’re dealing with people who don’t know what they’re doing, who aren’t serious and who won’t win. Because they’re aiming for utopia. They don’t understand the culture that they’re operating in and they don’t try and understand it either. And most importantly, they’re not in harmony with the population.” |
 |
|
|
Toumani Diabaté: “We’re a peaceful people with a cultural tradition that is very big and very powerful. That culture is our petrol. That culture is our diamonds, our mineral wealth. So we’ll never accept that people come and try and destroy history, try and hide and destroy the heritage of your country. We’ll never accept that. |
 |
|
|
Vieux Farka Touré: “Really and truly, I don’t think those guys have anything to do with Islam. You can’t even call them Islamists. They’re jokers, you know. For them it’s all about weapons and drugs. They’re just opportunists, not Islamists. By trying to destroy music they want to break people’s spirits, so that they can control them better. But I don’t think it’s possible. Music is something very powerful in the human spirit, so it’s not just by shaking your finger than you can destroy it. Music has a big impact on all of use because it provides a place for us to come together. It’s our meeting place, where we’re happy, where there’s friendship and companionship. Everything happens around music. It’s life. It’s as if they’re attack part of our life.” |
 |
|
|
Afel Bocoum: “Yes, but isn’t Quranic singing also music? Malian musicians also sing for the Prophet Mohammed. We sing about religion. We sing about men. We sing about the animals. We sing about the earth. But isn’t singing for a religion also making music? What about singing for the animals. Because the Muslims up there in the north cannot live without nature. They can’t live without their animals. |
 |
|
|
||
‘Music, Culture and Conflict in Mali’In relationship to Music Freedom Day 2013, Freemuse publishes a very extensive documentation of how music has been affected in Mali: The 64-pages report ‘Music, Culture and Conflict in Mali’, which is written by Andy Morgan — one of UK’s most respected writers specialised in West Africa and the Sahara. Andy Morgan analyses the background of the conflict, and he has interviewed 20 of Mali’s most acclaimed musicians, artists and observers on how music and culture has been affected as a consequence of the crisis in the northern part of the country. The report can be downloaded here.
Freemuse is an independent international organisation which advocates freedom of expression for musicians and composers worldwide. The organisation’s home page, freemuse.org, is the world’s largest knowledge base on music censorship. For more information about Freemuse, its activities and publications, see www.freemuse.org |
 Open or download Andy Morgan’s report: ‘Music, Culture and Conflict in Mali’ |
|
|
|
|
||
In: Posts from Freemuse · Tagged with: 2013, Mali
