Aziza Brahim, a prominent Sahrawi musician, shares her insights on music, life in exile, activism, and the complexities of identity in a recent interview. Her journey, marked by displacement and resilience, resonates through her music, particularly her latest album, Mawja. Understanding how she expresses her innermost feelings, especially the concept of “your heart is your guide,” offers a unique perspective on her artistic and personal narrative. While there isn’t a direct translation that captures the poetic nuance, we can explore related phrases and cultural interpretations.
Brahim’s music, often described as “Afro-Blues,” draws inspiration from artists like Ali Farka Touré and Boubacar Traoré. She acknowledges the label as a way to connect to the African roots of blues music.
“Afro-Blues’ is just a label, but I think there is an African path that can help one discover some of the roots of the blues,” she stated.
Vulnerability and Transparency in Art
Brahim openly discusses the emotional challenges she faced before recording Mawja, including anxiety, the pandemic, renewed conflict in Western Sahara, and the loss of her grandmother. Her decision to be transparent wasn’t about vulnerability but about being honest.
She explains, “I have not decided to be vulnerable. I am simply a woman with my strengths and my weaknesses. I decided to be transparent and to talk openly about everything that happened to me. I don’t think that made me more vulnerable.”
The Legacy of a Poet: Ljadra
Brahim’s grandmother, Ljadra, a significant poet of the Sahrawi revolution and culture, profoundly impacted her. Ljadra instilled in her tenacity, resistance, conviction, and pride.
“She was a real ‘school’ for me,” Brahim recalls. “She helped me grow as a person due to her tenacity, her resistance, her conviction and her pride. Regarding artistic things, she passed on to me her love for poetry and music.”
Ljadra nurtured Brahim’s creativity, encouraging her to set her verses to music. These early experiences shaped Brahim’s artistic path.
A Bilingual Heart: Languages of Identity
Growing up in refugee camps in Algeria and living in Cuba and Spain, Brahim sings primarily in Hassaniya Arabic. When asked about the language(s) of her heart, she responds: “My mother tongue is Hassaniya Arabic, but I spent my teenage years speaking Spanish. My heart is bilingual.”
This “bilingual heart” reflects the complexities of her identity and experiences. While singing in Arabic feels most comfortable, she also writes songs in Spanish, embracing both languages.
Art as Activism: A Political Voice
Brahim’s music carries a strong political message, reflecting the Sahrawis’ struggle for liberation. She acknowledges the debate around art as activism but believes her personal circumstances necessitate a political voice.
She states, “I am not naïve. I know a song cannot change the world or society. But I am aware of art having been used to express social and political critique. I need to sing about my personal circumstances and this in itself is political.”
As a refugee, she feels compelled to tell her story through art.
The Silenced Conflict: Western Sahara
Brahim describes the conflict in Western Sahara as “a silenced and forgotten conflict by the international community.” She notes a lack of awareness in Western countries regarding the Sahrawis’ situation.
Resilience in Exile
Brahim speaks candidly about the challenges of living in exile in Spain, noting the racism and difficulties faced by refugees. Despite these challenges, she emphasizes the resilience required to navigate life away from home.
Musical Collaborations: Mawja
Brahim values her creative partnership with co-producer Guillem Aguilar. Recording Mawja presented challenges, but also created fond memories of working with the band and guest collaborators in a small studio outside Barcelona.
Touring and Future Plans
Brahim plans to tour extensively, sharing her music and message with audiences worldwide.
In essence, “following your heart” translates to trusting your intuition and inner guidance. In Arabic, you could say:
- “تبع قلبك” (ittabi’ qalbik) – This is a more direct translation, meaning “follow your heart.”
- “استمع إلى قلبك” (istami’ ila qalbik) – This means “listen to your heart.”
- “اجعل قلبك دليلك” (ij’al qalbik dalilak) – This is closer to “make your heart your guide.”
- “القلب يعرف الحق” (al-qalbu ya’rif al-haq) – “The heart knows the truth.” This saying emphasizes the heart’s ability to discern what is right and true, guiding one’s decisions and actions.
These phrases capture the essence of relying on inner wisdom and intuition, a theme that resonates strongly in Aziza Brahim’s music and life story. Her experiences as a Sahrawi refugee, musician, and activist are all guided by a deep connection to her heritage, her emotions, and her unwavering commitment to justice.
Mawja by Aziza Brahim is available now.
