Lisan of Zi: Recent Episodes
Lisan_of_Zi
I like to read, and to share little snippets of discovery with others. Listen, learn with me, and be calmed. For just a few minutes, you will discover something new.
Going through my personal highlights of Arabs: A 3000 year history of peoples, tribes, and empires by Tim Mackintosh-Smith, with a focus on pre-Islamic / the ancient part.
I do go off on a tangent on the Mongols (for comparisons sake). Dan Carlin's passionate and excellent account of their exploits can be found here:
Buy directly from him - https://www.dancarlin.com/product/hardcore-history-wrath-of-the-khans-series/
Apple Music - https://music.apple.com/gb/album/episode-43-wrath-of-the-khans-i/1099352667
Or listen on Pocket Casts (smart phones only) - https://pocketcasts.com/
Charities for Yemen:
Save the Children - https://www.savethechildren.org.uk/how-you-can-help/emergencies/yemen-crisis
UNICEF UK - https://www.unicef.org.uk/donate/yemen/
We look at the poem "End of the conversation with a jailer" and why Samih Al-Qasim was jailed for the first (but not last) time; Breaking the covenant of blood.
Music: Theme for Autumn by Franz Gordon - Via EpidemicSound.
Samih Al-Qasim is a member of the Druze ethno-religious minority. In this poem, we explore the history of that part of his identity, as well as some of the religious ideas of the Druze people. This may have had an effect on his short but thought-provoking poem "A Boring Orbit."
Music is Fadfada by Ali Sabah, via Epidemic Sound.
We take a look at Samih Al-Qasim, a Palestinian from the Druze minority, who shares some parallels with the poet Mahmoud Darwish in his inspirations and experiences. The poem "travel tickets" is one of this classics - Short, but with a beautiful flow and profound.
Music is by:
Monasterium Imperi - Sanguis Divinus via Prometheus Records
Ali Sabah - Fadfada via Epidemic Sound
We take a look at Darwish's poem "When the Martyrs Go To Sleep" and have a think about the idea of martyrdom in relation to Palestine and its society.
Music is "Sanguinis Divinus" by Monaterium Imperi, visit here: https://monasteriumimperi.bandcamp.com/album/sanguis-divinus
Jon Snow (the journalist, not a certain popular character in a certain popular series) has stepped down as journalist and news-presenter after 32 years of incredible work. This episode is a little tale, as told by Robert Fisk, on a rescue operation that "Snowy" was part of, in which he showed humanity and bravery.
You can see Jon Snow's moving farewell speech here - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BKPzRuWU1Ww
You can see the original news dispatch regarding the rescue here - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XnLpsvpj6ig
In the previous part, we looked at some encounters that Fisk had with Soviet soldiers as well as Afghan rebels. It was discovered that, among those rebels, were outsiders from the Arabic speaking world. In this part, we look at certain interviews that Fisk did with their leader - Osama bin Laden - As well as how faith can be a powerful factor. We get a brief idea of Afghanistan in the post-Soviet period. Needless to say, it is not a happy one.
If you wish to help the people of Afghanistan today then below are some possible options:
Afghan Aid - https://www.afghanaid.org.uk/
Refugee Council - https://act.refugeecouncil.org.uk/donation/refugee-crisis-appeal
Women for Women - https://www.womenforwomen.org/
The British Red Cross - https://donate.redcross.org.uk/appeal/afghanistan-crisis-appeal
Music - Theme for Autumn by Franz Gordon, via Epidemic Sound.
With background and context established in the last episode, this part will focus on some close encounters that Fisk had with Soviet soldiers and the elusive Afghan rebels or Mujahideen (holy warriors), as well as a moral dilemma that he himself faced during his time in Afghanistan.
If you wish to help the people of Afghanistan today then below are some possible options:
Afghan Aid - https://www.afghanaid.org.uk/
Refugee Council - https://act.refugeecouncil.org.uk/donation/refugee-crisis-appeal
Women for Women - https://www.womenforwomen.org/
The British Red Cross - https://donate.redcross.org.uk/appeal/afghanistan-crisis-appeal
Recent events in Afghanistan have captured the world's attention. We look at the experiences of a distinguished, dedicated and passionate war journalist in Afghanistan as described in his tome and testament. This first part will cover the context and beginnings of the Soviet invasion in 1979.
If you wish to help the people of Afghanistan today then below are some possible options:
Afghan Aid - https://www.afghanaid.org.uk/
Refugee Council - https://act.refugeecouncil.org.uk/donation/refugee-crisis-appeal
Women for Women - https://www.womenforwomen.org/
The British Red Cross - https://donate.redcross.org.uk/appeal/afghanistan-crisis-appeal
Identity and its meaning, especially for Darwish, is central to everything. We take a look at one of the poet's more iconic works, and at a facet of daily life for many Palestinians - The identity card.
Music is Theme For Autumn by Franz Gordon - Via EpidemicSound
A one off, special episode about a corner of history I appreciate - Two peoples that are worlds apart that had an encounter. One of many. It would go on to inspire a novel, which in turn would inspire a film. And it would provide us with the first written account of a Norse ship burial.
Music credit: Jon Sumner - Where Kings Walk, via Epidemic Sound.
You can find Doctor Jackson Crawford's channel and content here: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCXCxNFxw6iq-Mh4uIjYvufg
A conversation between the poet and an Israeli soldier following the 1967 Six-Day War - Which changed the course of history of forever. We will look at the Six-Day War, and the meaning behind it for Palestine and Israel. Below are various books mentioned in the episode
“Sadness is a white bird” By Moriel Rothman-Zecher: https://www.simonandschuster.co.uk/books/Sadness-Is-a-White-Bird/Moriel-Rothman-Zecher/9781501176272
“The Iron Wall: Israel and the Arab world” by Avi Shlaim:
https://blackwells.co.uk/bookshop/product/9780141033228?gC=5a105e8b&gclid=EAIaIQobChMI7-aX3uDC8AIVZrR3Ch0HQQyeEAQYAiABEgI3-_D_BwE
“For the land and lord: Jewish fundamentalism in Israel” by Ian S. Lustick:
https://www.sas.upenn.edu/penncip/lustick/ (link to the full book reprinted online)
“The Invention of the Jewish People” by Shlomo Sand:
https://wordery.com/the-invention-of-the-jewish-people-shlomo-sand-9781788736619/GB?currency=GBP>rck=true&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIi8OdyOHC8AIVw-R3Ch1C_wxOEAQYBCABEgLs5_D_BwE
We take a look at Sumerian Mythology and its influence on Darwish, and the written word.
I would like to clarify something towards the end - The Song of Songs, within the Hebrew Bible is only a part of the Ketuvim. Which itself is one of three sections of the Hebrew Bible (or Tanakh) as a whole; the Torah, the Nevi'im, and the Ketuvim.
We briefly look at a source of Darwish's inspiration, his Islamic faith, and the use of plants in his poetry to give the land a sense of taste, and scent.
Darwish speaks of past conquerors in Palestine, and how those who fled their homes in the war of 1948 might looked back at their history.
We firstly look at Darwish's ode to Athens Airport and its significance, then look at his inspiration from Homer's The Iliad - And the pointlessness of wars that are mired in plots within plots.
Reciting two poems: "We Went to Aden" and "I see my ghost coming from afar" - Where we talk of Darwish's influences, and his appreciation of literature and history.
An introduction to my source of poetry by the Palestinian poet Mahmoud Darwish, from a translated collection titled "Unfortunately, It Was Paradise" and a recitation of the first poem.