JINHA

NEWS CENTER - When Catalan singer Silvia Tomàs read a letter that YPJ member Narin wrote to her mother from the Kobanê resistance, she was deeply affected. Silvia described her decision to make the song and music video "Letter to Kobanê" and her inspiration by the YPJ's resistance.

The YPG/YPJ fighters who resisted for months in the Rojava city of Kobanê against Daesh attacks have given hope to people around the world. One of those fighters was 19-year-old Narin, who lost her life in the resistance. "I am sure that you will visit this house in which I have spent the last moments of my life…" Narin wrote to her mother one day.

One of those touched by this letter was another young woman, 4,000 kilometers away: singer and songwriter Silvia Tomàs, of Barcelona's Silvia Tomás Trio. Silvia, who wrote the song "Carta a Kobane" ("Letter to Kobanê") to reflect the values of the Kobanê resistance, discussed the song with JINHA.

"This letter touched my heart. It transmits something of what is so deeply human, and it brings that reality very close, though it is so different from the one we live in," said Silvia. "This letter helped me to see these people who are giving their all-and not see them as different from us, but only in a different context." Silvia said that when she read the letter (published by Catalan journalists' network Directa) she began to cry and immediately felt the need to rewrite the letter in the form of a song.

On January 25, 2016, the first anniversary of the liberation of the Kobanê, Silvia released a music video of the song with subtitles in Catalan, Kurdish, English, Castilian Spanish, Basque, Portuguese and German. She said the goal of the music video was to introduce the principles of the women-led resistance to the world.

"One of the ideals Narin is showing is a willingness to transcend one's life for the sake of humanity. That is, to be part of a struggle, but not for the sake of the full enjoyment of the results, knowing it can cost you your life," said Silvia, who said these values were increasingly difficult to find in a world dominated by values of selfishness. "Another valuable idea is the issue of mutual support, cooperation and solidarity."

Silvia noted that what most affected her about the letter was that the fighters were not only fighting capitalism, but also trying to build a new social and political model of freedom at the same time. She said that states around the world, including Spain, reacted to the revolutionary project in Rojava with repression.

"For me it was important to give voice to a revolution made by people whom powerful ones want to silence, because it shows we do not need them; we don't need the state to live," said Silvia. She said that the Kobanê resistance showed the possibility for a people to make decisions for themselves without the state, including the decision to take up self-defense in the pursuit of peace.

"I think that over the years of capitalism, humans have lost faith and hope in themselves; we are no longer able to decide and manage our own lives," said Silvia. "We have become individualized and materialistic beings. This letter shows us the possibility of living under other values than the ones dominant in most of the world-thereby restoring human values that have been lost."

Silvia also noted that despite the difference between the women's struggle in her native Barcelona and in Rojava, Kurdish women provided an example for women around the world, who needed to take part in efforts to rebuild themselves and society.

"Frankly, the revolution in Rojava is a great example to follow to see how women can decide to act, stop delegating and defend themselves," said Silvia.

Silvia ended by expressing her thanks to the women in resistance and telling them "you are not alone.

"And to the women who have not yet risen, I would say the same thing as to everyone else: 'If you don't take charge of your life, who will do it and how?'" Silvia asked.

You can listen the song on the links;

https://youtube.com/watch?v=rCh1vs4Pb3Q (video)

https://goo.gl/Nr4hhf (free download song)

http://silviatomas.net (webpage)

(cm)