Perspective on Women & Music in the Last Six Decades
King Amanullah’s reign (1919 - 1929) marks the era of dramatic political, social and cultural change in the history of modern Afghanistan. The king of the newly independent nation not only used his influence to execute a modernist constitution but also played a crucial role with regards to policies towards women - he created broad-based schools for both boys and girls and overturned centuries-old traditions such as strict dress codes for women. Although very few of King Amanullah’s many reforms were continued once he was no longer in power, nonetheless his era denotes the dawn of Women’s Movement in Afghanistan. Women continued their journey for social and cultural change yet encountered numerous obstacles following King Amanullah’s era. In the decades to follow there were opportunities for sustainable change and progress in social and cultural arenas for women.
In the past six decades, cultural change has greatly altered the position of women in the Afghan society. Within the realm of cultural transformation, music has been responsible for major changes in the lives, performance tradition and roles of women. Most of the public music that is performed by women has remained in the context of private celebrations such as wedding festivities; nevertheless the establishment of Kabul Radio, which officially started its broadcast in 1941 (1320 Solar Hejri year), presented women a suitable channel for promoting their social and cultural position. Yet their journey would not have been triumphant without the support of men in the society.
The first female vocalist that emerged in the scene was Masouda Jalal whose father Said Jalal was the Managing Director of Broadcasting in Kabul Radio. Mr. Jalal was a skilled painter and a progressive individual, who recognized his daughter’s talent for singing, disregarded restrictions of his traditionalist society and allowed her to perform in radio. Masouda Jalal recorded two songs in Kabul Radio under the alias Freshta - zi dast-e azizan watam migozaram (absconding home because of the beloveds) poem by Waqif Lahori and ai padishahi khoban daad az gham-e tanhahi (I cry in grief of your solitude, you whose beauty outshines everyone’s) poem by Hafiz Shirazi.
Succeeding Masouda Jalal’s period women began to cease music as an opportunity to liberate themselves both socially and culturally. Moreover the opportunity to study with distinguished ustads (master musicians) and composers gave women a greater choice of direction in which to move in relations to musical style. What has transpired is that now women hold a consistent and specific place in musical performances and the social development in the Afghan society.
List of Women vocalists who has contributed to the evolvement of music in the last six decades:
- Masouda Jalal - performed under the alias Ms. Freshta
- Ms. Sharifa Zhala
- Mirmon Laila
- Ms. Azada - sang in Farsi and Pashto
- Mirmon Parwin - Title of her first song was dokhtar-e baghban (gardener’s daughter), poem by Mr. Ibrahim Khalil
- Ms. Nahid
- Samia Ziwari - performed under the alias Ms. Shahla and used to come to Radio Kabul covered under burga
- Ms. Paikar - performed under the alias Jilwa and today known as Ms. Afsana. Her famous songs include: man mast-e bahar-e husnat ai auho-e sahra-e chera pisham nami auhi (come to me beloved for that I’m intoxicated of your beauty) and hal ki diwana shodam mirawi (you desert me now that I’m frenzied with love)
- Mirmon Zarin - Title of her famous song was rooz ha shod nami nomahi tu (days since you’ve come into sight) poem by Waqif Lahori
- Ms. Zarghona - Ms. Nahid’s sister
- Mirmon Katum Shah - she performed songs with socially satirical and critical lyrics. Majority of her songs were performed in duets with Mr. Nasim
- Ms. Zhila - her famous songs include: tu omid-e man, tu panah-e man (you’re my hope, you’re my refuge) and ai az firogh-e royat roshan chiragh dida (o the lantern has been illuminated by the luster of your face)
- Mirmon Rukhshana - her first song was titled ai dil sitanam auram-e janam (o my heart; the tranquility of my soul). Her famous song chashm-e seya dari qorbanat shawam man (I sacrifice myself for the dark-eyed beloved). This song has been performed by many vocalists including Ahmad Zahir, Naim Popal as well as vocalists from Iran and Tajikistan.
- Ms. Qamar Gul
- Mirmon Laala
- Ms. Sara Zaland
- Ms. Salma Jahani
- Ustad Mahwash
- Ms. Soma - performs under the alias Ms. Parasto
- Ms. Noshin - performs under the alias Ms. Hangama
- Ms. Mazida Soroor
- Ms. Bakht Zamina
- Ms. Naghma
- Ms. Sohaila Zaland
- Ms. Shahla Zaland
- Ms. Parisa Morsal
- Ms. Sima Tarana
- Ms. Rashida Zhala
- Ms. Marjon Andkhoai
- Ms. Zarsanga
- Ms. Farzana
- Ms. Wajiha Rastagar
- Ms. Janos
- Ms. Qandi Kochai
- Ms. Homa
- Ms. Freshta
- Ms. Michelle
- Ms. Nadia
- Ms. Nasrin
- Ms. Malina
- Ms. Mari Mahtaab
- Ms. Devyani Ali
- Ms. Maria Ayar
- Ms. Mojda
- Ms. Sahar Aafarin
- Ms. Ghizal
- Ms. Ghazal
- Ms. Mariam Wafa
- Ms. Sita Qassemy
- Ms. Sitara
بانوان و آواز خوانی در ۶ دهه اخیر
در سال۱۹۴۱ م برابر به سال ۱۳۲۰ خ نشرات رادیو کابل به شکل رسمی اغا ز گردید.اولین با نو ی که آواز خوا نی را در رادیو اغاز کرد مسعو ده جلال بود که پدرش سعید جلال نام داشت که مدیر نشرات رادیو کابل و همچنان شخص رو شنفکر و نقاش ماهر نیز بود .او تعصبات جامعه را ندیده گرفته به دخترش اجا ز ه داد تأ در رادیو آواز بخواند و دوشیز ه مسعوده با نام مستعا رفرشته دو آهنگ را روی این اشعا ر اجرا نمود، )ز دست عزیزان وطن میگذ ارم) شعر از واقف لا هو ر ی و(پا د شه ی خوبان) شعر حافظ شیرازی. بدین شکل بانوان یکی پی دیگر با پوشیدن چا دری ویا بطور مخفی از خویشان و مردمان به رادیو میآمدند و آ واز میخواندند. همین بودکه جامعه آهسته،آهسته آماده پذیرش زنان هنرمند،البته باحمایه حکومت های وقت در گستره ی فعالیت های هنری گردید از جمله آنهاییکه حضور چشمگیردر عرصه موسیقی وآواز خوانی در شش ده اخیر دارند قرارذ یل میباشند: که نامهایشان قرار ذیل می باشند: مسعو ده جلال بنام فرشته، شریفه ژا له،میر من لیلا،خانم آزاد ه که آهنگهایش را رو ی اشعا ر پشتو و دری اجرا می کرد ،میر من پر وین که اولین اهنگش دختر باغبان نام داشت که شعر آن از جناب ابرا هیم خلیل میباشد،ناهید ،خانم شهلا که اسمش سامعه و اسم خانوا دگی او زیوری میباشد که با چادری به رادیو میآمد ، خانم پیکر که پسانتر به نام جلو ه و امروز بنام افسانه هنر نمایی مینماید که آهنگهای معروف او(من مست بهار حسنتای آهو ی صحرا یی چرا پیشم نمی ایی )، (حال که دیوانه شدم میروی) هستند ،میر من زرین با آهنگ معروفش(روزها شد نمی نما یی تو) شعر واقف لاهو ری ، خانم زرغونه خواهر خانم ناهید ،میرمن کتم شاه که با جناب نسیم آهنگهای کمیدی ی- انتقادی اجرا می نمودند،خانم ژ`یلا که آهنگ (تو امید من ، تو پناه من ) با صدای او ماندگار وجاودانی گردیدواولین آهنگ اوبا مطلع(ای از فروغ رویت روشن چراغ دیده) میباشد ،میر من رخشانه ،اولین اهنگش(ای دلستانم آرام جانم )، همچنان آهنگ معروف (چشم سیاه داری قربانت شوم من)، برای اولین بار به آواز خانم رخشانه اجرا گردید و بعد از آن با اواز احمد ظاهر،نعیم پوپل و هنر مندان تاجیکی و ایرانی باز خوانی گردید-،خانم قمرگل،خانم ناهید،-میرمن لاله،-خانم سلمی جهانی ،استاد مهوش، خانم سوما که فعلا به اسم پرستو فعا لیت هنری دارد،خانم نوشین که به نام هنگامه فعا لیت دارد،-بخت زمینه،نغمه، سیما ترانه،-رشیده ژاله،مرجان اندخویی، خانم زرسانگه، فرزانه،وجیهه رستگار،ژینوس، پریسا مرسل، قندی کوچی،هما،فرشته، میشل ،نادیه،-نسرین ، مزیده سرور، سارا زلاند، سهیلا زلا ند،` شهلا زلاند، ملینا ، ماری ،مهتاب، ماریا عیار ، مژده ، سحر آ فرین ، غزال ، غزل ، مریم وفا ، سیتا قاسمی ، ستاره، دیویانی و دیگران.