Songs of desert 

Elyas Elavi x Manganiyar Singers

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Songs of Desert / آوازهای کویر

Songs of Desert is a musical performance evening that weaves together the poetry of Elyas Alavi and the soulful songs of Manganiyar singers. While the Manganiyars sing of the camels of Rajasthan, Alavi reflects on the journeys of cameleers transported from South Asia to Australia during British rule. This evening celebrates the connecting thread between two distant lands through music, poetry, and shared cultural memory.

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About the event:

Alavi will be travelling to Rajasthan to continue his research into the history and legacy of Australia’s South Asian cameleers, through artistic exploration and community engagement, with a particular focus on connections with India. Maah Space is hosting  a special event featuring a collaborative performance between Alavi and Manganiyar singers. Selected artworks by Alavi will also be displayed at the space.

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About Elyas: 

Elyas Alavi is an Australian – Afghanistani visual artist and poet whose practice spans painting, installation, poetry, and performance. His work examines the complex intersections of memory, displacement, identity, and gender. Alavi often explores histories of the SWANA region and their entanglements with globalisation, settler colonialism, and the displacement of Black and Brown bodies.

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Musicians

Sawai Khan Manganiyar on vocal 

Mehran Khan Manganiyar on Surmandal & dholak 

Roshan Khan Manganiyar on Kaimaycha

Musicians Curation : Sandeep Ratnoo

Co-presented by Jaipur Virasat Foundation

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