Farhad Darya Live in Concert in Helmand – and you thought they were just a bunch of extremists, huh?

A belated Eid Mubarak – I’ll post my Eid post later but for now, I’m ecstatic about the turnout at Farhad Darya’s concert in Helmand.

I was talking to my family on skype last night, my back was toward the TV. H was flicking through the channels and he stopped at one. I could hear Karzai speaking and addressing the public in Pashto. Mum asked me what that was on TV. I told her it was Karzai. H was like ‘noooo, it’s Farhad Darya’. He’s not a fan of Farhad Darya, but I am. And I think deep down, he is too. He was really liking the concert.

Anyhow, mum immediately switched on RTA on the internet and she watched it on her computer.

The turnout was ginormous!!! It was HUGE! I’m talking about at least a million people (all men, of course). But it was a huge success!

For those who don’t know, Helmand is known as ‘Taliban’ zone. It’s right next to Kandahar. It’s Pashtun dominated and it’s extremely conservative.

But Farhad Darya, of Tajik ethnicity, blew out the Pashtun crowd with his performance and genuinity of his love for his people. I was so amazed. I didn’t even know it was possible. It was good to see a different side of Helmand, a happy side of people cheering and clapping and just being happy, not what you see on TV of extremism and unhappiness. Hopefully, the next big event will also have women’s presence, perhaps a women only event will strike a huge turnout.

Anyhow, I’m still so excited about it, so let me just say a few things more. Towards the end, Darya was so into it, he was running around barefoot on stage. The crowd loved him. Occassionally the event coordinator would take on the stage telling eveyrone ‘kshena kshena’ (sit, sit). But that was only for a few minutes. A song later, they were all on their feet again, waving their arms.

The best part of it all was that it was live, no lipsynching was done. Almost all Afghan singers lipsynch. This is one reason why this made the event so genuine. He really had everyone going.

I may be getting way over my head when I say this, but maybe Farhad Darya is the answer to Afghanistans fragmented ethnic division. He unites everyone, he sings for all, he sings in all languages. I grew up listening to his music, I didn’t know what he was singing. I just liked the tune.

Today, I have a deeper appreciation of his music. He’s not just a singer. He’s an ambassador of peace, of unity, of development. He is a darya.

Okay, just a correction: Farhad Darya is not of Tajik ethnicity. His father was a Pashtun of the Nasher tribe among the Pashtuns. His grandfather was a very powerful Pashtun by the name of Sher Khan. (thanks to TemorKhan for noting this)

Also, I forgot to add that the international media did not report this. I am so disappointed. I wanted the world to see a different side of Helmand, a happier side. They’re always so quick to report the negative and not the positive. I guess that’s what makes headlines.

Zayed Minhaj – RIP

Inna lillahi wa inna ilayhi raji’oon.

A family friend’s son. My former teacher’s son. My sister’s friend’s brother. I didn’t know him. I just remember him as a very small child. And now, he’s dead. My mum told me the news over IM a few minutes ago and it didn’t hit me until now.

Minhaj was on his was to Wardak where a bomb was planted targeting him. His body has blown to bits and they cannot find anything except for his shirt and some tattered ID. He was young, about 20 years old, perhaps even younger.

I sat looking at the computer screen feeling numb but at the same time filled with momentous hatred and anger towards the people who had carried this out. How could they take a life? Who gave them this right?

A part of me wishes that it’s not him. What could he possibly have done? I can only imagine the state his family is in. But so what if it’s not him, it’s still a young boy killed. Someone’s child. Someone’s brother. Someone’s cousin. Someone’s friend. I hope a day comes when we can claim victory over these terrorists.

My heart goes out to his family and friends.

And so it is!

F., N., and N. were Tajik; the other two were Pushtun. I asked them about the historically violent divisions among these tribes. They said, firmly, “That was our fathers. Today, we are all brothers.”

14 years ago, this day, the Taliban captured Kabul

I was only 10 years old. And now, I’m 24, typing away on a keyboard in a well lit room powered by gov’t supplied electricity. As an Australian-Afghan woman. Without a Burka. Without a male accompanying me. Afghanistan has come a long way.

Just thinking, imagining the dead bodies of the then President najibullah and his brother and the dark clouds that dawned Kabul. I can only imagine the fear that spread in Kabul of what was to be.

*sigh*

A little something

Here’s a little something for you to do if you’re ever in Kabul. At about 4pm into the day, grab a tissue and just wipe your face. If it’s not grey/black/brown… you’re probably the first case! I didn’t even go out much today!

Did I mention a pimple growing on my forehead?

And you’d think there are better things to be worried about when in Afghanistan than just pimples!

Back in Kabul

Yep. Back in Kabul. New job. New room. I’m in an underground safe room with armoured doors and windows and a food chest filled with food and water. Sounds depressing, huh? It’s not that bad. I still have my 9 suitcases unpacked and sitting around the room since we might be changing rooms. Thankfully I haven’t started working yet, still not over the jet lag! I start on the 1st.

We arrived a week ago, did the usual thing we always do spend a few nights in Dubai (which is way more than enough!) and then we hit Kabul. The last week in the US was HECTIC, It was just shop and pack and shop and pack. Of course, I bought way more than I need. I forgot the boatload of clothes and shoes I had left in Kabul. A girl can never have enough shoes and clothes.

Has Kabul changed? Not really. Things are still the same, security is a little less tighter which makes it worrisome. Does this mean that the new ‘Ring of Steel’ that’s being implemented is strong enough to protect Kabul or does it mean that they need another attack to bring up the security? I hope it’s the former.

Oh yes, a new wedding hall has opened. Surprise! It was under construction when we left. We’d guess what it was. hubby was saying it’s a shopping centre (pfft, yeah right!) and I was saying it’s a wedding hall since we don’t have enough in Kabul. And sure enough it’s a Las vegas meets Disney World wedding hall. heeeeeeeeehehehe. And so a relative of H’s is getting married this Friday. I find weddings in Kabul a bore! You can’t talk to the person next to you because the music is just clanking in your head. You can’t see the bride and groom coz they’re nowhere in sight and then there’s the bazillion kids running amuck. But that’s a different topic to blog about. And believe you me, it will be blogged about.

Hubby and I thought we could get out of this one, but no.

Oh, and the non stop questions why we’re not expecting a baby and the disappointment. One of H’s distant (and I mean D I S T A N T) relatives had the courage to tell us to have babies so that our families can get happy. What a wrong excuse to have kids. And it doesn’t help when some of my hubby’s inlaws who married a month before our 6 month trip are expecting to pop any minute. They think nagging will do! Go and get your own daughters married off and nag them. SHEESH, WOMAN!
Ah well, my excuse to them is our beloved President Karzai didn’t have a baby until he was in his 50s.

Almost done with my Masters, it’s my final semester! and then moving on to my JD… woohooooo!

The bell just rang, it’s lunch time…

Go on, get outta ‘ere…

“Be back in 5 mins”

I’ve been out of Afghanistan since April. I’m not sure if I will return, there are higher chances I’ll return to Australia 🙂 We’ll see what happens.

I’m currently in the US and Ramadan is TOUGH here, iftar is at 8pm (roughly).

Until next time.

Rewind: A letter to Kabul

Dear Kabul,

I know I’ve been mean to you in the past few days, and saying mean things about you. This is mainly because I’ve been feeling unwell. I’ve vented myself on your people, your roads, your tailors because they’ve not attended to my bridesmaid’s dresses. I don’t like your boys and men because they pester women. I don’t like your waters because it makes me sick. Not to mention the dust and pollution – oh, and the mud too, ruining my new shoes. I don’t like your worthless currency shifting from the hands of the rich to the poor, bringing joy to neither. I don’t like your male-dominated society, where even if men do wrong, it’s still okay. I don’t like the way women have to scream to be heard, but men simply whisper and everything falls their way. The most heinous acts have been committed on your land, Kabul, yet you fail to do anything about it. Men have tortured women for decades, are you blind to see? Your vicious winters, so cruel to the homeless. Regardless of all this, you share my misery. Don’t think I haven’t appreciated it, because I have, I’ve noticed your clouds grieve as I hurt, sharing my pain. Grey and gloomy skies agree with my unspoken words. Your rains shed like my agonising tears, but when the sun rises and your tears stop – it all starts again. It pains me as I try to smile, a broken smile. Your cruel mountains, so fierce, yet so sympathetic. You’ve been cruel to be kind, I know my sorrowful companion will bring me joy. God has promised us that when he closes a door, he will open a window. My eyes are too wet to see a window, I need to stop crying to find my way. Until then I will continue my quest for that window.

Racism amongst Afghans – so sick of it!

“I’m proud Pashtoon. I’m proud Tajik. I’m proud Hazara. I’m proud Uzbek.  I spit on you all for considering yourself higher than an Afghan. ”  – some dude on TV.

I’m so sick of it.

Seriously, Pashtoons paranoid that any ‘Farsiwan’ is anti-Pashtoon and vice versa. Or Tajiks going against Hazaras etc. And I resent groups such as the Pashtoon Society of USA or Tajiki Group of Australia bla bla and other crappy organisations as such that break Afghans into small groups. Why not Afghans in general? Why does it have to be broken into ethnic groups? There is so much hostility — it’s unbelievable.

Pashtoons hating Dari and Tajik Afghans hating Pashto – when will they accept their differences and realise it’s the same land and same people? When will they realise it was the pride in their tribe/provinces that brought this country down? They defended their province against insurgents, how about standing together and protecting their country — their Afghanistan!

The time when Afghans need to be united most against murderers and thieves — they are breaking down into provinces, villages, tribes etc. And they are proud of it too. Why? The repercussions it had last time – is it really worth it? To group ourselves and have so much pride that it causes us to look down on the other ethnic groups?

Nangarhar is a clear example because I’ve witnessed it myself – the villagers from one village think they are better than the village next to them because that village has very ‘dumb people’.  And this is INSIDE Nangarhar – so someone from Mazaar or Herat or Panjshir to them is a complete outsider. And I’m sure this happens in other provinces too, not only Nangarhar.

If this continues, God forbid, dare I say why not chop Afghanistan into different countries? It’s a shame, Afghans are so hospitable to western foreigners, but amongst themselves — there’s so much rivalry and hostility.

If  your Tajik, embrace the Pashtoon culture. If your Pashtoon, embrace the Tajik culture. And the same goes for Hazaras and Uzbeks.  Learn the different languages and cultures that exist in Afghanistan and accept that we’re all one. Teach both languages to your children and pass on the values of unity.

I grew up not knowing about the provinces and the ethnic divisions that exist in Afghanistan and I thank my parents for that. I have friends who are Afghan and I had no idea which provinces they were from and quite frankly, I didn’t care because it didn’t matter — until I came to Afghanistan and learned of the differences that exist.

Through my veins, there runs Pashtoon blood with a bit of Tajik blood. Don’t want to single out my ethnicity  but I’m mainly Pashtoon but I didn’t speak a word of Pashto until I married my husband and learned from his family. I’m happy to say that I was a Dari speaking Pashtoon because it meant I had both in me and that made me an Afghan and I salute my parents for that. I’m even prouder today because I can speak both Dari and Pashto – both are the languages of Afghanistan, equally. And I’m a proud  Australian-Afghan.

I hope to teach our children both Dari and Pashto and teach them they are Afghan, and not from a particular province. Inshallah.

United we stand, divided we fall.

I still can’t recognise snow!

it’s snowing and has been for the past 20 minutes but I thought it was raining the entire time. Until someone pointed it out. Spent 3 winters in Kabul and still can’t recognise snow!

So sleepy, had a tough night last night! Major headache so I didn’t get enough sleep! I seriously can’tbe bothered typing today.. so sleepy! Tomorrow maybe?

🙂