Ahmed Moneka – Kanzafula: Afro-Iraqi Sufi Soul (LulaWorld, 2024)
Ahmed Moneka’s engaging Kanzafula is a vibrant fusion of Afro-Sufi music, seamlessly intertwining influences from Iraq, Kenya, and Canada. This album reflects Moneka’s unique journey, from his birthplace in Iraq and his ancestral roots in Kenya to his new home in Toronto, where he arrived as a refugee following his role in a film about gay rights.
Moneka, an Afro-Syrian, descendant of the victors of the first Black revolution in Basra (869-883), celebrates this rich heritage in his music. Kanzafula offers a joyful, magnetic and transcendent mix of deeply built East African rhythms and Arabic melodies, enriched with funk, soul, jazz, and even Latin music influences.
Through Kanzafula, Moneka honors the legacy of Black Iraqis who fought for their freedom after being brought from Kenya as slaves in the 9th century.
The article “Afro-Iraqi Rituals: Stigma, Discrimination, and Resilience” by Amir Al-Azraki and Thawrah Yousif Yaqoob explores the history and cultural practices of Afro-Iraqis, who make up about 5% of Iraq’s population. It highlights the oppression, racism, and discrimination they have faced since their forced arrival due to the slave trade in the ninth century. Despite these challenges, Afro-Iraqis have maintained their cultural rituals, which are a combination of African diasporic traditions, highlighting their resilience in the face of ongoing stigmatization.
For more details, you can access the article here journals.librarypublishing.arizona.edu/tbtr/article/id/5149/.
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Author: Angel Romero
Angel Romero y Ruiz has dedicated his life to musical exploration. His efforts included the creation of two online portals, worldmusiccentral.org and musicasdelmundo.com. In addition, Angel is the co-founder of the Transglobal World Music Chart, a panel of world music DJs and writers that celebrates global sounds. Furthermore, he delved into the record business, producing world music studio albums and compilations. His works have appeared on Alula Records, Ellipsis Arts, Indígena Records and Music of the World.