Tariq Dargham al-Swaydan was a well-known musician from Syria’s Daraa region when the uprising erupted in 2011; now he’s trying to carry on with his work while living in Egypt.
al-Swaydan, now 33, said Saher’s words helped start his career. The Syrian father of three children has been living in Alexandria, Egypt, since 2013.
He grew up in a family that loves music. His father was the conductor of an orchestra that performed a type of music known as "Tarab."
The young al-Swaydan recited the Quran and prayed in the mosque; this prompted his father to search for a different type of music that would be more inclined toward religion.
Religious chanting was not very common in Daraa, Syria. al-Swaydan’s father used to take him to Damascus to attend recitals and meet chanters to learn from their experience.
In 1993, his father founded the first singing troupe in the region. The young al-Swaydan was a member along with another boy named Ahmad Atma.
At the age of 15, al-Swaydan formed his own group of young chanters, performing songs that addressed different social and national issues in addition to religious chants. The group was known as "Dargham al-Swaydan."
His band released seven albums and performed many concerts outside Syria after al-Swaydan managed to obtain the gold card for chanting, which was not an easy task at the time. The troupe continued to be a big success until the Syrian revolution erupted in 2011.
“Two of the troupe members died,” Swaydan said. “Back then I felt that I could not continue singing and I stayed at home for two years, engaging in relief work as much as I could. Many came seeking my help, as I was famous, until the day our neighborhood was heavily shelled and we all left for the unknown,” he added.
About the other troupe members, al-Swaydan said, “The war had scattered us after having grown up and lived together. Each one of us is now in a different country and even politically we have become different.”
al-Swaydan chose to settle in Egypt, saying, “It is the only country where I can live outside camps.”
Given the dire conditions, al-Swaydan had to find employment in different fields. He worked as a teacher, a graphic designer and a salesman in a furniture showroom, but this was not enough to meet his essential needs.
“I was exhausted and I hated everything. I rarely went out of the house, not even to the beach that is only a few kilometers away, although the beach to us Syrians was always a good idea. But I felt that it was not my right place,” he said.
He had never expected to be called a “refugee.” He finds this word to have a bad connotation, as if the person is an alien or a second-class being.
“I thought about going back to Syria, but the situation is unsafe. I also thought about going to Europe, but I was afraid I might die on my way there, and leave my children behind.”
The situation remained the same until early 2015, when al-Swaydan held a concert at a Syrian educational center. It was a great success that helped him feel confident and enthusiastic. So he decided to establish a new group named “The Dream Band.”
The troupe received many offers to play at weddings in Syria and Egypt. They performed original songs, in addition to traditional Syrian and Egyptian songs. Some Egyptian performers joined the band, but they were all quick to leave due to the differences between the Syrian and Egyptian styles.
Swaydan’s ambition increased, and he started a music school for youngsters. He held training workshops to disseminate purposeful singing and to tell young people not to let the war discourage their ambitions. Al-Swaydan said he found the work rewarding, especially when one young participant abandoned his plan to leave the country and became hopeful once again.
Al-Swaydan’s ultimate dream is to perform at the opera house in Syria. He doesn’t consider that goal far-fetched.
In the wait for this dream to come true, he told Al-Monitor that this summer he will be finally able to go to the beach and look at the sun shining, just as he feels his own sun is shining once more.
Nahla ElNemr- Al- Monitor
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