Overwhelming experience @ the Women's Bookstore

We are honoured and totally overwhelmed by having the opportunity to perform at a night of Living Story told through live music, dub poetry and spoken word for the Written in Colour conference held this past weekend and organised by the Toronto Women's Bookstore. Despite having sung in Arabic for a mainly non-arabic speaking audience, the highlighting of the Folk poetry of Ahmad Fuad Najm sung by Sheikh Imam and a Poem by the Famous Palestinian Poetess Fadwa Touqan was very moving to many that were present in the cosy and intimate Toronto Women's bookstore. We were also extremely moved and empowered by the spoken word artists who shared their work with us - Naila Keleta Mae, Motion, Belladona and Mama D. We are honoured to have shared the stage with them. Many Thanks to the Women's bookstore's Jackie and Edite for the wonderful and incredible opportunity to participate at this event.

Stay tuned for information on future events - Our next gig will be on December 1, 2006 in Hamilton. By then we should have more CDs availabe of our live performance recorded at Arabiana 2006 in the summer. Peace and Solidarity to all!

Ayeda, for the Jawqa (Ghassan (oud), Maha, Nadia, Hazem, Mohsen and Mahmoud (voice) and myself on Tabla).

EL JAWQA to perform at Written in Colour Conference Nov 17 2006

The Toronto Women’s Bookstore presents …

WRITTEN in COLOUR Kick-off CONCERT: Living Stories

Join us for a night of Living Story told through dub poetry, spoken word andfolk music to help kick-off the WRITTEN in COLOUR symposium with performers

Naila Keleta MaeMotion Mama D.Belladona+Jawqet El-Sheikh Imam

FRIDAY NOVEMBER 17, 7pm@ Toronto Women's Bookstore

73 Harbord St. (Spadina and Harbord)

Admission: $5-$12 sliding scaleor

FREE for registered WRITTEN in COLOUR participants

Partially wheelchair accessible

WRITTEN in COLOUR 2006, now in its third year, provides a space for Indigenous storytellers and writers as well as storytellers and writers ofcolour to take ownership of our own stories. Two full days of back-to-backworkshops, readings and panels allows experienced writers to share knowledgewith emerging and aspiring ones about journeys in writing, storytellingthrough performance, autobiographies, children’s stories, creative writing,and other topics in the often inaccessible world of publishing. Check out our website for more information www.womensbookstore.com

Arabiana Live CD

Our Second Live Recording CDs are now available! At the Sumoud event last weekend, we received our first Standing ovation for which we are very grateful and humbled. The audience's response was truly heartwarming and we are very empowered and encouraged by it. This is our CD cover for the Arabiana Live performance in July - designed by our Mahmoud Kaddoura. A shout out goes to Tariq Ibrahim for helping Thomas Al-hamad edit and enhance the recording. For more information or to purchase a copy email us at el.jawqa @ gmail.com. Cheers to all!

El Jawqa Performance August 11

Jawqet El Sheikh Imam will be performing at

HOSTAGES OF APARTHEID

A fundraiser in solidarity with Palestinian and Lebanese political prisoners

Featuring dinner, arabic and urban music, spoken word performances

A part of Prisoner's Justice week http://www.pjac.org/

Friday, August 11 @ 6pm. Steelworkers Hall, 33 Cecil

(near college/spadina)

$10 in advance/$20 at the door.

For advance tickets email: sumoud@tao.ca

or pick them up at:

* A Different Booklist @ 746 Bathurst St.

* Toronto Women's Bookstore @ 73 Harbord Street

* OPIRG (UofT) @ 563 Spadina Ave, Room 101

* Another Story Bookshop @ 315 Roncesvalles Ave

For more info: http://sumoud.tao.ca/

email: sumoud@tao.ca

Egypt Solidarity Campaign Event

July 22, 2006 at CAF Toronto

Next Performance This Saturday!

Our Jawqa will be performing this Saturday July 22, 2006 at 6PM at a Panel Discussion on Egypt's Struggle for Democracy, an event organised by the newly-formed Toronto Egypt Solidarity Campaign. The campaign was initiated in response to the arrests of Egyptian Judges Hisham Bastawisi and Mahmoud Mekki, who spoke out against corruption and fraud in the 2005 Legislative Elections in Egypt. It is fitting that our group will be capping an evening of solidarity with Political Prisoners by singing the songs/poetry of former political prisoners Sheikh Imam and Ahmad Fuad Negem.

Event: Egypt's Struggle for Democracy
When: Saturday July 22, 2006 6pm
Where: Canadian Arab Federation, 1057 McNicoll Ave

We hope to see you there!

More Arabiana2006 Photos

Standing: Hazem, Mohsen, Nadia, Leanne, Mahmoud

Seated: Maha, Thomas, Ayeda

Standing: Hazem, Mohsen, Nadia, Vicky, Bader (in back), Ayeda, Mahmoud, and Sophia

Seated: Maha, Thomas, Leanne, and Hani

Photography by Tariq Ibrahim

Photos from Arabiana2006

Jawqet El Sheikh Imam on Stage in the blazing sun



Jawqet El Sheikh Imam performers: seated Maha, Thomas, Ayeda. Standing: Mohsen, Nadia, Hazem. Missing in action: Mahmoud - Where were you??

Photography by Tariq Ibrahim