Mama
It takes both rain and sunshine to make a rainbow ...
Thought of opening with a moist quote, YA WELCOME!
My name is Mama, I'm a writer, artist, and a dirty DJ.
I consider myself a filthy fat dom.
Or pervy control freak with emotional eating.
Both are politically correct.
Everything I make and do got to be cheap, got to be dirty.
Since I came to Amsterdam I felt pressured to integrate into the Dutch society. Having dinner at 6 and booking appointments to see my friends weeks before. It wasn't homey to say the least.
Luckily I had the privilege of having a network of queer refugees in Amsterdam.
In 2017 I started volunteering and organising events and parties by and for queer refugees with Sehaq. Little did I know, it would be the beginning to a path of growth, radical self-care, and community love.
I learned along the way how to create safer spaces for us and hold space for each other.
I started to play music and DJ as a joke but my friends took me seriously. So I was showered with the support and love of my community, from workshops, to getting gear to getting gigs in and outside of the Netherlands. But what I'm most humbled about is the love, joy and party vibe I give and get back from the dance floor...
ARTIVISM
My art speaks for my activism, my music is my way to hold on to my roots and culture and decolonise western dominated spaces where we hardly hear our music...
Our music of diversity and intersectionality in the struggles...
My face, body and soul tell a story of my ancestors.
I sometimes feel lost and this is one of the ways to remind myself who I am.
My art is one form of my activism, it tells my story of a resistance to patriarchy, colonisation pink washing and western white supremacy.
My body and my art are weaponised to fight back.
THE RESISTANCE
Corona came and physical distancing hit us hard. Clubs bars and social spaces were closing, events cancelled and suddenly we found ourselves going into isolation. Fearing for our lives and our loved ones at risk.
Social media is in total panic, queers getting outed during quarantine times, whilst living with families and no alternative refuge.
Chaos, pain and no toilet paper to wipe our assholes!
With that came a hurricane of queer voices, coming together in solidarity. Some write, some translate some shelter queers and some resist in partying.
The queer resistance came in different forms, shapes and tongues...
Queers sharing their knowledge, their art, resisting by existing as we are.
ZD7A FDAR
Along with friends on an online platform, we started a series of live streaming programs, political, social, debates, storytelling, queer history, and of course PARTAAAAY.
I'm hosting a Friday live stream during the quarantine and the month of Ramadan, called "ZD7A FDAR" a queer house party, with different queer artists every time and a DJ set by yours truly DJ Mamakil.
Below you'll find a mixtape of what you might hear on one of the parties, DEKHLA FABOUR.
Our resilience comes from within the community...
With solidarity, our identities, bodies, sexualities, genders, and sluttiness is ours to reclaim, no compromise.
Be safe and take care of yourselves and each other.
Love you all,
Mama
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/djmamakil