The neigbourhood of Ard El Lewa is home to some 600,000 people, its borders are defined by two highways and the tracks of the railroad. Along with some pedestrian bridges, there are only two bigger passages into Cairo. During the first days of the revolution, the police stopped operating and prison doors were opened. As in other Cairo neighbourhoods, the people of Ard El Lewa got organzied to protect themselves against violence. We were impressed by how fast street barricades were erected and by the arming employed, ranging from antique swords to golfclubs and microphone stands. Out of this movement evolved a structure to defend other concerns of the township. This stopped the development of luxury-apartments in an empty lot to allow for the construction of schools and a hospital on that site.
Three weeks before going on Air, we started a daily workshop program. In addition to the basics of Audio- and Radiotechnology, we suggest an artistic approach and discuss the possibilities of public broadcasting. Together, we produce short radio pieces and develop experimental broadcast formats. Some 20 people participate in the workshop, among them a radio engineer, several Rappers, a sound artist, a librarian and a radio drama producer. Most of them live in Ard El Lewa. The Radio Lewa jingle was also produced during this workshop.
For its supporters and listeners in Switzerland, Radio Lewa aims to create a counterbalance to usual media coverage by offering up-to-date impressions of the Cairo metropolis. Each day, we send out a short, well chosen and processed extract of the days programme. We start broadcasting on January 11, 2013, the bigger part of the programm being in Arabic. An algorhythmic composition captures the street sound in front of the studion and live-processes it in different ways, accompanied here by Philipp Schaufelbergers percussion.
The creative writing workshop of poet Linda Cleary appears twice on Radio Lewa. For the first class, participants had written down dreams which they read out to the group.
Sound artist Asmaa Azouz has created a sound collage using audio material from the workshops. She calles it "7a2ak ta7lam" and it refers to the railroad crossing connecting the neighbourhood to Cairo.
Artist Amira Hanafis work researches how cultural and social biasing influences our perception. Together with Philipp Schaufelberger, she followed a certain route through the neighbourhood, recording environment sounds and their conversation. During the following weeks, she follows the same trail with people from different backgrounds, the different points of view become evident.
DThe great barrage constructed by Nasser in the 1960ies forced many Nubians to leave their villages and move inland. Mohammed Magdy was a guest in Maadys broadcast about Nubia. He performed this song by Ahmed Munib, which expresses the Nubians longing to move back to the banks of the Nile, their source of life.
The Mohammed Ali Al Esaery street is full of craftmens shops. Mirjam Bürgin performs along these sounds on her sewing machine.
A muscial encounter of Anoun and guitar. European and Arabic scales differ widely and we can hear the musicians trying to adjust to each other. The Anoun is played by Amr Salah, guitar by Philipp Schaufelberger.
Musicians Abdallah Zekri on Saas and Dimitry Russy on double bass have recorded this piece in our studio.
F: What is your name? A: My name is Mohammed. F: Can you define your work? A: I collect garbage and cardboard. F: Do you make a good amount of money out of it? A: No I don't, my mom does and she gives me 5 or 10 Le per day. (CHF 1 - 2) F: What you do with the cardboard? A: I don't know, my mom takes it. F: Did you run away from school? A: My mom did not apply for me to go to school. F: How old are you? A: 11 years. F: Do you wish go to school? A: Yes.. but my mom does not have the money to send me to school because my brother is in jail. F: Why is your brother in jail? A: Some people accuse him of killing someone. F: So now you are the one who works to feed the family ? A: Yes. F: I will tell You something frankly. I have a feeling that you are Christian and Your name is not Mohammed, why are You lying to me? A: My name is Mohammed. F: So you are a Muslim and not Christian? A: No I am not Muslim, I am a Christian. F: So, what is your name? A: My name is Abanoub. F: That’s a very nice name. Abanoub was a great Saint.
An excerpt from the radio concert of the Nassibian Orchestra.
For the anniversary of the revolution a very popular song, recorded by Youssra El Hawary in the radio studio. It's about the walls that had been erected near Tahrir square to protect the interior ministry from the demonstrations. The lyrics are by Waleed Taher.
In front of the wall / In front of those who built it / In front of those who made it high / Stood a poor man / Who peed / On the wall, and on those who built it and those who made it high.
Salem Yousry has been leading the Cairo complaint choir since 2010. In a workshop, he develops this choir piece together with the participants. Remarkably, it is held in the Youth argot of Ard El Lewa which no one else understands.
This song is performed by Linda Cleary with musician Kemoslang Mohammed Kamal during the "spoken word performance" on Jan 22. It's entitled "The Dancer".
The following podcast was recorded in the quiz show of Hady and Ahmed. The singer is Sahar Tarek Ali, who studies literature and vocals. The song is her own composition, asking for the causers of chaos and destruction.
The second piece by sound artist Asmaa Azouz is called "sleepless journey" and deals with outside sounds merging into the dreams of the half asleep.
The last podcast is from a session of Mirjam on the sewing machine and Mohammed Ahmed, Hady and Sharif, whose rapping and beatboxing is also heard in the Radio Lewa jingle.