Young, American, Muslim, rebellious against nation and religion, what do you do?
One young American Muslim rebel against both his nation and his religion, Michael Muhammad Knight, wrote a novel, The Taqwacores. The novel contained a cast of characters who lived a punk life in Buffalo, playing in Muslim punk bands.
An underground publication, it circulated that way. One young girl's sister read it to her over hours on the phone. Young Muslims wrote to the author asking when one of the bands would play next. He replied that there were no Muslim punk bands. Now there are.
The Taqwacores, about young punks in Buffalo, is called the Muslim Catcher in the Rye.* You can read the full story here.
* Don't you think it was possible for the writers of this piece to have come up with a more current and appropriate title than this thing by Salinger, written in and about a milieu so long ago and far away as to be quaint?
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2 comments:
This is such a cool story. And talk about a great way of spreading the word.
But sheesh! Catcher in the Rye was publishing in farkin' 1951!
Have you heard about the all woman Saudi rock band that performs at parties of all women?
It turns out that a young Bangadeshi woman friend in Vancouver is friends of some of these Muslim punkers. She's also a singer and performer. And Muslim, but a very feminist Muslim.
Love, C.
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