FEATURE-Turning trauma into melody: Egyptian group helps women fight taboos

* Feminist group uses music to criticize misogyny and child marriage * Words inspired by testimonies of rural girls and women

* Duo Going Digital To Increase Reach During Coronavirus Pandemic By Menna A. Farouk

CAIRO, October 11 (Thomson Reuters Foundation) – Misogyny, child marriage and female genital mutilation (FGM) are not the usual topics one would expect to inspire a group in Egypt. But a feminist duo – ElBouma, or “The Owl” in Arabic – mixes old melodies, new rhythms and bold lyrics to criticize the abuse faced by women and girls in their largely conservative North African country.

In their new album, the group covers sexism, patriarchy and gender-based violence, with harmful practices such as FGM still common in remote areas of Egypt. “Oh the bride, oh the bride. They put you in a wedding dress and stuffed it (to make it fit),” the couple – who are sisters – sings in a song about marriage. children.

The lyrics are based on the testimonies of dozens of women and girls who participated in workshops organized by ElBouma between 2016 and 2017 in three cities in the southern region known as Upper Egypt. During the workshops, Marina Samir and her sister Mariam used storytelling to encourage women to open up to taboo subjects.

“We believe the voices of women in the south need to be heard, especially in a very centralized country that marginalizes all who live on the periphery,” Marina told the Thomson Reuters Foundation in a Zoom interview after the August launch of their new album. It was “overwhelming” to encourage women to open up to taboos in Egyptian society, she added ahead of International Day of the Girl Child on October 11.

Women and girls living in remote or socially conservative regions of the Middle East or North Africa are excluded from many aspects of public life and have few opportunities for expression. As Egyptian feminist activism grows, ElBouma is a unique example of underground artists – made even more special by their inspiration on the ground.

THE WOMEN’S VOICE From its name to the musical style, ElBouma’s goal is to tackle taboos. Owls are generally seen as bad omen in Egypt, but Mariam said the group wanted the bird to represent their feminism.

“We hope to hear and express those weaker voices. We want to be able to see even in dark times and tackle an established patriarchy much bigger than us,” she said. The “Mazghuna” album cover features illustrations of neon green and pink female figures. Some are dancing and happy, but the illustration for a song about FGM shows a woman whose torso is pinched by a rose, which has been pinched near the button.

“Oh my dear, it was hard. But everyone will live happily now – despite everything, your own happiness will die,” the two men sing. Almost 90% of Egyptian women and girls aged 15 to 49 have undergone FGM, according to a 2016 United Nations survey, as part of a ritual widely practiced by Muslims and Christians.

Egypt has toughened sanctions against the practice, but activists fear enforcement may be weak – especially in rural areas such as those where ElBouma has held his workshops. While many of the band’s songs focus on social ills, others are rallying cries focused on girls’ rights and education.

“The good little girl is going to come out of your stories. Not all endings end in marriage and children,” they sing. Marina said ElBouma has faced very little public criticism so far, despite the topic covered by their music.

And ElBouma fans say the lyrics resonate far beyond their rural origins. “This music really reflects the voices of women not only in Upper Egypt but in other parts of the country,” said Noura Ibrahim, a 28-year-old civil engineer based in Cairo, who reached out to congratulate the group after. to have listened to their album. .

The group hoped to generate cash by giving concerts in the coming months, but could be thwarted by the country’s low coronavirus vaccination rate. Nonetheless, ElBouma is on platforms from SoundCloud to YouTube, and they are not discouraged when it comes to their post.

“We want our music to be a space where other women can see the reflection of their struggles, thoughts and feelings,” said Marina.

(This story was not edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)