Famed
Afghan singer returns home after 13 years of exile
(2003-08-11
12:43:09)
KABUL, Aug 10 (Xinhuanet) - Weeping with emotion, Afghanistan's
most famous singer Farhad Darya returned to his conflict-ravaged
homeland Sunday to stage a series of concerts after 13 years in
exile.
"I am in love with my land, country and you nice people.
In exile, I have never forgotten my soil or my people even for
a second," Darya told musicians and fans who greeted him
at Kabul's airport.
He arrived in the Afghan capital from the United States, although
he has spent most of his time in exile in Germany.
"The arrival of Farhad Darya, the Afghans' favorite musician,
to Afghanistan gives a message of peace, and says that security
is good enough. It makes all Afghans hopeful for the future,"
said Mohammad Rafiq Khoshnud, director of Afghanistan's Music
Training Department.
"He is a musician in the heart of all people; the pain and
needs of the Afghan nation are well explained in his voice and
songs. It is a great pleasure and a great pride for all Afghans,"
he said.
Khoshnud said he hoped Darya's arrival would encourage other exiled
Afghan singers and musicians to return.
Darya fled Afghanistan under the regime of communist president
Najibullah, who was killed by the Taliban when they seized Kabul
in 1996. He is one of many famous Afghan musicians and singers
living in exile, but is the first to visit the country after years
of war.
Since the fall of the Taliban, which banned music and most forms
of entertainment, around 150 music bands have been registered
with the Music Department, which employs 70 staff musicians in
Kabul. (AFP)
"Darya's
House"
February 05, 2003
The foundation for work, assistance, and development through music
was established by the name of "Darya's House" with
the ever-ending struggle and creativity of Farhad Darya.
The
programs and plans that this association will carry out will include
work with children through music, assistance to needy children,
revitalisation of music in Afghanistan, and research and development
in Afghan music.
"Darya's
House" is not affiliated to any political groups or organisations,
and it is not budgeted by other donor agencies, but rather Darya
personally would fund this organisation and occasionally will
ask for funds during his tours and events. This organisation was
founded on January 1st, 2003 in Virginia State, and will soon
open its doors to the people inside of Afghanistan.
Recently,
Darya donated a sum of funds gathered for helping needy Afghan
children through an educational institution known as HARIWA based
in Kashan, Iran. This assistance instalment will help with some
logistical supports for three Afghan children schools in that
city.
From
now on, Darya's House's activities and achievements will be regularly
updated and brought to your attention.
European Tour
January 09, 2003
December
2002: It was Darya's meeting month with thousands of his fans
and his art and voice lovers… Copenhagen, Frankfurt, Düsseldorf,
München… wherever he arrived he was greeted with ever
ending love in house packed halls.
Darya travelled with three new instrumentalists along his permanent
musicians during this tour, and this way three new instrument
such as Acoustic Drums, Electric Guitar and Bass Guitar joined
his group on stages. This new combination added more flavour to
Darya's concept. He proved once more that he is always in pursuit
of creativity to settle his fans' blend and taste.
During this tour, hr2's magnificent concert hall (Germany's Hessen
state Radio and TV) was witness to Afghan music's new colours
on the eve of December 21. This music had uniqueness in itself
for the European audience present in this event. The warmth, which
runs in every vein of Darya's music, brought every generation
between the ages of three and 93 to absolute excitement. The differences
and frontiers had all disappeared, and brotherhood was truly visible
in that evening's mirrors.
In the Western Culture, it appears almost impossible that a single
artist can bring so many different generations of audiences without
any potential issues. However, Farhad Darya who considers this
as his moral responsibility and one of his strong imaginative
aspirations was able to meet such response without any difficulty.
On the evening of his concert in Düsseldorf, 24 December,
he met with a group of Afghan youth that had travelled from Kabul
to meet with their counterpart youth in the western countries.
They were representing a generation of Afghan youth, who are tired
of war, hatred, and wilderness. Today they are travelling city-to-city
and country-to-country to make the world aware of their unheard
voices and the problems that their country is facing. Darya delivered
their message to all his fans and music lovers that evening.
