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Abu Araki al-Bakheit is a musical giant who emerged during the latter years of
Sudanese music?s ?golden era.? With his fabulously smooth and supple voice, Abu
Araki reached a pinnacle of success in the late ?70s, a time of blooming
creativity in Sudanese performance arts. Two decades later, he ran afoul of
Islamist authorities who banned his music, arrested him, and forbade him from
singing at public events. When he responded by saying he would not sing at all,
the public outcry was so great that he was forced to relent. Today, he stands
both as a grand figure of Sudanese song, as well as a brave and principled
example of artistic resistance during one of the most oppressive periods of
Sudan?s modern history.
Abu Araki was born in Wad Madany ?Sudan, the capital of Aljazeera State, a
center of agriculture in the country. As a boy, he endured the hard life of a
traditional, rural farming family. The family later moved to Omdurman, home of
Sudan?s influential radio and television station, and there he received
inspiration from Islamic religious practices. ?I joined a Khalwa,? he recalls,
?a religious house in which young kids like myself used to learn the Quran. My
first day there was scary especially when the young people shouted while reading
the Quran. The variety of voices helped me later on to understand the variety of
a large orchestra, and to understand complicated theories such as harmony and
counterpoint.?
After graduating from the Institute of Music and Drama in 1978,
Abu Araki emerged as a popular young singer on Sudanese radio, and was soon
performing at wedding parties as well as festivals in and out of Sudan.
After the rise of Sudan?s Islamist government in 1989, Abu Araki, like many
Sudanese artists, had difficulty working, in part because of the strong social
content of his song lyrics. He made some of his most important recordings in
Egypt, working with Yousif el Mosley, maestro for Hassad Music, the most
prolific record label for Sudanese music ever. Meanwhile in Sudan, Abu Araki
recalls, ?I wasn?t able to perform my songs in the theaters because of the
powerful words they have, and also because of the enthusiasm my fans felt about
these songs. I had many difficulties, but I was able to overcome them.?
Ever since, Abu Araki has engaged in a delicate dance, remaining true to his
musical and social principles, satisfying his loyal audience, and risking the
wrath of suspicious authorities. In recent years, he has increasingly performed
for Sudanese diaspora communities around the world, including in the United
States. He says he has not been able to record his newer songs ?the way I want
to,? and very much hopes that his work in the United States will allow him to do
so in the near future. |
