SOUND POEMS
In this podcast, always seeking to explore different sound formats, I offer you sound poems, a poignant fusion of voices united in a collective narrative, a symphony of memory that defies oblivion and fights indifference.
Through this form of artistic expression, we explore the darkest chapters of our past, from genocide to oppression, from war to exile. Sound poems become acts of resistance, manifestations of solidarity, instruments of social transformation.
Discover the episodes of this sound collection
I am the wild poppy,
A poem by Ibrahim Safa for Afghanistan
The Taliban offensive in 2021 remains a dark page in the history of Afghanistan. This military offensive, marked by the capture of 228 districts and the capitulation of the Afghan government, resulted in the recapture of Kabul by the Taliban on August 15, 2021, twenty years after their expulsion from power.
A year after the fall of Kabul, Afghanistan remains plunged into uncertainty and fear. The Taliban have dissolved the human rights commission and are imposing draconian restrictions, particularly on women who are forced to cover up and disappear from public spaces. Despite these events, Afghanistan seems to be gradually disappearing from our field of vision, relegated to the background of international news.
However, it is more than necessary today not to forget the Afghan people and the challenges they face. Thus, on Memento, we invite you to discover a poignant poem by Ibrahim Safa, entitled "I am the wild poppy" , read in Persian, the official and majority language of Afghanistan, and translated into French by several voices. This multivocal reading celebrates the resilience of the Afghan people and reminds us of the importance of remaining united in the fight against oblivion and indifference.
If only,
A poem by Kawe Xusrewi for the Kurdish people
On December 23, 2022, in Paris, an act of violence struck the headquarters of the Kurdish Democratic Council, killing three and injuring three. The assailant claimed responsibility for an act motivated by racial hatred, saying he suffered from a "pathological hatred of foreigners." This tragic event brought the Kurdish community, often overlooked and marginalized, back into the spotlight. The Kurds, an Iranian people of Indo-European language and predominantly Sunni Muslim, number between 30 and 40 million people, mainly spread across Turkey, Iran, Iraq and Syria. Despite their numbers and historical contribution to the region, the Kurds are often described as a stateless people, forgotten in the pages of history.
In order to pay tribute to this Kurdish people, too often forgotten, Memento invites you to discover a poignant poem by Kawe Xusrewi, entitled "If only" . This poem, read in Kurdish by Zafer and translated into French by several voices, offers a path towards understanding and solidarity, in a world where cultural diversity and peaceful coexistence are more essential than ever.
A little tale,
a poem by Subramanya Bharathi in memory of Black July
Le 24 juillet 1983, il y a 40 ans jour pour jour, le Sri Lanka a été le théâtre d'un événement douloureux, connu sous le nom de Juillet Noir. Ces journées sombres font référence aux émeutes violentes anti-tamoules qui ont éclaté à travers le pays, marquant un tournant tragique dans le conflit ethnique entre les communautés cingalaise et tamoule. Pendant plusieurs jours, des attaques brutales, des incendies criminels et des pillages ont ravagé les quartiers tamouls, semant la terreur parmi les habitants. Des vies ont été perdues, des blessures infligées, et de nombreux Tamouls ont été contraints de fuir leurs foyers pour échapper aux violences.
Today, as we remember this painful event, Memento wishes to honour the memory of the victims through a poignant sound poem. We invite you to discover "A Little Tale" by Subramanya Bharathi, recited in Tamil by Akshayaa Dinesh, and translated into French by a multitude of voices, in an act of solidarity and commemoration.