Taliban Chants, a secret weapon

I did not know that the Taliban use chanting as a secret weapon against NATO and the west. I quote:

This article describes and analyzes a little understood Afghan Taliban
propaganda tool: chants or taranas. These melodic refrains effectively use
historical narratives, symbology, and iconic portraits. The chants are
engendered in emotions of sorrow, pride, desperation, hope, and complaints
to mobilize and convince the Afghan population of the Taliban’s worldview.
The chants represent culturally relevant and simple messages that are
communicated in a narrative and poetic form that is familiar to and resonates
with the local people. They are virtually impossible for the United States and
NATO to counter because of Western sensitivities concerning religious
themes that dominate the Taliban narrative space, not to mention the lack of
Western linguistic capabilities, including the understanding and mastering
the poetic nature of local dialects.

I thought that Afghanistan, post the Taliban, was a musical wasteland as they think of music and musical instruments as evil, devilish, etc. Mind you, some of the songs that my son hears also belong to that category.

But to get back to these chants, they are melodic and with memorable tunes, poetry almost. They usually refer to ongoing things and events in Afghan life. With cell phones and you tube getting out and about, these chants are out there. The author collected many chants in and around Kandhar in 2009 and translated them from Pashto. I quote one of them.

Chant 1: Afghan Mulk Angrizan (Afghan Region Foreigners)
Oh Afghan, the British (Foreigners) are present in your country.
They are your yesterdays’ (past) enemies whom your ancestors defeated, and
then they ran away. Today, they are the rulers who dominate your soil
(country.)
Today, they have come under the slogan of friendship and rehabilitation of
your country.
Today, they have come under the slogan of friendship and rehabilitation of
your country.
The spies are present in your country. Your yesterdays’ (past) enemies are
present in your country.
They are your yesterdays’ (past) enemies whom your ancestors defeated, and
then they ran away. Today, they are the rulers who dominate your soil.
Oh Afghan, the British (Foreigners) are present in your country.
They are your yesterdays’ (past) enemies whom your ancestors defeated, and
then they ran away. Today, they are the rulers who dominate your soil.
They have invaded your country again. They intend to kill you.
They have invaded your country again. They intend to kill you.
The murderers of your ancestors are present in your country. They are your
yesterdays’ (past) enemies whom your ancestors defeated, and then they ran
away. Today, they are the rulers who dominate your soil.
Oh Afghan, the British (Foreigners) are present in your country.
They are your yesterdays’ (past) enemies whom your ancestors defeated, and
then they ran away. Today, they are the rulers who dominate your soil.
They hit you by huge bombs, cruise missile and napalm bombs.
They hit you by huge bombs, cruise missile and napalm bombs.
Those people are present who pretend themselves to be your friends but they
are your previous enemies.
They are your yesterdays’ (past) enemies whom your ancestors defeated, and
then they ran away. Today, they are the rulers who dominate your soil.
Oh Afghan, the British (Foreigners) are present in your country.
They are your yesterdays’ (past) enemies whom your ancestors defeated, and
then they ran away. Today, they are the rulers who dominate your soil.
Be careful oh Afghan, do not be deceived and do not be segregated from your
goal. Be careful oh Afghan, do not be deceived and do not be segregated from
your goal. Otherwise, Christians will be present [in your country.]
They are your yesterdays’ (past) enemies whom your ancestors defeated, and
then they ran away. Today, they are the rulers who dominate your soil.
Oh Afghan, the British (Foreigners) are present in your country.
They are your yesterdays’ (past) enemies whom your ancestors defeated, and
then they ran away. Today, they are the rulers who dominate your soil.
The world’s biggest thieves have come to our country, and look! They are all
Westerners.

The world’s biggest thieves have come to our country, and look! They are all
Westerners.
Your history’s purchasers have come to your country. Your yesterdays’ (past)
enemies are present in your country.
Oh Afghan, the British (Foreigners) are present in your country.
They are your yesterdays’ (past) enemies whom your ancestors defeated, and
then they ran away. Today, they are the rulers who dominate your soil.
They are your yesterdays’ (past) enemies whom your ancestors defeated, and
then they ran away. Today, they are the rulers who dominate your soil.
The prospects and desires of Siddiqi (Poet) will be accomplished. It will be
accomplished at the right time and date when once again the Afghan
conquerors are in power.
They are your yesterdays’ (past) enemies whom your ancestors defeated, and
then they ran away. Today, they are the rulers who dominate your soil.
Oh Afghan, the British (Foreigners) are present in your country.
They are your yesterdays’ (past) enemies whom your ancestors defeated, and
then they ran away. Today, they are the rulers who dominate your soil.
Oh Afghan, the British (Foreigners) are present in your country.
They are your yesterdays’ (past) enemies whom your ancestors defeated, and
then they ran away. Today, they are the rulers who dominate your soil.

Here’s another one.

Chant 3: Volleyball, football, and cricket
Oh youth, quit volleyball, football [soccer], and cricket. Take the Rocket-
Propelled Grenade launcher [RPG] on your shoulders. Oh youth, quit
volleyball, football [soccer], and cricket. Take the Rocket-Propelled Grenade
launcher [RPG] on your shoulders. Play with human heads instead of playing
with balls. Play with human heads instead of playing with balls.
Quit kids’ games; take the RPG on your shoulders. Quit kids’ games; take the
rocket on your shoulders.
Oh youth, quit playing volleyball, football, and cricket. Take the RPG on your
shoulders. Take the RPG on your shoulders.
You look good with the weapon and Moswak [herbal toothbrush] but not
chewing gum and chocolate. Oh youth, Take the RPG on your shoulders.
Oh youth, quit volleyball, football, and cricket. Take the RPG on your
shoulders.
Purchase every worthless human for free (Kill the enemies.) Purchase every
worthless human for free (Kill the enemies.) Take the RPG for on your
shoulders.
Oh youth, quit volleyball, football, and cricket. Take the RPG on your
shoulders. You will soon defeat the enemies. You will soon defeat the

enemies. You only need to put some more efforts defeating them. Take the
RPG on your shoulders.
Oh youth, quit volleyball, football, and cricket. Take the RPG on your
shoulders.
Behead by using the sword those people who open the country gate to the
strangers. Behead by using the sword, those people who open the gate to
strangers.
Oh youth, quit volleyball, football, and cricket. Take the RPG on your
shoulders. Walk beside Ayubi [poet]. Don’t be even late for a minute! Take
the RPG on your shoulders. Don’t be even late for a minute! Take the RPG on
your shoulders.
Oh youth, quit volleyball, football (soccer), and cricket. Oh youth, take the
RPG on your shoulders. Oh youth, take the RPG on your shoulders.

It makes sense. Songs can be very powerful indeed. And can elicit some very powerful nationalist feelings. Let me show you one song which does this to me.

That voice and those lyrics, just is amazing and its not just me, millions of Indians, down the ages have been impacted by this song. Other songs such as Vande Mataram and Jana Gana Mana, the national anthem, all are similar chants and songs.

Curious, eh?