AFGHANS SPEAK DARI:OPEN LETTER TO DIRECTORS OF THE JUNGLE - A PLAY

An open letter to the directors of The Jungle, a play

Dear Stephen and Justin,

As Okot notes in your play The Jungle, ‘refugees suffer many deaths and are stripped of everything’.

When we finally arrive somewhere, if still alive, then all we have left is our culture and our language.

Last night watching The Jungle, was a difficult experience for me, both because my refugee story was unfolding in front of me but at the same time, the main characters, Afghans, were speaking in the wrong dialect, which not only uses a different accent but the words and syntax are different as well. This not only diminished my experience of watching the production but the cultural appropriation made me feel once again, that we do not matter.

Salar is from Qandahar, and Norullah is from Kabul, they should be speaking in Dari or Pashto, not Persian dialect. I’ve worked as an Afghanistan Cultural Consultant for stage productions for the past eight years, so I wondered, how could such an important detail be overlooked by such a grand and thoughtful production? Perhaps you have a reason, I don’t know.

This could seem like a minor thing to the general audience but for those of us who rarely see our stories represented on the big stage, misrepresentation of our language is a stab at the heart.

If you were making a play about working-class Londoners in the ’60s wouldn’t you ensure that they speak in the right accent? Your actors are capable of taking on the right dialect, I know, because I’ve coached Ben Turner in Dari when he was the lead in the stage production of The Kite Runner at London West End show.

My family escaped Afghanistan with smugglers. After a harrowing three day journey, we were incarcerated on the border of Pakistan and Afghanistan for a week.  Then we traveled to Europe and lived in refugee hotels in Germany until we were granted a visa for the United States. I still have nightmares about the twelve-month journey. I thank you and applaud you for telling these important stories but please know that we, refugees, are in your audiences and we want to be seen, heard and represented authentically. You tell a very important story so do it well, do it with respect and do it with people like me in mind because we matter.

Best regards,

Humaira Ghilzai

NEW BEGINNINGS - A JOURNEY INTO AFGHAN LITERATURE

By Humaira

Sal e now mubarak! Happy New year!

Today marks the start of the year 1395 in Afghanistan. What was originally a Zoroastrian festival is now marked by Prophet Muhammad’s migration from Mecca to Medina in 622 C.E.. In addition to Afghanistan, Nowroze is also celebrated in Iran, Tajikistan, Kurdistan, the Indian Sub Continent and many other countries in the world. For a quick crash course on Nowroze, click here. Also, Nowroze is not complete without the New Year seven fruit compote, haft mewa, which was the highlight of my family’s Nowroze holiday celebration. Here is my favorite haft mewa recipe.

This year I hope to take you on a journey of entertainment in all that Afghan culture has inspired and continues to inspire in the arts.

People ask me about Afghanistan related books and films all the time, so I would like to create a handy list that you can find yourself referencing back not just for a great resource but also discovering some wonderful ways to delve into Afghan culture as unveiled as possible.

A few years ago, I had the privilege of interviewing the author of the bestseller The Kite Runner, Khaled Hosseini which inspired this list. See the interview below:

While The Kite Runner and Khaled’s three other books may be familiar to many, there are still so many more books and films that explore much of Afghanistan, its culture, traditions, and values.

Here is a taste of what is to come...

I couldn’t put down Anand Gopal's book, No Good Men Among the Living: American, the Taliban and the War Though Afghan Eyes. I was really taken by the three Afghans he had featured in this book and how each of their life stories were a by-product of Afghanistan's recent history.

The Patience Stone by Atiq Rahimi is not only a novel which won the most prestigious literary award in France, Prix Goncourt but it is a heart-wrenching film written and directed by the author.

Just when I thought I knew all about Afghanistan related books, I discovered The Secret Sky by Afghan American journalist Atia Nawabi which is going on my read list.

It goes to show you, one can never know too much or enough about a subject. So for this Nowroze, you’re invited to share in what you love about Afghanistan and so much more. If you want me to explore some of your favorite books or movies, please share them in the comments section of this blog.

Stay tuned as I curate the list to share with you shortly.

VEGETARIAN AFGHAN LENTILS WITH GINGER AND CUMIN - DAAL

By, Humaira

Daal refers to an entire category of legumes which includes many sizes and colors of lentils and split peas. Tiny yellow lentils, which are different from split peas, are the most common variety used for Afghan daal. Don’t fret, you can substitute any kind of lentil from your cupboard—green, red or even split peas—for this recipe. Regardless of the variety, all these legumes are incredibly cheap, easy to prepare, around 15 - 20 minutes, and packed with nutrients. 

Afghan daal is a little thicker and less soupy than Indian daal. It's typically served with nan/bread or Afghan challaw (white rice). I like mine with a dollop of garlicky yogurt. 

Here is a recipe for daal made with plenty of onions and garlic, fresh ginger, a touch of cumin and cayenne pepper. I've also added a teaspoon of turmeric which brightens up the color and adds the wholesome goodness of the spice. You can make a large batch and take the leftovers for lunch the next day.

Afghan Daal with Ginger and Cumin

2 tsp. olive oil

1 finely chopped medium onion

2 cloves minced garlic

1 1/2 tbsp. finely minced fresh ginger

1 tsp. ground turmeric

1/2 tsp. ground cumin

1/8 tsp. ground cayenne

1 cup yellow lentils

2 1/2 cups low-sodium vegetable broth (or chicken broth)

2 tbsp. fresh lemon juice

1 tsp. kosher salt

Heat the olive oil over medium-low heat in a medium sauce pan. Add the onion, garlic and ginger and saute for about 5 minutes until the onion is translucent. Add the turmeric, cumin, cayenne, lentils and broth, stir and turn the heat up to high. When the liquid boils, turn the heat down to a simmer, cover and cook until the lentils are very tender, about 15 minutes. Remove from heat and add the lemon juice and salt. Serve with a spoonful of plain yogurt and warm pita or nan bread.

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