Q&A with Zarifa Adiba

 

 

 

Zarifa Adiba is the author, with Anne Chaon, of the new memoir Playing for Freedom: The Journey of a Young Afghan Girl. She is a musician and conductor from Afghanistan.

 

Q: What inspired you to write Playing for Freedom, and how was the book’s title chosen?

 

A: I have always been fond of writing and would write in diaries all the time, especially once I learned more about my dad and my family situation. Growing up, writing was my most loyal friend. 

 

When I was going through a particularly difficult time, I became close friends with Anne Chaon. I was about to turn 18 when Anne asked if I would ever consider writing about my personal story.

 

My immediate reaction was that I would love to! I didn’t think much about what it would entail to get a book published or what would happen after I published the book. I just wanted to write it all down, take it out there. Anne helped me, and we finished writing the book in 2019.

 

But writing the book took an emotional toll on me, and I began to fear what people would think once they read my memoir. Would they hate me? Because of my doubts, the publisher agreed to postpone the publication of my book until I was ready.

 

When my friend Natasha was killed in a bomb blast, that was a very cruel awakening. I thought, oh my God, I'm from Afghanistan. I live in Afghanistan. I could die at any moment.

 

And my story is not just about me. My story is the story of many girls who are born in that country, suffer in that country, and then die in that country. Nobody knows their names, their struggles, or their experiences. Especially after the Taliban took over, I knew I needed to share my story on behalf of all of the Afghanistan girls who cannot do the same.

 

When I was writing the book, I learned so much about myself – my dislikes, my passions – and the one constant was always music. Since I was a little girl, I have faced many struggles and risks in order to play viola, to play music. I love music. The title, Playing for Freedom, seemed like the perfect description for my journey as a young Afghan girl.

Q: What do you hope readers take away from your story?

 

A: One message I hope readers will come to appreciate is that no matter how hard life is, no matter how dark, if you are determined to do something, you can do it.

Second, I hope readers discover that Afghanistan is more than the bombs that have bombarded the country. Afghanistan is more than the Taliban and the sensational news stories.

 

I want readers to understand that Afghans are as human as they are. They have hearts, they have souls, they get hurt, and they are in pain. They feel it when they lose loved ones tragically. And yet, they are so resilient, so brave. They are kind; they are hospitable. But they are also unfortunate because they have never been at peace.

My third hope is that they understand that girls in Afghanistan are living an extremely hard life. They have been voiceless for decades now. Feminist readers in the United States and around the world have a platform, and I hope they will speak out on behalf of Afghanistan women and girls who are powerless and in need of help. 

I also want Western readers to realize how very fortunate they are to be able to go to school. They are so lucky to be able to do sports, play music, and walk around without fear of bombs and harassment. They should take every opportunity that they are given to become a better individual, not just for themselves, for their family, for their society, for their country, but for the world, because they have that opportunity.

I really hope they enjoy reading it.

 

Q: What are you working on now?

 

A: Right now, I am working at a theatrical management company as an office management assistant, and I am graduating, hopefully this year. I also have a goal to create a platform that showcases the history, culture, and beauty of Afghanistan through its people. I think individual stories are a wonderfully authentic way to learn about a country and its people.

 

Q: Anything else we should know?

 

A: I truly want the readers to show solidarity with Afghan women. Because today, more than ever after, women are voiceless. They are not allowed to go to school. They are not allowed to go to university. They are not allowed to walk on the street.

 

I want people to know how women benefit when the West offers financial support to Afghanistan. Because of past financial support, I was able to go to school. I have been to university on a scholarship. I have been able to perform at the World Economic Forum. I have been able to write my story. I'm one of those girls who took every advantage that was given to me. But I'm one of the lucky ones.

Today, women are in a horrible situation in Afghanistan, and the world has gone silent. On August 15, 2021, when the Taliban took over, the world abandoned millions of Afghan girls to a terrorist group. This has been such a monumental betrayal to women, and the situation has left me heartbroken.

 

I hope that my book enlightens people to the importance of speaking out and providing support and safety to Afghan women and children.

 

--Interview with Deborah Kalb