Ramy Essam-Hela Hela

Ramy Essam was the singing voice of the Tahrir Square rising in Egypt. For his role in those events, Ramy was arrested and tortured by the Egyptian military, and after his release moved to Malmo, Sweden, where he was given "safe city residence" status by the municipal government. I heard this amazing human being sing at the Vancouver Folk Festival, and it was his performance of this song, based on a poem by Biram Eltonsy, that made the deepest connection with audiences there

English translation:


Why should I walk barefoot, when I am your compound maker
Why is my furniture naked, When I upholstered your mattresses
Why is my house ruined, when I am your cupboard's carpenter
This is my faith, may God hold you accountable
You're living in towers of lintels, and I am the one who built them
You're furnishing mattresses with canes, and I am the weaver of its footnotes
My God it is not envy, but I am blaming you
From morning to evening, and the hammer is in my hand
I'm being patient with this mistreatment, even on my birthdays
My pathway is hung, and I'm working on pulling it back
My walking denudes you, and I'm ashamed of approaching you
Why do you make me collapse, and I am the builder of your happiness
What you cover your body with is my cotton and my linen
My family on the day of my burial, couldn't find my shrouds
Even the days of sorrow, and I am going away and leaving you behind