00:00Music has long been part of Afghanistan's cultural identity, passed down through generations
00:05of musicians, but since the Taliban banned music across the country, many performers
00:10have been forced to abandon their careers, hide their instruments and play in secret.
00:16In Kabul, one musician is determined to keep that tradition alive, despite the risk and
00:21the economic hardships.
00:22Here's his story.
00:30In a small home in Kabul, an Afghan musician carefully tunes his rubub, a traditional string
00:35instrument deeply rooted in the country's musical heritage.
00:37Since the Taliban took power in 2021, music has increasingly disappeared from public life.
00:43In 2022, authorities imposed a nationwide ban on playing and listening to music, allowing
00:48only religious vocal chanting.
00:50For musicians who remain in the country, the consequences have been both personal
00:53and economic.
00:55Many have lost their livelihoods, while others have hidden their instruments to avoid having
00:58them confiscated or destroyed.
01:00But for this musician, music remains essential to everyday life.
01:08Music carries a profoundly happy and joyful meaning for us.
01:12It brings great tranquility to the soul and mind.
01:15It is truly the best thing, especially when one is experiencing either deep sorrow or great
01:21happiness.
01:21When you are feeling down, then by playing musical instruments, you are transported into a different
01:27environment, an aura where you can find genuine pleasure.
01:34Today, however, continuing to play comes with considerable risks.
01:38The musician says he no longer attends musical gatherings, fearing arrest or physical punishment.
01:43He has also lost the business and teaching work that once supported his family.
01:46Now, he earns a living transporting goods in a wheelbarrow.
01:51The difficulties are immense.
01:53I don't even go to people's programs anymore for fear that, God forbid, I might get caught,
02:00detained or beaten.
02:02And these instruments, as you see here with us, I have kept them hidden.
02:07I cannot take them along.
02:08There are so many problems.
02:10I currently work as a porter transporting goods in a wheelbarrow, but the economic hardships
02:17are severe.
02:18Back then, I had an income from which I could scrape together enough to cover my family's
02:24living expenses, but now, things are very difficult.
02:27I can no longer manage that kind of work.
02:31The constant worry has caused me severe back pain.
02:34I have developed a disc problem due to this immense mental distress.
02:41Despite these circumstances, he is determined to preserve the musical tradition inherited from
02:45his father.
02:46He has now begun teaching the rhubarb to his eldest son, hoping the instrument will continue
02:50to be played by future generations.
02:57My eldest son is very keen on it, so I am teaching it to him.
03:01It is a legacy from my father, and I want it to continue to be passed down from one generation
03:07to another, rather than stop or fall silent.
03:13For this musician, keeping the rhubarb alive means preserving more than an instrument.
03:17It means protecting a family legacy and a musical tradition that he refuses to let disappear.
03:22has had to be built to become a familiar.
03:22He is non-adempting the rhubarb.
03:22The Halter that comes through his life, I think, he is a massive failure!
03:22The Halter.
03:23The Halter.
03:23The Halter.
03:23The Halter.
03:23The Halter.
03:24The Halter.
03:24The Halter.
03:25The Halter.
