Afghan Music Fades in Kandahar

Musicians in Kandahar say a unique tradition is being lost as people turn to mainstream, commercial music from India.

Traditional music went into decline when the Taleban were in power in the 1990s, when the performing arts were outlawed. There are few people left to carry on the tradition.

“Security got worse here, which led to the disintegration of traditions, and the musicians and singers in Kandahar died out as time went by,” said Ustad Hashem, a 70-year-old tabla player in Kandahar.

Kandahari singers used to be in high demand across southern Afghan provinces of Zabul, Uruzgan, Helmand as well as Kandahar, as far afield as Kabul, and across the border into Pakistan.

These days, more and more young Kandaharis who watch Bollywood films prefer Indian music to the distinctive instrumentals and poetic lyrics of their own region.

“We no longer have Kandahari music,” said Nematullah Kandahari, who has been singing for more than 40 years. “There are only two people left [playing instruments] – one is Sayed Jan, who plays the drums, the other is Akhtar Mohammad, who plays harmonium. The others are all from Kabul. Only the singers are from Kandahar.”

Bashir Faryadi, a singer who has campaigned to revive Kandahari music, bemoans what he calls the “poor taste” of the modern generation.

“Sometimes when I go to parties, I wonder how I’m going to be able to perform,” he said. “I refuse to sing in an unprofessional way, but people don’t like professional singing.”

Nematullah Kandahari agrees. True fans of the genre, he says, value not only the old tunes but also elegant lyrics performed by singers with good voices. But these days people want commercial music, and shun the classical poetic forms like the “ghazal”.

“In my experience, in the old days people wanted original music, classical poems and decent voices,” he said. “They would listen quietly at musical gatherings, but unfortunately that doesn’t happen now.”

There are still some devotees who are prepared to pay high prices for classic recordings.

“I still listen to music by the old Kandahari singers,” said one local, Ahmad. “I soothe my soul with them. Kandahari music lifts my heart.”

Another Kandahar resident, Abdullah, said the performers around today are lacking something.

“I don’t listen to Kandahari music, because it no longer has the flavour of the old days,” he said. “I and many other people listen to Indian music now.”

The head of the provincial culture department, Dawa Khan Minapal, said efforts were being made to revive local cultural forms.

Most recently, more than 40 musicians and singers graduated from a five-month training course in Kandahari music.

“We’re doing our best, and some other plans are afoot,” he said. “However, it would be better if a faculty of arts was created at Kandahar University to increase the focus on Kandahari music.”

Poet Sayed Habibullah Rowhani agrees that proper training is the route to keeping the tradition going.

“Kandahari music can be only developed if singers study it at school and university, and learn how to play instruments,” he said.

Rowhani said he knew of some 20 singers of note, although none could play an instrument and all were illiterate. If they could read or write, they would be better at selecting material and improving their overall performance, he said.

“You may have noticed that most of our Kandahari singers haven’t been to school,” he said. “They memorise poems by listening to songs by the old singers. Then they sing them the way they want to,” he said. “If they studied...  they would be in a position to popularise Kandahari music through good melodies, good compositions and good lyrics.”

Mohammad Ibrahim Spesalai is an IWPR-trained reporter in Kandahar province.