Music moved me tonight and I had to put it into words...
We seem to be inundated at the moment with tragic news from Yemen, Sri Lanka, climate change affecting Eastern Africa as another cyclone heads for Mozambique, and consistent misreporting and misrepresentation of peoples (this specific comment commons on the heel of a Guardian Article today that choose the 'objectify' the role of women in the ongoing Sudanese revolution). In this gloriously connected world we now live in, where we can find the answer to almost anything at the click of a button we often loose sight of the fundamental aspect of life: we are all grounded in a place! We can move certainly, but ultimately at any given moment we are very much in a place (or I suppose you could argue when travelling by plane you are in the air 😀, but I'm going to leave that for another philosophical debate moment). I have most definitely moved between many places over the course of my life, staying longer in some than in others, but they have all touched me in different ways and shaped me and my narratives. I feel connected to friends in Dhaka, across linguistic communities in Europe I can relate, and I want to be on the streets of Khartoum and Medani with my Sudanese friends. In reflecting on being grounded in place and moving between them my sense is that people have been my main vein and make a place for me. I definitely sense this of my Emerald Heart, my deep connection to my maternal family, and the country that gave me the most amazing education.
To tonight:
It was by chance a few days ago I discovered that one of the local theatres here in Vancouver was putting on a special event titled Origins. The title line read "“Origins” showcases the multicultural mosaic and heritage in Canada", and I was sold as the paragraph went on to describe the Canadian Arabic Orchestra coming from Toronto on a tour focusing on connections with First Nations peoples of Canada. I went with no expectations but a sense of curiosity of what might unfold through music. The experience was deeply moving and has inspired this blog post; the richness poetic melodies of Arab music were coupled together with the power of the indigenous voice and drums. My entire body vibrating not only to the music but the the incredibly powerful energy I felt connecting me to the earth beneath my feet. Somehow the coming together of the sounds of my childhood and youth with the vibrations of the land on which I was born felt like magic (this word might seem cliche but it truly expressed best how I felt). The orchestra ended with a song with the tile of my blog post, and the organizer and pianist introduced all the members illustrating the array of nationalities from both the Arab world, but also across the world including an indigenous woman. She commented on how as they had all sat down to dinner each night as they toured across Canada (sponsored by a government Arts grant) they were amazed at their diversity, but also how they had been brought together by music but also by the fact that they had all found themselves in a country that accepted them. As I wrote this blog tonight I received a text from one of Syrian brothers some friends and I helped come to Canada three years ago, and he was so excited because he just passed his driving test and is applying for citizenship as we speak. It's so incredible to witness people feeling that they can belong and yet still maintain who they are, and this feeling overwhelmed me tonight.
But Canada is a big place and I so I end this post by saying I have for now (life is too short for forevers) found MY place. As I make my way through the blossoming of spring and the unfolding of summer in the Pacific Northwest I can safely say I am home. My heart will always be emerald and desert sand will always be between my toes, but the vibrations in my soul come from the earth here on the edge of the Eastern side of the Pacific Ocean.
We seem to be inundated at the moment with tragic news from Yemen, Sri Lanka, climate change affecting Eastern Africa as another cyclone heads for Mozambique, and consistent misreporting and misrepresentation of peoples (this specific comment commons on the heel of a Guardian Article today that choose the 'objectify' the role of women in the ongoing Sudanese revolution). In this gloriously connected world we now live in, where we can find the answer to almost anything at the click of a button we often loose sight of the fundamental aspect of life: we are all grounded in a place! We can move certainly, but ultimately at any given moment we are very much in a place (or I suppose you could argue when travelling by plane you are in the air 😀, but I'm going to leave that for another philosophical debate moment). I have most definitely moved between many places over the course of my life, staying longer in some than in others, but they have all touched me in different ways and shaped me and my narratives. I feel connected to friends in Dhaka, across linguistic communities in Europe I can relate, and I want to be on the streets of Khartoum and Medani with my Sudanese friends. In reflecting on being grounded in place and moving between them my sense is that people have been my main vein and make a place for me. I definitely sense this of my Emerald Heart, my deep connection to my maternal family, and the country that gave me the most amazing education.
To tonight:
It was by chance a few days ago I discovered that one of the local theatres here in Vancouver was putting on a special event titled Origins. The title line read "“Origins” showcases the multicultural mosaic and heritage in Canada", and I was sold as the paragraph went on to describe the Canadian Arabic Orchestra coming from Toronto on a tour focusing on connections with First Nations peoples of Canada. I went with no expectations but a sense of curiosity of what might unfold through music. The experience was deeply moving and has inspired this blog post; the richness poetic melodies of Arab music were coupled together with the power of the indigenous voice and drums. My entire body vibrating not only to the music but the the incredibly powerful energy I felt connecting me to the earth beneath my feet. Somehow the coming together of the sounds of my childhood and youth with the vibrations of the land on which I was born felt like magic (this word might seem cliche but it truly expressed best how I felt). The orchestra ended with a song with the tile of my blog post, and the organizer and pianist introduced all the members illustrating the array of nationalities from both the Arab world, but also across the world including an indigenous woman. She commented on how as they had all sat down to dinner each night as they toured across Canada (sponsored by a government Arts grant) they were amazed at their diversity, but also how they had been brought together by music but also by the fact that they had all found themselves in a country that accepted them. As I wrote this blog tonight I received a text from one of Syrian brothers some friends and I helped come to Canada three years ago, and he was so excited because he just passed his driving test and is applying for citizenship as we speak. It's so incredible to witness people feeling that they can belong and yet still maintain who they are, and this feeling overwhelmed me tonight.
But Canada is a big place and I so I end this post by saying I have for now (life is too short for forevers) found MY place. As I make my way through the blossoming of spring and the unfolding of summer in the Pacific Northwest I can safely say I am home. My heart will always be emerald and desert sand will always be between my toes, but the vibrations in my soul come from the earth here on the edge of the Eastern side of the Pacific Ocean.
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| Image taken from Canadian Arabic Orchestra website - I love the use of the traditional oud and the maple leaf |
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