Getting to know Western Sahara
Our Goal:
We want the Sahrawi people of Western Sahara to live as a free people, and to be seen, heard, understood, respected, and supported.
This archive is intended as a gift of love and friendship to the people of Western Sahara, and all the members of our world family, as we work together for a collective culture of respect and understanding.
people & culture
Saharawi Culture
culture, people, language, and the tea ceremony
A documentary about Western Sahara
Life is Waiting: Referendum and Resistance in Western Sahara
a full length documentary by Cultures of Resistance Films that highlights conversations with an amazing collection of some of the artists and activists fighting for a free Western Sahara.
Check out this Sahawari film school!
The school is pioneering Sahrawi cinematography as a new art form and has become an incubator for refugee-made films that capture Sahrawi oral narratives and tell stories about the lives of Sahrawi youth.
Saharawi music
Traditional Saharawi music
a short video about the people who are keeping traditional Sahawari music alive
rapper: FLĩtøøx Crầĩzy
FLĩtøøx, is a young rapper from Western Sahara. Born in 1994 in Laayoune, FLĩtøøx launched his music career at the age of fifteen and has since released several solo albums. In 2012, he joined the Bad Boy label to continues to release music in protest of Moroccan occupation of Western Sahara.
According to some tweets he passed away in 2019
Listen to his soundcloud right now
musician: Miriem Hassan
Mariem Hassan was a Sahrawi singer and lyricist. She usually sang in Hassaniva, an Arabic variant spoken mostly in Western Sahara and Mauritania, occasionally singing in Saharan Spanish. She died in 2015 in a refugee camp. Here is a link to one of her many, many songs. Please check out more music from Mariem Hassan wherever you listen to music.
How rebel singer Mariem Hassan galvanized Western Sahara’s fight for freedom
Check out this interview with Mohamedsalem Werad, film director and co-founder of the online platform Saharwi Voice, about creating a documentary about Miriem Hassan.
understanding extractivism and biopiracy
the brutal combination of capitalism and colonialism
Biopiracy - the act of taking plants or traditional knowledge from Indigenous communities without permission or fair compensation.
Extractivism - the idea that nature is here to be consumed and used for personal or corporate gain and profit.
Western Sahara's valuable land & resources
Fishing
Western Sahara has one of the richest coastlines in the world. The fish stocks of occupied Western Sahara have not only attracted the interest of the Moroccan fleet: other foreign interests are also fishing in the occupied waters through arrangements with Moroccan counterparts.
Renewable Energy
Morocco profits from power generated on wind farms in Western Sahara.
Sand, Salt, and Minerals
The resources of the land in Western Sahara are harvested by Morocco and sold for a profit.
Phosphate
For over 40 years, a Moroccan state-owned company has exported phosphate rock from occupied Western Sahara.
human rights in Western Sahara
documentary film: Life Is Waiting
Referendum and Resistance in Western Sahara. How art and music fuel hope that a cultural revolution will bring freedom to the Saharawi people.
Sahrawis' choice: Subjugation or exile in Western Sahara
Resisters face violence and exile
Farming in the occupied desert
Morocco's agriculture industry in Western Sahara drains resources and feeds illegal settlements
Settlements of Moroccan citizens on occupied land
In order to bring in more Moroccan settlers and to ‘develop’ the territory, Morocco has rolled out large infrastructure in Western Sahara that the Saharawis never asked for. Morocco's large-scale projects in Western Sahara create and support more settlements on occupied land.
non-violent resistance
An Exiled Nation
Saharawi advocates call on the world to support self-determination for Western Sahara
Saharawi Women - Educators and Promoters of Peace
Despite the unbearable extreme conditions, Saharawi people were able to organize their political, economic and social life in refugee camps in the middle of a desert, mainly thanks to the incredible Saharawi women who educate their children to fight for the liberation of the territory of Western Sahara in a peaceful and non-violent way.
The Stages of Peaceful Resistance in the Occupied Western Sahara
Understanding Saharawi methods of nonviolent protest that underwent transformations, first during Spanish colonialism and throughout several phases under Moroccan occupation.
your role in helping the Saharawi people
understanding
Educate yourself about the history of the situation, the role of extractivism and colonisation, & the influence of the US on the international dialog.
taking action
There are lots of things you can do everyday to stand up for Western Sahara.
appeal to the International Red Cross
In their recent statement, NOVA, urges us to appeal for urgent intervention to protect the Sahrawi people.
demand international oversight
Peace is possible for Western Sahara with the end of the occupation, the right to self-determination, an end to the plundering of resources and an end to the sale of arms to Morocco.
support collaborative art
Sandblast is a UK arts & human rights charity promoting the voices and visions of the Saharawi from Western Sahara. They has been working to create platforms for Saharawi culture in Europe and projects in the camps to develop new skills to express themselves and their culture, and particularly promote artistic collaborations and partnerships between the UK and the Saharawi people.
conscious consumerism
How we spend our money makes a difference. Avoid spending your money on things that perpetuate Morocco's occupation of Western Sahara.
understanding the history
the story of the Saharawis
"Prior to colonisation, the Saharawis lived as a pastoral nomadic, tribal people with close links to the trans-Saharan trade. Their culture evolved over centuries from an ethnic fusion of Berber, Arab and West African roots and was steeped in rich oral traditions."
Check out this resource from sandblast.org including facts, figures, and a timeline of key events.
video ~ Western Sahara
Check out this video about the history of the place that is right now as Western Sahara.
As you watch this video, keep in mind the influences of extractivism and colonization. Take special note of the US influence and its effect on larger international issues.
historical timeline
This timeline is provided by Cultures of Resistance Films.
the role of the US
Statement on US recognition of Moroccan sovereignty over Western Sahara
Read the condemnation of Donald Trump's proclamation stating that the United States will recognize Moroccan sovereignty over Western Sahara. This statement comes from the International Fellowship of Reconciliation, one of the world's oldest operating peace organizations.
US recognition of Morocco’s sovereignty over Western Sahara is a duplicitous power move
The Fellowship of Reconciliation in the United States of America (FOR-USA) condemns in the strongest of terms the Trump administration’s shocking unilateral announcement of December 10th, in which it recognized Morocco’s sovereignty over the Western Sahara region of North Africa.
VIDEO: Will the Biden administration help Western Sahara?
note: this episode is from 2020
Democracy Now's Amy Goodman investigates the role of the Biden administration in the situation in Western Sahara.
Senators urge Biden to undo US recognition of Morocco's claim to Western Sahara
note: this article is from 2021.
US lawmakers say new administration should reverse 'misguided decision' which came as part of Morocco's normalization deal with Israel
taking action
Your day to day choices matter
Check out this article for some tips on how you can use your day to day choices to create positive change for Western Sahara.
Spread the word about these incredible artists from Western Sahara
This link will take you to a list of Saharawi artists who have contributed to the cultural and political cause of Western Sahara. I encourage you to investigate their works. Read their poetry. Listen to their music. Investigate their organizations. Watch their films.
And share what you learn with everyone who will listen.
align with the non-violent mission of NOVA
NOVA is a non-violence group led by Sahrawi youth.
As a group NOVA works through peaceful protest, peaceful intervention, and boycott of cooperation in order to achieve the following objectives:
- Ending the Moroccan occupation of Western Sahara.
- Ending the serious human rights violations committed in the occupied territories of Western Sahara.
- Ending the exploitation of the Saharawi natural resources.
- Promote dialogue for peace, among the Sahrawi community and the Maghreb societies.
Statement of Solidarity by NOVA
A statement of solidarity with the Sahrawi masses in the occupied territories, following the attacks of the Moroccan occupation forces.The occupied territories are witnessing an increase in the repressive attack by the Moroccan occupation forces against Sahrawi civilians, especially after the Moroccan regime violated the ceasefire agreement on November 13, 2020 and the Moroccan regime violated the ceasefire agreement on November 13, 2020 and the return of war to the region. As it deliberately besieged the Sahrawi militants inside their homes in what looks like house arrest and attacks on Sahrawi activistsand militants, as is the case for the home of "Sid Ibrahim Khaya.".
It is noteworthy that the occupation authorities launched campaigns of repressionand intimidation among the militants, as they stormed the homes of each of «'Bu Hala family «'and arrested their son"Ghali Bouhla", and the «'Boutasoufra family'», and arrested their son, "Muhammad Nafeh Boutasoufara".Also this morning, the occupation authorities intervened barbarically on the house of the family of "Sid Ibrahim Khaya" and attacked the two activists, "Sultana Sid Ibrahim Khaya" and threatened her , as she was seriously injured ateye level and wounded «' Lwaara Sid Ibrahim Khaya" at the mouth level.We are in the group of nonviolence in Western Sahara, as we denounce the Moroccan state’s continued oppression, arrest and intimidation of Sahrawi citizens in the occupied territories, and in light of all this, we announce to nationaland international public opinion the following:
• Our unconditional solidarity with all of the activists, “Sultana Sid Ibrahim Khaya” and “The Waara Sid Ibrahim Khaya” against the grave assault they weresubjected
• We held the Moroccan state fully responsible for all the grave violations committed against unarmed Sahrawi civilians.Nova group of nonviolence in Western SaharaNOVASahrawi refugee camps 02/13/2021 to this morning.
• Our demand for the immediate release of "Ghali Bouhla" and "Mohamed Nafeh Boutasoufra" as well as all Sahrawi political prisoners in Moroccan prisons.
• Our appeal to the International Committee of the Red Cross for the necessity of immediate and urgent intervention to protect Sahrawi civilians from the oppression of the Moroccan occupation forces after the Moroccan occupation regime violated the ceasefire last November 13th.
• We held the Moroccan state fully responsible for all the grave violations committed against unarmed Sahrawi civilians.
Nova group of nonviolence in Western Sahara
NOVA
Sahrawi refugee camps 02/13/2021
This archive has been curated by Annika Hamalainen and Jenna Beatrice.
Copyright © 2018 Wild Dandelion - All Rights Reserved.
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