Rafeef Ziadah is a third-generation Palestinian refugee, community organizer, and one of the most captivating spoken word artists currently working in Toronto. She recently released a CD of her works, “Hadeel”, which also features music from other notable Toronto musicians such as LAL and Reena Katz. Ziadah speaks about her album, “Hadeel” and the socio-political themes which drive her poetry, such as migration, war, and of course, the return to Palestine. This interview is interspersed with some of the pieces from “Hadeel”, such as “Montreal Subway” and “Trail of Tears”.
This program was produced for CKUT Radio for December 22, 2009.
For more information, visit:
http://ckut.ca
http://rafeefziadah.ca
http://bdsmovement.net
First, an interview with David Boyajian, an Armenia American writer and activist, commenting on the recent protocols signed – not yet ratified – between Turkey and Armenia.
Then, Vivien Sansour speaks; she is a poet, theater director, and activist who shares her poetry and as well as what stimulates her to write, create, and act for justice.
This program was produced by Raising Sand for October 18, 2009.
For more information, visit:
http://raisingsandradio.org
http://imaginaction.org
Interview with Palestinian poet Suheir Hammad, where she discusses the art of performing and how art can transform a human being’s opinion and can change behavior. She also discusses cultural identity and the election of Barack Obama.
This program was produced for CKUT Radio for June 22, 2009.
For more information, visit:
http://ckut.ca
Nora Barrows-Friedman continues her reporting from the occupied West Bank; she documents the ongoing destruction of the city of Nablus and the Balata Refugee Camp by the Israeli occupation military and speaks with a human rights activist who videotaped the Israeli military using Palestinian children as human shields; also, award-winning Palestinian-American poet Suheir Hammad speaks about politics, Palestine and poetry; and the Knight Report.
This program was produced by Flashpoints Radio on April 17, 2007
For more information, visit:
http://flashpoints.net
http://norabf.com/
http://suheirhammad.com
Chaired by British novelist Maggie Gee, with editor of Transit Beirut, Malu Halasa, and editor of Qissas, Jo Glanville. Essentially a celebration of women writers from the Middle East, including readings from Palestinian novelist Adania Shibli and Lebanese Palestinian novelist Zeina B Ghandour.
This podcast was produced by the British Museum’s Middle East Now season on September 15, 2006.
For more information, visit:
http://www.thebritishmuseum.ac.uk/middleeastnow/
by Taha Muhammad Ali
And so I come to the place itself,
but the place is not
its dust and stones and open space.
For where are the red-tailed birds
and the almonds’ green?
Where are the bleating lambs
and pomegranates of evening –
the smell of bread
and the grouse?
Where are the windows,
and where is the ease of Amira’s braid?
Where are the quails
and white-footed fettered horses whinnying,
their right leg alone set free?
Where are the wedding
parties of swallows –
the rites and feasts of the olives?
The joy of the branching spikes of wheat?
And where is the crocus’s eyelash?
Where are the fields we played
our games of hide-and-seek in?
And where is Qasim?
Where are the hyssop and thyme?
Where is the kite descending on chicks
from the heaven’s heights,
as the old woman shouts at it:
“You took our speckled hen,
you whore!
I hope you can’t digest it!
You there, in the distance:
I hope you can’t digest it!”
This program was produced for the Newshour with Jim Lehrer.
For more information, visit:
http://www.pbs.org/newshour
Poets in the Arab world have historically been important cultural figures, and this tradition continues among Palestinians. In the second of his reports on Middle East poetry, Jeffrey Brown discusses poetry’s role in Arab society with three leading Palestinian poets.
This program was produced for the Newshour with Jim Lehrer.
For more information, visit:
http://www.pbs.org/newshour/