Amina Goodyear, Aswat percussionist since 2000
When I think of Aswat, I think of Nabila. I cannot separate the two.
I first joined Aswat 13 or so years ago. I had seen a notice in the Arab Cultural Center newsletter about a singing group being started up at the ACC. Since I was an Arabic dancer (since 1965), dance teacher and wannabe drummer, I needed to and wanted to know more about Arabic songs and music – the backbone of my dance, so I went to the ACC to see what it was all about.
Nabila was there with musician Mimi Spencer (may her soul rest in peace) a local qanun player. and maybe about 3 or 4 other people. This was the singing group and this is what we did. Nabila would feed us – she cooked for us and then would teach us how to pronounce the Arabic words correctly. Later we (including Nabila and me) sang and Mimi accompanied us. We met every other week and outside of Mimi and Nabila, we had no director.
After our group grew, Nabila found us a director. If memory serves me correctly, I believe our first director was Elias Lammam) and soon we found ourselves performing at festivals. We knew “we had made it” when we were invited to perform in Seattle for their Arabic festival. I think about 15 or more of us singers and maybe about 4 or 5 musicians met at SFO. There while waiting to board the plane was Nabila with a picnic lunch for all of us! Bread, cheese, olives, hummos, baklava, cookies, cakes, fruit…you name it…there it was. And so we were off to start our adventure and road to fame. It was a wonderful weekend. I believe two marriages were initiated from that magical weekend.
We were on a role! And then…nine one one and we were back to square zero. I remember our first meeting at the Arabic Cultural Center after that horrible day. It was Nabila, Ismail and me.
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Through perseverence, slowly our group once again grew and we once again started performing for various festivals. Then Nabila started producing concerts for us. I think our first concert was at Nabila’s church. What? A Christian church in her neighborhood, with guest Jewish musicians produced by a Muslim? Well. This says it all for Nabila. She knows no boundaries. She is all loving, nurturing and welcoming. And always there was food. And always it was food that Nabila magically produced!
I wasn’t just learning about Arabic words, lyrics, music; I was learning about Arabic hospitality and Nabila’s magic.
We’ve had many directors. All giving us something unique and special depending on their expertise. Some have come from other parts of the United States and some from the Arab world. I have personally enjoyed and learned from all of them and they’ve all left their mark with Aswat and helped to make Aswat the successful performing group it is today. Do all of you know that last Saturday morning, Aswat Women’s Ensemble received an standing ovation and last Saturday evening, Aswat received Two – yes, two, not one – standing ovations? To me, our most important director has been Nabila, the Artistic Director, the mother, the person with the vision, the person who believes in us and the person who works the hardest to keep us going. It’s a thankless task. She has had to make many decisions that not everyone has always agreed with, however without Nabila, there would be no Aswat.
As I said in the beginning: When I think of Aswat, I think of Nabila. I cannot separate the two.
Thank you, Nabila.