One time, Emily was involved in a musical at her high school, and Dad brought Lema Dildar, who was around 17 at the time. I can't remember which show it was (City of Angels?), but I was worried that it wouldn't make sense to an Afghan refugee who had been living in Pakistan and hadn't been in America but for a few months. And worse, I was worried it would offend. But Lema loved it. It was (and it still takes my breath away thinking about this) the first time she had ever seen musicians perform live. It was the first time she'd ever seen instruments.
My dad taught me to keep a careful eye on what freedoms totalitarian governments take away first. Those, he thought, must be the most important things to cherish and protect - freedom of assembly, press, religion, and the arts - for they lead toward other freedoms.
So I was happy to read in today's Wall St. Journal about the effect an election has on a Pakistani transvestite who goes by the stage name of Leila.
Years ago, the former Pakistani government (of Taliban sympathizers) shut down Peshawar's theater, Nishtar Hall, and banned music in buses and public areas, including the hundred-year-old musician's market. Their reasoning for banning music in public places was that not all the public wants to hear public music in public places so out of respect for the public, they would ban public music. At first they banned music shops from showing their wares in the window. Then they just burned the shops down.
Due to segregation of the sexes, there is a long tradition in Pashtun culture of cross-dressing performers at weddings and social events. Leila used to dance before large crowds. For the past five years, it's been too risky to do so. But with a new government may come music and dancing. Hallelujah.
Are you ready? Heeeeere's Leila....
My dad taught me to keep a careful eye on what freedoms totalitarian governments take away first. Those, he thought, must be the most important things to cherish and protect - freedom of assembly, press, religion, and the arts - for they lead toward other freedoms.
So I was happy to read in today's Wall St. Journal about the effect an election has on a Pakistani transvestite who goes by the stage name of Leila.
Years ago, the former Pakistani government (of Taliban sympathizers) shut down Peshawar's theater, Nishtar Hall, and banned music in buses and public areas, including the hundred-year-old musician's market. Their reasoning for banning music in public places was that not all the public wants to hear public music in public places so out of respect for the public, they would ban public music. At first they banned music shops from showing their wares in the window. Then they just burned the shops down.
Due to segregation of the sexes, there is a long tradition in Pashtun culture of cross-dressing performers at weddings and social events. Leila used to dance before large crowds. For the past five years, it's been too risky to do so. But with a new government may come music and dancing. Hallelujah.
Are you ready? Heeeeere's Leila....
1 comment:
The show was "Noah."
This is the one that contains the song "Why Can't We All Just Get Along?" which I thought was apropos...
Oh wait, I was mildly horrified. :)
Still, I had no idea that was the first time she had seen musicians!
Post a Comment