Written by: Sahar Alwan
I am Sahar Alwan, a journalist, radio program producer, and podcaster. I have worked in journalism for 5 years, and I started producing radio episodes and podcasts 2 years ago. I have produced over 30 radio episodes and 15 podcast episodes, as well as multiple journalistic reports in various fields such as arts, culture, society, and health.
My role in the “Voices and Rhythms” project began as a researcher to explore and document Yemeni artistic models that did not receive adequate attention or recognition in contemporary artistic contexts. Through this project, I contributed to reviving these “missing rhythms” and presenting them in a modern artistic format, which is a podcast, aiming to spark discussions and deepen the understanding of cultural and artistic models that were previously unheard of in terms of their personal lives, social histories, and the artistic environment they once had, which was not highlighted at the time. I was responsible for research, formulating questions, managing discussions, and writing the script.
This project was not just about discovering information about an artist who didn’t receive enough media and artistic attention (whom I will talk about later), but it was also an exploration of oral history, of which I was not aware of much. I gained knowledge and insights that can enhance the steps I take in future work in this field. I initially thought the task would be simple, but I discovered that oral history requires a lot of effort, well-structured steps, and careful planning.
We are in desperate need of documenting many aspects of Yemeni artistic heritage, especially at this time, after the war, because many truths have been distorted or, in some cases, lost. Our main role now is to document these works and present them in ways that keep up with modern formats, to engage both Yemeni and Arab audiences.
In my journey as a researcher and audio blogger in oral history, I value every step I went through, starting from training, applying, fieldwork, and producing the first episode in collaboration with my colleague Fatima. I felt a true sense of achievement during many moments, and I will admit that I also experienced moments of sadness, challenges, and difficulties related to accomplishment, time, accuracy, and multiple attempts. I am grateful for everything I went through and the lessons I learned, which have given me strength and experience to venture into this field again, with even more determination and passion. I believe I will be more capable of delivering high-quality content, faster and better, according to tangible and impactful standards.
As for the artist “Aliha,” I will share some information about her. She is from Sana’a, specifically from the Haraz area. She grew up in a conservative family and discovered her singing talent at a young age. She got married at a young age, which became an obstacle to her talent. She had two children and was preoccupied with raising them. However, after separating from her husband, she found the space to return to her artistic career. The main reason for her return was her need to find work to support herself and her children. She joined an ensemble and was employed and trained because of her beautiful voice and high artistic abilities.
In her artistic career, she met the artist Nabah Ahmed, and they formed a professional friendship. They held wedding concerts for Yemeni families for ten years together. Later, the artist Aliha decided she needed to produce her own work through numerous cassette releases, amounting to about 50 cassettes, including titles like “Zawaj Al-Taban,” “Aliha Majrooh Yanass,” and “Zawaj Al-Sheeba.” She wrote, composed, and performed the songs. Her talent was not limited to singing, as she was also skilled in acting and worked with famous Yemeni actors such as Yahya Ibrahim, Nabil Hazam, and Madihah Al-Hudayri. However, due to family circumstances, she eventually left the arts and acting.
