Master djembe player and composer, Yahael Camara Onono, discusses his musical journey and his mission to elevate West African percussion. Growing up in London, the djembe served as an umbilical cord to his Manding heritage, allowing him to blend traditional sounds with contemporary influences like grime and hip-hop. He founded the Balimaya Project in 2019 to ... Show More
Sep 23
When Dance Becomes a Solution to Language | Youness Atbane
Navigating the intersection of institutional power, identity, and postcolonial discourse, artist and choreographer Youness Atbane examines how contemporary art spaces shape cultural narrative. Through performance works like Untitled 14 km and Waterproofed Artists, Atbane interrog ... Show More
50m 49s
Jun 18
Music as Resistance, Healing & Prayer | Flautist, Vocalist & Composer Naïssam Jalal
Music serves as a vital sanctuary and a form of spiritual recovery in a world frequently defined by violence, injustice, and fatigue. Flautist, vocalist & composer Naïssam Jalal shares her profound reflections on a career shaped by the search for belonging and the transformative ... Show More
53m 7s
Mar 2025
Breaking Gender Norms in Music & Creating an All-Female Album | Emel Mathlouthi at Quoz Arts Fest
<p>The inspiring Emel Mathlouthi joins Tanya Khoury on the Quoz Arts Fest stage in Dubai for a riveting discussion on music, cultural roots, and breaking gender norms in the music industry. Emel shares her journey of proving that women can excel in music production, creating her ... Show More
18m 28s
Oct 2022
Reem Almenhali and Joanna Settle | Al Raheel at the NYUAD Arts Center
Reem Almenhali and Joanna Settle spoke to us in this special collaboration episode with NYUAD about their play, Al Raheel | Departure, which is about the depth and diversity of life as a woman in the UAE.Created and hosted by Mikey Muhanna, afikraEdited by: Ramzi RammanTheme musi ... Show More
49m 46s
Feb 2024
Decolonizing & Decentering Theater in the Arab World | Laila Soliman
A captivating conversation with theater director and playwright Laila Soliman about theater, cultural discourse and decolonization across the Arab world. Using three of her major works – Zigzag, La Grande Maison and her first opera Woman at Point Zero – as reference, we discuss w ... Show More
59m 39s
Nov 2021
Lamia Joreige's Artistic Journey | Navigating Uncertain Times Through Memory & Archives
In this Conversation, we talked to Lamia Joreige about her career in art and film and how she portrays history through narration. Lamia, rooted in her country’s experience, explores the possibilities of representing the Lebanese wars and their aftermath.Created & Hosted by Mikey ... Show More
28m 40s
Oct 2024
Khatt Chronicles in Conversation With Sahar Khraibani
In this episode of Khatt Chronicles, Yasmine Nachabe Taan interviews Lebanese design writer and critic, Sahar Khraibani. They discuss her journey into the field of design writing through graphic design and illustration. Together, they unpack the importance of design and critical ... Show More
36m 49s
Feb 2025
Curating Art Shows at Jaou Tunis & Navigating Artistic & Cultural Politics | Taous Dahmani
<p>In this episode of The afikra Podcast, host Mikey Muhanna chats with Dr Taous Dahmani, a London-based art historian, writer, and curator. She discusses her career, her ties to Tunis, and curating the exhibitions Unstable Point and Assembly at Jaou Tunis. She explores the socio ... Show More
50m 47s