Titular book inspires diverse event
With Quebec’s recent ban on the Muslim veil reigniting the debate over a potent religious and cultural symbol the Calgary International Spoken Word Festival’s Unveiling the Breath event couldn’t be more timely. Gathering seven Muslim and non-Muslim female artists including the evening’s emceee Salma Mohiuddin of the Western Muslim Initiative the event is designed to share words stories and experiences surrounding gendered veils both literal and figurative.
Unveiling the Breath takes its name from Unveiling the Breath: One Woman’s Journey Into Understanding Islam and Gender Equality a book written by one of the participating artists Donna Kennedy-Glans. The book began when two years ago she began writing about her work and experiences in Muslim countries.
"At the end of writing it I gave it to a handful of people to read it" she says. "[Festival artistic director] Sheri-D Wilson was the one who suggested the title and was very involved with the book."
As a lawyer businesswoman and humanitarian Kennedy-Glans has travelled to over 30 countries throughout the Muslim world. During her years as a corporate lawyer she encountered many instances of gender inequality in conservative Muslim communities where the roles of men and women are narrowly defined. As a result she began to work on expanding the roles of women in businesses and trades dealing with issues of sexism racism and other social imbalances.
“You don’t have to be a humanitarian in order to address problems" says Kennedy-Glans who in 2003 founded Canada Bridges an organization devoted to facilitating “the exchange of integrated professional knowledge and leadership training in the areas of health care politics education journalism and law.”
Through her work in the oil and gas sector as well as her non-profit organization Kennedy-Glans has met with many male and female community leaders in Yemen who are dedicated to improving the quality of life for women.
Also participating in the afternoon event is Salma Mohiuddin a local artist activist and urban planner who created the Western Muslim Magazine . "Since I’m a Muslim woman born and raised in Calgary I thought [the event] was a wonderful opportunity for me to explore the various identities that go into making me me" says the event’s emcee.
Established in 2004 the Western Muslim Magazine counted young professionals and students among its supporters and contributors. After publishing articles and essays touching on identity travel experiences and controversial figures in the American civil rights movement the magazine transitioned to the Western Muslim Initiative in 2008 to take on a more direct approach.
In the context of a post-9/11 world and ongoing wars in Iraq and Afghanistan there was a desire among Muslims in Calgary to create opportunities to present faces and voices differing from the ultra-conservative politicians and clerics often depicted in mainstream media.
"In a secular multicultural society it is important for us as a community to contribute to the mosaic of art music and culture that exists in Calgary" says Mohiuddin.
Unveiling the Breath aims to bridge the gap between female voices from both sides of the spectrum providing the kind of mosaic that Mohiuddin envisions. The hope it seems is that voices like both Kennedy-Glans and Mohiuddin’s will be expressed freely unveiled.
