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In Afghanistan, musicians defy music ban to keep traditions alive
Musicians hide instruments and abandon public performances as authorities enforce a ban that has wiped out livelihoods and driven music underground.
- The Taliban has enforced a nationwide ban on all non-religious music across Afghanistan, with the Ministry for the Propagation of Virtue and Prevention of Vice strictly prohibiting performance and recording.
- Ministry spokesperson Saif ul Islam Khyber justified the prohibition, claiming music "is forbidden in Islam" and "serves as a means of joy to Satan," often leading to various other vices.
- Musicians in Kabul's Kucha-e-Kharabat neighborhood, once a cultural hub, have lost their livelihoods; daily earnings plummeted from about 10,000 afghanis to barely 100 afghanis as many now work as manual laborers.
- Underground performances, which briefly continued after the Taliban takeover, have become too dangerous to sustain; artists now hide instruments under tarps or ship them abroad to prevent destruction by authorities.
- Despite the risks, many Afghan musicians view music as inseparable from their identity and are vowing to teach their children, ensuring their cultural heritage survives the current suppression.
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29 Articles
29 Articles
The Washington Post+28 Reposted by 28 other sources
In Afghanistan, musicians defy music ban to keep traditions alive
·Washington, United States
Read Full ArticleCoverage Details
Total News Sources29
Leaning Left12Leaning Right4Center12Last UpdatedBias Distribution43% Left, 43% Center
Bias Distribution
- 43% of the sources lean Left, 43% of the sources are Center
43% Center
L 43%
C 43%
14%
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