How Afghan-Canadians in B.C. are finding strength and unity through the power of music
It's been almost a year since Kabul's fall and the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan. Among the many aspects of Afghan society threatened by the Taliban is the country's rich musical culture.
Many in the Afghan diaspora – including Metro Vancouver residents – are trying to keep Afghanistan's arts and culture alive.
Some local fans were fortunate enough to meet one of the country's most iconic singers, Farhad Darya, on Friday.
The pop star is touring Canada and made a stop in Metro Vancouver.
For Abbotsford DJ Ahmad Yasin, it's a dream come true to perform at Darya's show as the opening act.
"Words can't describe it. It means a lot, definitely," said Yasin, who has been playing music for years and is one of the few Afghan DJs in the province.
"Afghan diaspora in Vancouver, they're very, very keen in his music and his lyrics and everything that he does," Yasin added. "Although this may be an event of happiness ... his music is patriotic."
And it's that patriotism that Afghans say they need right now, especially since music is banned under Taliban rule.
That's not going to stop Afghans in Metro Vancouver from enjoying Darya's sold-out concert in Surrey Saturday.
"They're trying to suppress music inside of Afghanistan, but they can't continue this," said the Afghan pop star.
"For a nation that has no voice right now, music can be and is the loudest voice they need."
For many in the Afghan diaspora who have been forced to leave, Darya's music reminds them of home.
"For me, it's just a way to connect back to my roots and those really, really special memories that I have from my really short time in my homeland," said Parniyan Hezhir, a local fan.
"I feel like music is such a big part of me reconnecting to my identity — not just because music is fun and we dance to it and all of those things are important in our culture, but in a lot of these songs, if you pay close attention to the lyrics, a lot of them are about the Afghan experience," she said.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Fort Nelson, B.C., wildfire doubles in size as 3,000-plus ordered to evacuate
The wildfire that sparked Friday and caused evacuation orders for more than 3,000 people in Fort Nelson, B.C., and the nearby Fort Nelson First Nation, has grown to nearly 1,700 hectares in size, according to a Saturday morning update from the BC Wildfire Service.
Which Canadian cities have the highest and lowest grocery prices?
Where you live plays a big factor in what you pay at the grocery store. And while it's no secret the same item may have a different price depending on the store, city or province, we wanted to see just how big the differences are, and why.
Cyclist issued fine for striking four-year-old girl crossing the street
A cyclist turned herself in and received a fine after striking a four-year-old girl who was crossing the street to catch a school bus.
Dutch contestant kicked out of Eurovision hours before tension-plagued song contest final
The Netherlands' contestant in the Eurovision Song Contest was dramatically expelled from competition hours before Saturday's final of the pan-continental pop competition, which has been rattled by protests over the participation of Israel.
Haitians demand the resignation and arrest of the country's police chief after a new gang attack
A growing number of civilians and police officers are demanding the dismissal and arrest of Haiti's police chief as heavily armed gangs launched a new attack in the capital of Port-au-Prince, seizing control of yet another police station early Saturday.
Protest encampment cleared by Edmonton police early Saturday morning
A protest encampment set up on the University of Alberta campus was cleared early Saturday morning by Edmonton police.
opinion How to use your credit card as a powerful wealth-building tool
Irresponsibly using a credit card can land you in financial trouble, but personal finance columnist Christopher Liew says when used properly, it can be a powerful wealth-building tool that can help grow your credit profile and create new opportunities.
'We have no judge for you': Man's assault charges dropped weeks before trial due to lack of judges in Toronto
A man who was accused of sexually and physically assaulting a woman had his charges dropped in April, just weeks before he was set to stand trial in Toronto, due to a lack of judges in the region.
Millions of Canadians have been exposed to potentially toxic chemicals, and they're not going anywhere
For decades, North Bay, Ontario's water supply has harboured chemicals associated with liver and developmental issues, cancer and complications with pregnancy. It's far from the only city with that problem.