In this powerful Democracy Now! interview, acclaimed musician and composer Rhiannon Giddens discusses her Pulitzer Prize-winning opera "Omar," which tells the extraordinary story of Omar ibn Said, an enslaved Muslim scholar whose life challenges conventional narratives about American slavery and Islamic history.
This essential conversation explores how Giddens, known for her groundbreaking work with the Carolina Chocolate Drops and her solo career celebrating African American musical traditions, collaborated to create an opera that honors the intellectual and spiritual legacy of Omar ibn Said. Born in present-day Senegal, Omar was a learned Islamic scholar who was enslaved and brought to America, where he wrote his autobiography in Arabic - one of the few surviving slave narratives written in the author's native language.
Giddens reflects on the research process that brought Omar's story to light, the importance of recognizing the diverse religious and cultural backgrounds of enslaved Africans, and how the opera challenges dominant historical narratives about slavery in America. The discussion delves into the musical elements that blend traditional Islamic prayer, African American spirituals, and contemporary operatic forms to create a work that honors both Omar's Islamic faith and his experience in bondage.
This Democracy Now! segment showcases how "Omar" represents a crucial reclamation of hidden history, demonstrating the intellectual richness and cultural complexity of enslaved communities while honoring the resilience of faith under oppression.