Afghan ban on women singing in public

Subject: Afghan ban on women singing in public
From: Felipa
Date: 17 Mar 21 - 07:38 AM

"Only two days after the world celebrated International Women’s Day, the Ministry of Education of Afghanistan announced a ban for girls 12 years old and up from singing in public arenas, this would include being able to participate in singing their National Anthem of Afghanistan."

Full Statements From Afghanistan National Institute of Music & Beyond Skin at the following link – www.beyondskin.net/iammysong #IAmMySong
There are also several videos linked to the Beyond Skin page.

"... In addition to ANIM’s continued efforts in Afghanistan to promote and uphold a child’s and female rights to music practice and a fair education, we invite fellow supporters, institutions, organizations, musicians, and all individuals to join us for the #IAmMySong campaign by recording a song in solidarity for Afghan females and for all people to have their voices freely heard." Dr Ahmad Sarmast (Founder & Director)"

Subject: RE: Afghan ban on women singing in public
From: leeneia
Date: 17 Mar 21 - 01:00 PM

This ban has nothing to do with music. It is a message of contempt.

Subject: RE: Afghan ban on women singing in public
From: The Sandman
Date: 17 Mar 21 - 03:08 PM

felipa, thankyou for letting me know the situation in Afghanistan ,

Subject: RE: Afghan ban on women singing in public
From: GUEST,#
Date: 17 Mar 21 - 04:19 PM

https://www.ctvnews.ca/world/afghan-ministry-tried-to-shift-blame-over-girls-singing-ban-1.5347388

Looks like there may be some back peddling taking place. One can but hope. It was a thoughtless decision in the first place.

Subject: RE: Afghan ban on women singing in public
From: Felipa
Date: 17 Mar 21 - 04:23 PM

I hope it is okay to copy the article in the link here;
https://www.ctvnews.ca/world/afghan-ministry-tried-to-shift-blame-over-girls-singing-ban-1.5347388   

KABUL -- Afghanistan's education ministry on Monday denied it was behind a recent memo that banned girls 12 years old and older from singing in public, putting the blame instead on the ministry's Kabul department and its local chief.

The memo, a copy of which was seen by The Associated Press, had gone out to all school districts in Kabul, the Afghan capital.

It stated that girls older than 12 cannot perform in any public event and that singing at such events is strictly forbidden. It went on to say that only female teachers can teach music to girls older than 12.

The memo triggered an outcry from activists and prompted a social media campaign known as #IAmMySong, started by Ahmad Sarmast, the founder of Afghanistan's Institute of Music. The campaign gained traction on Twitter, with some Afghan girls singing their favourite tunes for the camera and calls popping up for petitions to oppose the directive.

The ministry then tried to backpedal, with spokeswoman Najiba Arian insisting last Friday that the purpose of the memo was misunderstood and that its objective was not to ban girls singing but to prevent boys and girls from participating in public events that could spread the coronavirus.

A new memo was subsequently sent, saying music groups for both secondary school girls and boys were being banned because of the pandemic. Afghanistan has recorded more than 55,000 cases of the virus and 2,451 deaths but testing is inadequate and the real numbers are believed to be far greater.

On Monday, a statement from the ministry said it is "committed to support the right to education and the right of all male and female students to participate in cultural, artistic and sports programs."

"This ministry does not intend to restrict the legal and educational rights of students," it added.

Arian on Monday said the original memo "does not reflect the official position and policy" of the ministry. She added that an investigation was launched into the Kabul branch of the ministry and its chief, Ahmad Zameer Gowara, who was responsible for the memo.

"If necessary, the Ministry of Education will also resort to disciplinary action," Arian also said.

The memo and the subsequent uproar comes as women's rights activists and civil society groups are fighting to ensure that fragile human rights gains made over the last 20 years in Afghanistan -- since the U.S.-led invasion ousted the Taliban regime -- take centre stage in the peace talks underway between the Kabul government and the Taliban. It also shows how the rights of girls and women are under threat from conservatives on both sides of the protracted conflict.

Sarmast, who started the hashtag campaign, said those defending the rights of women and girls are "not going to keep silent until the result of the investigation" are announced.

Subject: RE: Afghan ban on women singing in public
From: GUEST,#
Date: 17 Mar 21 - 05:47 PM

I think leeneia's post nailed it in one.

Subject: Iranian ban on women singing in public
From: Felipa
Date: 20 Mar 21 - 10:37 PM

Woman have been banned from singing in public for many years now in Iran; but some women still resist.

Here is a BBC video about two Iranian women who now live in exile after having been jailed for their musical activities.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=89rd3jBUq80

I've been listening to Iranian music for the Nowruz spring/new year festival, and I see lots of women singing and playing instruments. There is a high level of women's involvement in music in the diaspora community, apparently. Men and women do play music and sing in groups together, but I think the Atine Ensemble of Iranian women musicians in France is very talented. http://www.rhythmpassport.com/discover/daily-discoveries/daily-discovery-atine-ey-tir/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0DOcah4YFOw

Subject: RE: Iranian women singing and playing in public
From: Felipa
Date: 25 Mar 21 - 05:49 PM

Iranian women outside Iran certainly are active in music performance. I've just come across another all-female ensemble playing tradional instruments. Yad-e Doust Ensemble has a more traditional sound than the innovative Atine. The bits I read about them refer to their first tour of Europe, so infer that they were still based in Iran.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h9pnj_TJAIY&t=1264s

The various youtube videos I've watched which show Iranian women singing and/or playing instruments all have a noticeable albeit minority of thumbs down responses. I wonder if these are mainly from people who don't approve of women being on stage or from people who disapprove or Iranians in general.

Google translate from Dutch:
The young, female Yad-e Doust Ensemble honors the great Iranian master who passed away two years ago: Mohammad-Reza Lotfi. His personality and music are a lasting source of inspiration for the new generations who keep Iranian classical music traditions alive. Singer Haleh Sayfizadeh is accompanied by Negar Kharkan on kemenche, Noushin Pasdar on oud, Afarinsadat Nazarijou on qanoen and Nazanin Pedarsani on tombak.

In addition to compositions by Lotfi, they bring old and recent compositions by anonymous and well-known masters, complemented by improvisation according to the Radif. This guarantees a varied instrumental and vocal-instrumental program, in which ensemble pieces are alternated with parts in which the instruments speak separately.

-------------------------
Yad-e Doust is a new ensemble of five Iranian women who share a passion for classical music. During their first tour of Europe, they pay tribute to the late master Mohammad-Reza Lotfi (deceased in May 2014). He was a great source of inspiration for all members of the ensemble and for Iranian classical music in general.
They have selected an attractive repertoire consisting of works by Lotfi and other Iranian composers such as Mahjoobi, Kiani-Nejad, and Shahnaz, supplemented with older anonymous pieces and improvised parts. Improvisation and composition are both based on the classic canonical repertoire called Radif, a historical collection of melodies and melody types. Both in metrical parts and in parts without a meter, and in vocal as well as instrumental parts, the content and form of the poetry give structure to the melodic material.

Subject: RE: Afghan ban on women singing in public
From: Felipa
Date: 25 Mar 21 - 05:53 PM

there are also plenty of Afghan women on youtube. Most that I came up with when I searched were modern singers, but here is a more folkloric performance.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pVfnkFSRP5c

Subject: RE: Iranian women singing in public
From: Felipa
Date: 09 May 21 - 08:03 PM

again, Iran rather than Afghanistan

WED 14 May 2021
https://farhang.org/workshops-lectures/sepideh-raissadat-within-the-walls

Within the Walls: A Temporal and Spatial Overview of the Lives of Female Singers in Iran
Description
This talk by Sepideh Raissadat begins by providing an overview of a number of iconic female vocalists in Iran. After a historical overview, it discusses the role of women in current practices of music-making. It ultimately highlights the spaces that women use to present their music.
Time

May 14, 2021 12:00 PM in Pacific Time (US and Canada

free event but advance registration is required.

Subject: RE: Afghan ban on women singing in public
From: Jack Campin
Date: 10 May 21 - 07:34 PM

Almost all the posts have been directly about music. This thread belongs back where it started.

I guess if I want to quote Lorraine Sakata's book to give the background (50 years ago) I need to start another thread to do it? And yet more threads to discuss the many Afghan women musicians you can find on Facebook and YouTube?

---

Yes, Jack, but....
I don't hear a melody.
-Joe Offer-

Subject: RE: Afghan ban on women singing in public
From: Joe Offer
Date: 11 May 21 - 12:55 PM

On Jack's advice, I'm going to limit this thread to music only, and ask that all posts refer to the singing of Afghan women. Including posts on other political subjects would make the music discussion impossible. I have deleted non-music posts from this thread.

Leeneia's post says: This ban has nothing to do with music. It is a message of contempt.
Ah, but it does have a great deal to do with music. The music of women in many countries is a source of power for them in the face of oppression. The suppression of their music is an action of disempowerment.
Thanks.
-Joe-

Subject: RE: Afghan ban on women singing in public
From: Jack Campin
Date: 11 May 21 - 02:51 PM

Great. Thanks.

Female Voice of Afghanistan, 2021