Creativity has always been a companion of revolutions, and a strong tool in the hands of protesters against an authority, that responds to this kind of activism with more violence than almost any other form.
As the Syrian regime began to act more brutal against the uprising, a musical group called “The Syrian Bear” was formed in year 2011. The team members who were brought together by friendship, all live in Germany, where they used to take part in creative recreational activities, like playing all kinds of music instruments.
There is no clear reason as to why the band was formed, the only humorous reason was singing, playing and “making fun of His Majesty Bashar al-Assad.” one of the activists cynically told our website. The simplicity and clearness of the project required no further thinking or development, since “All Syrians have a complex called the Reform, Development and Modernization Complex.” A team member sarcastically articulates, pointing out the three words that were frequently repeated by the Bashar Assad in his speeches, ever since he became president in 2000, without actually fulfilling any of his promised “reforms”.
The group's songs rely on obvious political irony and humor, while combining simple poetic images with mild musical rythms.
A song called “Irhal” or “Go Away” for example says:
O regime go away, go away O regime
I truly hope that you
look after yourself
and leave us the hell alone
O regime go away
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PdFUvweYW_w
The band's songwriter and composer spoke to Syria Untold about his inspiration: “I used to write while scrolling down on my Facebook page or while on AlJazeera Online Website. Sometimes I'd hum melody, then I'd try coming up with lyrics that fit the tune, while considering the other Bears' opinion.”
Another funny song titled “Yumal”, ridicules Assad and the way he inherited power from his father, while continuing to use the term “forever” to describe his ruling period, the song says:
People are sick of your forever
We will regain our country
From your fangs
O Assad
We're sick...sick
open a clinic doctor
invest in some project
Farm a land with a tractor
just drop the saw you're holding
We're sick...sick
The country you inherited from daddy
give it back to its people
After robbing everything we own
Return to your place in the woods
The Syrian Bear is the musical side of an integrated civil project called “The Syrian People Know Their Way”, which was awarded with "The Golden Nica: Prix Ars Electronica” category of “Digital Communities”. The Prix Award is an annual global award in the fields of art and technology and their association with society, based in Austria.
Songs and music have often taken a major part in the civil movement in Syria. Unfortunately, the militarization of the uprising hushed the sound of creativity at the expense of empowering the noises of war. Thus, The Syrian Bear Band have stopped its production, “We're history now.” the activist says, but they remain a milestone among all projects launched by Syrian expatiates in Germany and Europe, a youth artistic experience, composing music inspired by the Syrian pain, away from the usual theatrical shouting and wailing.
