Al Merbed is the name of the annual Poetry Festival in Basrah, in the south of Iraq. This year, from April 2nd till 4th 2004, was the first time after the fall of Saddam and brought together Iraqi poets, writers and other artists from all parts of Iraq and from the diaspora. Until last year the regime exploited this well known festival for his own political purposes, but this time it was free: a celebration of liberation, a meeting of old friends a first attempt to deal with past pains and articulate a future for free artistic expression and contributing to enlightenment and development of Iraqi society at large.

TIGRIS STREAM TIME

The Tigris is a river that flows from the Turkish mountains through Kurdish, Syrian and Iraqi lands to Basrah in the south. It is a connecting element and a metaphor for the continuity of history and culture, for imagination and liberation. In Baghdad its banks have been ruined by Saddam Hussein and again occupied by military forces of the Coalition. In the north the Tigris is object of mega projects like the Great Anatolian Project, in the south the swamps are the scene of lasting havock of pollution, repression and resistance. The Tigris itself is in need of liberation: it can become part of public life again, and a source of civilization like it used to be in Sumerian times. Radio Reedflute takes the Tigris as the starting point for doing just that: the stream will be transformed into a stream of sounds and images on the internet, through local radio stations and web based networked projects it will promote civil activities in architecture, poetry, music and popular expression. Architects, artists and reconstruction workers will be challenged to look at Baghdad from the river and reshape the public sphere. Reclaiming the Tigris entails regaining the pleasure, but also processing the pain.

Merbed

t_r_musa+foto_jo.wav

MD1_1_hamid_interview_english r_d_mohamed_eng_jo.ogg 4:38 today i am doing nothing Jo explains hamid how to use the recorder Jo is asking Hamid to make some interviews in Arabic, during the day of the celebration... holi man Hussein

MD1_2_mohamed_hoday_int_eng+arb r_d_mo+oday_eng+arab_jo.ogg 34:01 Jo sings

3 male voices whistling digile project digil= iraqi symbol (tigri) digile radio the best interview

rifugiati freedom = without any restriction iraqi people not afraid shopping dancing on occupation fear is death inside some people stay at home safe like in prison

break + songs

MD1_11_shatalarrab_song+dia m_s_shatalarab_ara+dut_jo.ogg 2.55

MD1_12_zahar+guards_en+arab m_r_guard1_eng+ara_jo.ogg 2:15 english first part Jo + Zahar

It is a recorder, dangerous duch army

+ arabic situation guards are playing with the recorder Jo is not there noisy

MD2_4_muafak_poesis_arab m_p_muafak1_ara_jo.ogg 2.34

MD2_7_gulalanoory_poes_arab_fem m_p_gulala_ara.jo.ogg 4.39

MD2_6_dichter1_poes_arab m_p_ 9.29

MD4_4_tokkel2_instru m_i_ud2_jo.ogg 5.36

MD4_5_tokkel3_instru m_i_ud3_jo.ogg 8.40

TAPE_2_hazim1 21.09

situation dialogue duch, english Jo and someone

TAPE_3_hazim2 3.23 duch river

TAPE_4_hazim3 12.57

jo english

************** baghdad, 14 aprile 2004

TAPE_6_hassan+story2_ara 1:12

phone_call_29_05_04

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