Month: January 2022

For the sake of this post, please take the time to listen and contrast the two characters mentioned in the title. Perhaps you will see what Bambi is seeing.

Thank you, Mr. Rex Murphy, for your thoughtful article in the National Post. The latter informs us of Mr. Trudeau’s unwise, divisive (and even hateful?) words concerning a group, surely not as homogeneous as he wants us to think, pejoratively and inaccurately called “anti-vaxxers“, by saying: “these people,” the anti-vaxxers, as “often” being women-haters, racists and science-deniers, as well”.

Can you imagine? This is the Prime Minister of ALL Canada, including those anti-vaxxers that he calls women-haters, racists, and science-deniers. Is this a wise way to assemble your people, Mr. Trudeau? Is this a good way to educate them and convince them of the value of vaccination in a pandemic (https://nationalpost.com/opinion/rex-murphy-justin-trudeaus-blind-hatred-of-anti-vaxxers)?

What about people who want all the other vaccines, but maybe this one?

What about those who, like Bambi, got the vaccines and will get boosters, but who are for informed consent and against mandatory medical treatments? How do you call them? Bambi is saying so, even if she has lost too many people to Covid-19 abroad.

And, last but not least, what about women who do not want the vaccines? Are they misogynistic? And what does racist mean, Mr. Trudeau?

In contrast to our own Prime Minister, just listen (or read) the wise words of President Steinmeier and even also of Mr. Olaf Scholz, the Chancellor of Germany, for the New Year. Like real statesmen, they both assembled the population of their country. For instance, Mr. Steinmeier used wise and nuanced yet apparently genuine words. He seemed to think in the long-term, post-pandemic.

We used to have politicians like that in Canada… Where are they?

Today is January 6. It is Epiphany day. In Lebanon, it is a day off filled with both spirituality in the air, moving musical prayers or sounds of churches, and incredible smells of delicious deserts!

The beauty of January 6, 2022, is that it is also Christmas Day for the Armenian Orthodox Lebanese community (Diana, you are in Bambi’s thoughts now :).

Bambi will always remember those moving Armenian prayers that groups of citizens used to sing, moving from one corner to the other in her childhood neighbourhood. At times in a nearby public garden. At other times in front of certain icon or a religious symbol on a street corner. All the spots are good to sing Christmas carols :). For those who thought that Christmas was behind us, well not for everyone celebrating it.

Indeed, in addition to today, there is still the Coptic church in Egypt that traditionally celebrates Christmas on January 7. As as result, many Canadians who happen to be Coptic Christians would also be celebrating their Christmas tomorrow. Sadly, a community in the west part of our country had its (Coptic) church destroyed by fire five months ago (i.e., the tragic vague of vandalism of 2021 for a total of 21 churches that Bambi wrote about on her blog). May they have a blessed and peaceful Christmas tomorrow.

This being said, some of the songs that Bambi will share will be spiritual. Some will even be in the Aramaic language of Jesus. However, first, who is Ms. Abeer Nehme that Bambi discovered on one of her preferred internet radio stations a few days ago, perhaps before Christmas? What a lady! Ms. Nehme sings in over 43 languages (e.g., Arabic, English, French, Armenian, Kurdish, Aramaic, Syriac, Italian, Greek, etc.). She is full of talent while being zen, not just wise or life smart. She seems to be filled with compassion and with an inspiring passion for music and singing.

According to Wikipedia (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abeer_Nehme), Ms. Nehme is a Lebanese singer and a musicologist. She “has been referred to as *the all styles specialist* because of her talent in performing dialogues between different styles of music, such as: Oriental modal traditional styles, Lebanese styles, Syriac-Aramaic religious ethnic style, Greek Byzantine religious style, Opera and modern western styles“.

Ms. Abeer Nehme is also a Quanun player. Here is a picture of this oriental traditional instrument:

She “earned a bachelor’s degree with the highest grade ever earned in oriental singing from USEK (Université Saint-Esprit de Kaslik)”.

In addition, and always according to her Wikipedia page (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abeer_Neh), “she played the leading role in various musical plays. Abeer participated as an honored guest amongst major superstars in international festivals throughout the world, and performed as a soloist in several concerts accompanied by various International Philharmonic Orchestras. One of the compositions, “Abirou Salati” (Aroma of my prayer), is a journey through different styles of music; from the old music traditions of the fathers of the church, traditions of prayer and profound spiritualism, to the modernism of the people of God in the twenty-first century, a modernism of grandiosity and majesty.”

To conclude this post, and before sharing some of her songs in different languages (along with a couple of comments), Bambi will add that this talented musicologist and singer recorded ALL the songs of a movie called Al-Bosta, produced by Mr. Philippe Aractingi [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bosta_(film)]. If you happen to be reading until now Maya, Bambi will confess to you that she still did not have the time to watch this Lebanese movie you recommended on this blog. However, she still plans to do so! Do you trust your friend’s second public promise :)? Once again, perhaps she will have a post on this topic in the future!

The song below, by Fairouz, is a lullaby to a baby called Rima (yes even deer can have songs :)!). All the Lebanese mothers traditionally sing this song to their baby, describing his or her blond hair, along with a long tale that is hard to translate.

The song below is in Arabic as well. Bambi would like to dedicate it to her dear friend Alexis who likes it! She is yet to complete learning how to play it on the guitar. Still no time, but soon, hopefully. No promise here and no deadline out of fear of not being able to deliver :).

Below is Fairouz’ famous Li Beirut [To Beirut] in Arabic.

Below is the Lord Prayer in Aramaic (yes Jesus’ language).

Last but not least, here is Ms. Abeer Nehme singing in the language of Shakespeare.

The short BBC documentary that Bambi just came across shows: (1) a loving dad crying out of despair as he cannot afford a decent life for his 6-year-old daughter. Kind people on the street, awaiting to fill their cars with gas, try to comfort him; and (2) a heart-breaking grieving mother who lost her son in the surrealistic Beirut port explosion (still unaccountable since August 4, 2020!).

After watching this documentary, Bambi toured the latest news of her birth country. She came across two local media articles (961and l’Orient Le jour) as well as tweets by journalist Roula Douglas. She will start by sharing them. This will be followed by the BBC documentary and, of course, a song.

Indeed, to conclude this brief post on a meaningful (and hopefully powerful) musical note, only one song comes to Bambi’s mind. It is called Ya Natrin Shou Natrin [You who are waiting, what are you still waiting for?]. The singer is called Mr. Rabih el Khawli who, after a successful artistic career, left behind income and fame and became a priest. If Bambi is not mistaken, he may be living in Québec, Canada. His name is Father Tony El Khawli now. You can see him in the video about the Lebanese revolt of October 2019, just before the pandemic. The old song by the Rahbanis stood the test of time. It was featured in one of Bambi’s earlier posts (shown further below). Here is a quick translation of it s lyrics for those of you who do not understand the Arabic language.

“Revolt for once, revolt” (title)

You who were waiting, what are you waiting for? What do you expect from those who stole the sunshine and sold the wind, along with their conscience? From those who stole the country and built houses larger than its squares?

You who were waiting, what are you waiting for?

Revolt for once. Stand up in those squares and tell them: You have stolen, you have killed, yes you have assassinated the people, the country, and the dream…. And you turned this land into a refuge for the Pharisees (or self-righteous)…

…Wake up from your coma, time is running out, become the destiny of your country“.

As per the two articles below, there is a theft of electricity cables because of copper, which has resulted in power being cut off (or what is left of it!) to Lebanese towns in both the north and the south of the country.

A Group Stole Electricity Cables, Cutting Off Power To A Lebanese Town

https://today.lorientlejour.com/article/1286442/cable-theft-causes-power-outage-in-north.html

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A Lebanese song that stood the test of time. What wisdom can we learn from its lyrics?

In life, all the seasons are beautiful.

Bambi adores the fall, and of course, she was born in the summer. So how can she not love this season too? And there is a spring after the long winter. Nature and bears wake up!

Bearing the above in mind, this post focuses on winter specifically. Even after 31 winters, Bambi remains under the charm of this season. Just look at the pictures below and see its beauty.

Talking about beauty, Bambi cannot help not to think of the beauty of the talented photographer, her friend Brittany, who took the fabulous pictures in question. She is beautiful at all levels, from her soul to her mind, from her heart through her external look too. Bambi loves you and will forever be grateful for our friendship (to the extent of kinship!). She will always cherish what you did for her during her saga (a true sister!).

So, before sharing her pictures, Bambi will offer her friend an old song of Ms. Céline Dion on friendship called Hymne à l’amitié (sub-titled in… French :). OK but easy to understand). “Vive notre amitié“! Yes, long live our friendship!

As for our beautiful winter, Bambi has two songs for this season. The first is Mon pays c’est l’hiver by Mr. Gilles Vigneault. As for the second, it is about snow and it is by Ms. Fairouz in Arabic with an English translation. “Vive l’hiver“! Yes, long live our beautiful Canadian/New-Brunswick winter!

Those who know Bambi very well know how much she loves this Egyptian song by Abu Yousra.

Yes, she keeps singing it and she cannot help not to feel an urge to dance to it.

Even if it is old and light, Bambi still likes it simply because it is joyful, a reminder of the summer, of love (3 daqat of the heart), of fun, and… of dance. It is a great song to cheer us up. If we want, to be sarcastic, there is a Lebanese version about the fiasco of Lebanese governance and the economic tragedy following the financial crash of October 17, 2019.

Last but not least, the 3 daqat song will forever be associated with beautiful yearly events organized by one of the most beautiful cultural associations of Canada [OK and the world :)], called the Moncton Lebanese Association (MLA). Bambi misses her friends, along with their good food, and our evenings of dance and fun.

Although it is old, Bambi just discovered this moving Lebanese song sub-titled in English entitled “Ya Oumy” [“Ô Mother”]. The lyrics are by Mr. Bassem Kassab. The music and arrangement by Mr. Mike Massy himself.

If she may, she would like to share this deep song with you while dedicating it to all the youth of the Middle East, and beyond, who courageously choose the following: (1) love over blind hatred; (2) reason and peace over rage or endless anger; (3) unity over divisiveness; and (4) faith in shared humanity over complete despair.

Of course, the above becomes much more challenging in tougher economic conditions. Hence the need to be/remain lucid… perhaps now more than ever.

Thank you, Mr. Massy and Mr. Kassab!

Bambi would like to thank the friend who kindly shared this brief interview with her.

She will also say: Thank you Mr. Ezra Levant, from Rebel News, for sharing the following on Fox News: “Tucker Carlson Tonight: Canadian Bank Rejects Mortgage Due to Politics | Ezra Levant and Sean Duffy“.

As Mr. Levant said, “this is a scandal“… a scandal of the intolerance of our collectively insane times.

This would have been sad too had it been the opposite: ANY other person, than Mr. Levant, with ANY other views (even and especially the opposing ones that start with the letter W and that are more trendy, divisive and socially destructive).

When will all this insanity stop, Canada?

May 2022 bring Hope to Lebanon…

Bambi does not only mean “hope” like the English word. She means it more like “l’espérance” in French or “rajaa” in the Arabic language. Indeed, rajāʼ (رجاء or Rajā is Espérance). It can mean: It is my anticipated hope for a better outcome. It stems from a deep, pure faith or an expectation for a brighter future.

This being said, Bambi would like to thank her two dear friends who shared this brief video shown further below on the financial disaster of Lebanon (i.e., tragi-comic!).

But first, a few words from the international media. For instance, according to France 24 (https://www.france24.com/en/live-news/20211229-slow-progress-as-lebanon-awaits-imf-economic-deal),”Lebanon is mired in an economic crisis branded by the World Bank as one of the worst in modern times, but officials are yet to strike an international bailout deal“… “The financial meltdown began in 2019, and Lebanon defaulted on its debt last year. Politicians have failed to enact significant reforms to rescue the Mediterranean country, and many blame the ruling class and central bank policies for the crash“.

Imagine, that despite this economic boat sinking soooo fast in just 2 years, “the Lebanese government has not met since October due to a political dispute over the fate of investigations into the August 2020 Beirut port blast”, according to France 24.

Second, this January 1st post of the year 2022 is devoted to Bambi’s birth country. She will share the video mentioned above entitled “Robbing Lebanon” now. Following it, she will end with Mawtini (Ma patrie OR My country). It is a moving interpretation by the musicians of the Lebanese Armed Forces. Bless these men and women, serving their country and their people, in such tough economic conditions. As a reminder, they have not been served meat for over 1.5 years. MANY are not getting paid. Thanks to the 20+ countries who have been supporting the Lebanese Army for months now. All the best to tiny, bankrupt yet full of “rajaa” Lebanon. The latter is sadly torn among all the powers of the region/world, with each one pushing it in its preferred direction, while its corrupt leaders are completely disconnected from the population’s sufferings.

To conclude this brief post, best wishes to you Lebanon. Happy/ier New Year… and once again, Happy 2022 to all Bambi’s readers, with much love!