Internationally acclaimed Tunisian singer Emel Mathlouthi captivated a crowd of more than a million people during Newroz celebrations in Turkey’s Kurdish-majority province of Diyarbakır (Amed) on Thursday.
Mathlouthi’s performance was particularly poignant as it came just days after she was prevented from performing at a similar event in Istanbul, Turkey, due to restrictions imposed by the Turkish authorities.
Mathlouthi delivered an emotional performance that included Kurdish and Arabic songs, as well as a piece dedicated to the Palestinian people, while wearing a Palestinian keffiyeh. This choice of costume and repertoire underlined her solidarity with different causes and cultures, and highlighted the intertwined themes of resistance and celebration present in the Newroz celebrations.
The singer’s planned performance in Istanbul for the Newroz celebrations was thwarted when Turkish officials, citing time constraints, stopped her and her band at a police checkpoint. The obstruction prevented them from reaching the celebrations in time, a move that prompted a public statement of disappointment from Mathlouthi. Speaking to Firat News Agency (ANF), she expressed her deep appreciation for Kurdish music and culture, influenced by the work of Aynur Doğan, a renowned Kurdish singer. Mathlouthi lamented the restrictions she faced and emphasised the unifying power of music, culture and art against the forces of division and censorship.
Her resilience in the face of these challenges was evident in her determination to perform in Diyarbakir, where she shared her love of Kurdish music and culture. Mathlouthi’s statement before the event captured her hope for a future where cultural expression is celebrated without restriction: “Every language and culture represents wealth… Banning art is unacceptable. All people have the right to express themselves in their own language”.
