More articles from Hisham Aidi
Australia's 'history wars' heat up again
An unlikely celebration of North Africa's ethnic diversity
The sex-for-food scandal in Central African Republic
Podemos and the Catalan cause
Reviving Thomas Sankara's spirit
Islam is at the heart of an emerging global anti-hegemonic culture that combines diasporic and local cultural elements, and blends Arab, Islamic, black and Hispanic factors to generate "a revolutionary black, Asian and Hispanic globalization, with its own dynamic counter-modernity constructed in order to fight global imperialism. (say what!)
Showing posts with label spain. Show all posts
Showing posts with label spain. Show all posts
Sunday, June 28, 2015
Thursday, March 17, 2011
from tarim to granada
h/t to www.caribbeanmuslims.com
Granada. In Muslim imagination the mere name conjures up images of a magnificent city. A place where science and culture thrived during Europe's dark ages. A place where the streets were lit at night and ornate fountains fed verdant gardens of exquisite beauty. Where a tolerant convivencia brought the Abrahamic faiths together in a most remarkable coexistence. Granada and its iconic Alhambra Palace represents Islam's Andalucian legacy in Europe.
Tarim. Nestled in Yemen's Hadhramaut valley, it is a city like no other. A place of spirituality and learning, tended to by the descendents of the Prophet Muhammad himself. From Java to East Africa and beyond, the scholars of Tarim led by their guides - the Habibs - have taken their tradition all over the world establishing a truly global spiritual community dedicated to living and celebrating the sacred.
Now the living tradition of Tarim and the glorious legacy of Granada meet for the first time. Habib Umar bin Hafiz travels to Spain, visiting Muslim communities in Madrid and Granada. Accompanied by journalist and commentator Fuad Nahdi and Muslims from the Spain, Yemen and the UK, From Tarim to Granada chronicles a remarkable journey.
This is the story of new communities and ancient legacies. Of enduring faith and the burden of history. Of renewing the connection between East and West. Of finding a new convivencia for our times.
Sunday, February 20, 2011
flamenco and hip-hop unite in granada
This is an old NPR story but still eminently suitable for the blog:
Flamenco and Hip-Hop Unite in Granada
K'naan + Granada Doaba - "ABCs" (Gnawledge Remix)
El Canyonazo's YouTube Channel
Canyon Cody's Blog
Flamenco and Hip-Hop Unite in Granada
K'naan + Granada Doaba - "ABCs" (Gnawledge Remix)
El Canyonazo's YouTube Channel
Canyon Cody's Blog
Sunday, August 09, 2009
qawwali kissing flamenco
for more of this amazing fusion and synthesis, you might want to check out the Sologak blog: Sufi Chant: Qawali & Flamenco
Friday, April 11, 2008
spain to senegal: stay home
In These Times: Spain to Senegal: Stay Home by Adrián Bleifuss Prados deals with the various Spanish responses to African immigration.
Other entires on Spain as a place of immigration:
is spain realy racist?
points to paradise
spanish immigration ploy: hire mothers
Other entires on Spain as a place of immigration:
is spain realy racist?
points to paradise
spanish immigration ploy: hire mothers
Wednesday, March 12, 2008
mami el negro esta rabioso (el africano)
This post has been rattling around in my brain for a couple days now (or longer depending on how you count) but Kismet "made me" finish it a little bit more quickly due to her comment on negro bembon.
If anyone wants to look at how race shows up in Latin music, "El Africano" by Wilfrido Vargas (actually written by Calixto Ochoa, but Vargas went further with it) is a necessary "text". In one version, the song lyrics are:
Mami el negro esta rabioso, quiere bailar/pelear conmigo, decicelo a mi papa. Mami el negro me echa miedo, me tapo la cabeza y el negro me destapa. (or alternatively) Mami, yo me acuesto tranquila me arropo de pie a cabeza y el negro me destapa. CORO : Mami que sera lo que quiere el negro? (repeat)
Wlfrido Vargas: El Africano
The classic merengue tune is about a "rabioso" (angry, literally "rabid") black man uncovering the innocent girl who has little experience with "lo que quiere el negro" (what the black man wants). On one level it is a festive party anthem, but on another it pretty clearly perpetuates certain alarmist attitudes towards Black sexuality. (e.g. see race and sex)
DJ Laz made heavy use of a Vargas sample and updated the song musically, if not lyrically. While more recently, Cuban-American rapper Pitbull came out with "The Anthem" featuring Lil' John as an homage to the original. Miraculously, he manages to make the lyrics more lascivious (the girl is certainly not calling her daddy for protection) and racist (adding typical Latin stereotypes of Black female/"morena" sexuality to stereotypes of Black male sexuality).
DJ Laz: Mami El Negro
Pitbull: The Anthem
So far, my favorite piece in this lineage is "Mami El Negro" by the 'conscious' Spanish (as in from Spain) rapper El Chojin. To be honest, I never heard of El Chojin until working on this post but he is growing on me. I also like the Grenada-esque anti-bling anthem Si Mi Chica Se Llamara Shakira /If Shakira was my girlfriend. But in "Mami El Negro" he is the most explicit in terms of breaking down the racist content of the original song, along with the ignorance and prejudice he faces in his everyday life.
El Chojin: Mami El Negro
Lyrics to "Mami El Negro" by El Chojin
Alguien me pregunto de donde soy! hombre no es la misma cancionpero si es un poco mas de lo mismo racismo,he crecido como muchos han crecidoescuchando la cancion de los conguitos, la del negro negritoy payasadas por el estiloy me las he comido siendo un niñopero amigo he crecido y tanta estupidez me ha convertidoen un hombre orgulloso y decididoa no aguantar ni una broma mas,me cago en el payaso de George Dan,los del colacao, los de la Warner y todos los demas,retrasados, que yo nunca me he reido de un blanco por ser blanco,tanto tonto tan simpatico, tan asno rebuznando\"ah tu no tienes que tomar el sol en verano\"me daban pena pero ya estoy arto,me dais asco, tontos que sois tontosy lo curioso es que se creen graciosospues mami ahora el negro esta rabiosootro tonto y monto el pollo gordo,bobo te cojo y te pongo rojo,avergüenzate si alguna vez creiste que de veras un blancocon taparrabos gritando en lo alto de un arbol podria ser el rey de algo, noa Tarzán se lo comio el miedo al hombre negro,un desconocimiento inmenso te ha hecho ciego, terco, memo y no tengo porque entenderlo,ser bueno paciente y toda esa mierda,al proximo que me venga con la ingeniosa ideade decir que me parezco a Jordan, Eddie Murphy o al que sea se la lleva,ea o sea que esta es vuestra manera de hacer que me sienta en vuestra tierra integrado,pues lo siento pues la habeis cagado,yo no me quiero sentir integradotengo mi peña, mi micro, mi dj y los platosy bastante interesado que paso,que ni somos iguales ni tenemos que aparentarlo,mami ahora el negro esta rabiosopero es porque tu le has cabreado¿Mami sabes tu que es lo que quiere? Que el negro esta rabioso de oir a tanto lerdo¿Mami sabes tu que es lo que quiere? Que el negro esta rabioso es hora de exigir respeto¿Mami sabes tu que es lo que quiere el negro? No hay ningun problema mientra veas donde termina el juego¿Mami sabes tu que es lo que quiere el negro? Pues que le dejes simplemente ni mas ni menosEs cierto, las cosas son mucho mas sencillas de lo que parecenno tenemos porque andarnos con estupideces,ya somos mayores, mira, no somos iguales,no te escandalizes el racismo existees real y esto no es una llamada a la reconciliaciones simplemente informacionporque sabes que?lo cierto es que no me importa una mierda lo que tengas en la cabeza,simplemente callatelo, no hagas comentarios,no intentes ser gracioso y ya veras como asi a todos nos va a ir mucho mejor,que yo no tengo porque ser mejor persona que tu,que no te he pedido de ningun favor, simplemente digo las cosas como son,soy realista y tener esta actitud la que me han hecho tener a lo largo de mi vida,ha hecho que incluso haya gente que me llama racisma,es la risa, o sea que me vigilan, hacen chistes, cancioncitas,no me quieren en sus familias y encima yo soy el racistapues nada hombre cuidado que te tengo discriminado,a ver si voy a hacer que te sientas marginado o algo,mira cuando alguien dice lo que todos piensan pero no lo dice,se le decalifica pero bueno asi es como funciona esto,pero bueno yo soy el que tiene el micro, tengo un disco y consigoque lo que digo se te meta en el cerebroahora piensa por ti mismo firmado el Chojin 1999 a diez meses del 2000.
also: shakira and wycleff at the grammys
Saturday, November 17, 2007
is spain realy racist?
Last month, fellow Latino Muslim Blogger, Khalil Al-Puerto Rikani put up a post called: Is Spain really racist? I think the article is thought-provoking, even though it paints a rosier picture of Spain than I would have based on my own visit to Spain many years ago. I was really struck by the anti-immigrant articles I would read in the newspaper and the racial caricatures which seemed commonplace (e.g. Conguitos, a brand of chocolate covered peanuts which used a sambo-like figure as a mascot). That visit to Spain was also the first time I ever felt like a police officer looked at me as a suspect. (Apparently, the cop was wondering if I was a terrorist... and I wasn't even Muslim then... but that's a whole other story). So I definitely felt racism was more blatant in Spain than other places I've been to, but perhaps I would have a different experience if I went back and could spend time in some of the locations mentioned on Khalil's blog.
Sunday, October 28, 2007
points to paradise
Chickenbones: Points to Paradise (Or African Immigrants Journey to Spain) by Akoli Penoukou
Monday, May 14, 2007
spanish immigration ploy: hire mothers
I just heard this story on the radio and thought it would be suitable for Planet Grenada:
NPR: Spanish Immigration Ploy: Hire Mothers
In order to aquire agricultural laborers without encouraging illegal immigration, Spanish farmowners have begun a guest worker program which targets Moroccan mothers in order to pick fruit. In general, they don't drink, don't smoke, or go go to the discos and when the work is done they will have a strong incentive to go back home. This is in contrast to "las rubias" (the blondes) from Eastern Europe who tended to spice up the local nightlife for young Spanish men.
See also:
Spiegel Online International: Moroccan Immigrants, Spanish Strawberries and Europe's Future by Daniela Gerson in Cartaya, Spain
NPR: Spanish Immigration Ploy: Hire Mothers
In order to aquire agricultural laborers without encouraging illegal immigration, Spanish farmowners have begun a guest worker program which targets Moroccan mothers in order to pick fruit. In general, they don't drink, don't smoke, or go go to the discos and when the work is done they will have a strong incentive to go back home. This is in contrast to "las rubias" (the blondes) from Eastern Europe who tended to spice up the local nightlife for young Spanish men.
See also:
Spiegel Online International: Moroccan Immigrants, Spanish Strawberries and Europe's Future by Daniela Gerson in Cartaya, Spain
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