Poetry as Platform for Social Activism
Farah Chamma used to write poetry about coffee. Or a beautiful morning or a school day — anything that crossed her mind. Not thinking of poetry as an ...
Oct 19, 2013
Farah Chamma used to write poetry about coffee. Or a beautiful morning or a school day — anything that crossed her mind. Not thinking of poetry as an instrument for social activism, Chamma was surprised when her first performance of “I Am No Palestinian” was received with a standing ovation.
“I Am No Palestinian” is a slam poem that reconsiders the Palestinian identity for those who have left Palestine and continue to travel the world, in light of the ongoing Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Chamma was 17 years old when she first performed “I Am No Palestinian” at a slam poetry open mic in Dubai. Members of the audience reached out to Chamma afterward and asked for a copy of her poem.
"I see all these people sitting there waiting for something ... I thought it shouldn't just be about me," said Chamma. "I want[ed] to start writing about something that would concern everyone."
The audience's reaction inspired Chamma to deliver more pressing social messages through poetry. She was particularly inspired when she received messages from young people who were confused about their place in political and religious conflicts.
"People start sharing the piece ... in my head that is a form of peace," said Chamma. "It's a form of very strong connection that you make just by posting something on the Internet."
Only released in September of this year, Chamma's YouTube video “I Am No Palestinian” already boasts 7,000 views. Chamma has performed for her classmates at the Paris-Sorbonne University Abu Dhabi and at poetry open mic nights in Abu Dhabi hosted by Rooftop Rhythms and NYU Abu Dhabi. At her last NYUAD performance for the Arts Bonanza on the International Day of Peace, Chamma joked that her poem has become mainstream.
She has also emphasized the accessibility of her poetry among an international audience. Though her Arabic poem “How Must I Believe” is more popular than “I Am No Palestinian” with more than 180,000 views on YouTube, Chamma prefers to perform poems in English in order to reach more diverse audiences.
For Chamma, traveling and poetry are channels to enter social discussions. In the midst of the veil ban controversy in the summer of 2012, she decided to wear a veil while traveling through France.
"I was so scared to go there wearing the veil, but I did it in order to experience this thing that people talk about, the judgment," said Chamma.
In April of 2011, the French parliament banned citizens from wearing the full-face veil in public. However, the law does not ban the headscarf in public. Controversy over the ban continued into 2012. In August, women wearing veils in sympathy of the Pussy Riot were arrested in Marseille.
In order to experience the position of women who wanted to wear veils despite the ban, Chamma found inspiration in socially conscious poetry.
"I'm always trying to think of the place I'm going to, the context ... to write about and perform pieces that would connect people ... and provoke some thought," said Chamma. "I always try to have a good intention behind [my] poetry."
Last summer, Chamma travelled to Brazil and performed “I Am No Palestinian” for a Portuguese-speaking audience. While in Brazil, she began studying Portuguese in the hopes of reaching out to the community in the native tongue.
"I don't want [language] to limit me ... I add French and Portuguese [to my poems] so that everyone can relate to it, even if just a little bit," said Chamma. "When you want your words to be universal, make use of every opportunity."
Chamma is currently working on a new poem called “Paperwork” about cultural interchange that goes beyond official documents and government bureaucracy. Born and raised in the UAE, Chamma has never owned a Palestinian passport. Additionally, Chamma's interaction with diverse student bodies at Paris-Sorbonne and NYUAD has shown her that people from very different backgrounds can come together and take no heed of political tensions and obstacles.
Although she uses poetry to address social issues and enter intercultural discussions, Chamma does not consider herself a political activist.
"I'm still 19. I don't consider myself to have enough political knowledge to say that I'm an activist, a person that writes about politics," said Chamma. "I write from the perspective of a teenager ... living in a reality that has a lot of conflict, a lot of confusion."
Nevertheless, her poetry is geared toward social causes. She recognizes a certain responsibility in spoken word performance.
"I don't think performance poetry is very personal — you can sit in your room and write if you want to be personal," said Chamma. "What inspires me is the idea that I'm putting effort to go and touch people."
Joey Bui is news editor. Email her at editorial@thegazelle.org. 
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