The next morning we leave for Gardez. We pick up an American who is living
with his Afghan wife and is interested in drug rehab. He says that his wife
said, “Are you sure you’re going to Gardez. That’s not a safe area. No one
goes there.” And he said, “But I’m going with Pashtuns so it must be alright. ”
In fact there was a bomb in a mosque that morning intended for the Mullah
that I sat next to during the speeches. Luckily he was not in the mosque at the
time. One person was injured but no one killed. The inference is that the bomb
was because of the mullahs’ support for Wadans’ work with the drug rehab
center. It is one of the strange inconsistencies of the present situation. The
Taliban were ostensibly a fundamentalist group and would cut off the hands of
drug users. Now in their new incarnation they are funding themselves through
the drug trade so they are against helping addicts. The consensus is that they
are just thugs, and everywhere I went people thanked me for what the
Americans have done and asked that they not waver now. No one wants the
repressive Taliban back. Their influence is only through fear and money.
Nasib told a great story of his revenge on a Taliban. It took place back in the
90s and he was living in Peshawar and
with his Afghan wife and is interested in drug rehab. He says that his wife
said, “Are you sure you’re going to Gardez. That’s not a safe area. No one
goes there.” And he said, “But I’m going with Pashtuns so it must be alright. ”
In fact there was a bomb in a mosque that morning intended for the Mullah
that I sat next to during the speeches. Luckily he was not in the mosque at the
time. One person was injured but no one killed. The inference is that the bomb
was because of the mullahs’ support for Wadans’ work with the drug rehab
center. It is one of the strange inconsistencies of the present situation. The
Taliban were ostensibly a fundamentalist group and would cut off the hands of
drug users. Now in their new incarnation they are funding themselves through
the drug trade so they are against helping addicts. The consensus is that they
are just thugs, and everywhere I went people thanked me for what the
Americans have done and asked that they not waver now. No one wants the
repressive Taliban back. Their influence is only through fear and money.
Nasib told a great story of his revenge on a Taliban. It took place back in the
90s and he was living in Peshawar and
The school is closed for the semester break before New Years but the Director and some of the
teachers are there. The reception was amazing. I told him, with Amin translating, that I had
returned with instruments and music just like I said I would. He said, “You don’t need to come
with gifts, we would just like to see you again. “I explained that the instruments and music were
gifts from people in America who believed in music. We had heard from Steve the pilot and he
had arranged for an officer at Bagram to be in charge of the instruments.
teachers are there. The reception was amazing. I told him, with Amin translating, that I had
returned with instruments and music just like I said I would. He said, “You don’t need to come
with gifts, we would just like to see you again. “I explained that the instruments and music were
gifts from people in America who believed in music. We had heard from Steve the pilot and he
had arranged for an officer at Bagram to be in charge of the instruments.
working for an NGO in Jalabad. One day crossing the border, a Taliban began insulting his
beard which was not regulation, and confiscated his passport. Nasib said, "Then I got serious
with him” .Eventually another officer came and he got his passport back. A month later Nasib
was returning to Peshawar and his car was stopped and he was asked if he would take a
Taliban to Peshawar. It turned out to be the same one. As soon as they crossed the border
into Pakistan, Nasib stopped the car at a little store and bought a cassette of music which was
of course illegal in Afghanistan under the Taliban.”Now I am going to get my revenge on you
by forcing you to listen to music all the way to Peshawar.”
beard which was not regulation, and confiscated his passport. Nasib said, "Then I got serious
with him” .Eventually another officer came and he got his passport back. A month later Nasib
was returning to Peshawar and his car was stopped and he was asked if he would take a
Taliban to Peshawar. It turned out to be the same one. As soon as they crossed the border
into Pakistan, Nasib stopped the car at a little store and bought a cassette of music which was
of course illegal in Afghanistan under the Taliban.”Now I am going to get my revenge on you
by forcing you to listen to music all the way to Peshawar.”
| Buses in Peshawar |
| Bus in Peshawar |
On our way out of Kabul we stop off at
the High School of the Artists. The old
sign is gone and now it says Vocational
Arts School, which doesn’t describe it
very well in English. I think they mean that
they are training music and art teachers.
the High School of the Artists. The old
sign is gone and now it says Vocational
Arts School, which doesn’t describe it
very well in English. I think they mean that
they are training music and art teachers.
So we finally had a name and he had some influence. Jean was confident that we would somehow be able to collect them. We asked the director if he
could gather all the students and faculty on the 24th, which was my last day in Afghanistan. He said that they were not yet in session but yes they
would come by bicycle. The faculty and the Director all embraced me and thanked me.
could gather all the students and faculty on the 24th, which was my last day in Afghanistan. He said that they were not yet in session but yes they
would come by bicycle. The faculty and the Director all embraced me and thanked me.
| Dobbs Inside the Bus |
We drove South through an enormous mostly empty valley. Amin said, “I suggested to a
minister that they move the capital here. The air is clean and there’s lot’s of room”. Good
Idea. We went over a high pass covered with snow and then dropped down to Gardez.
Along the road were Kuchis (Afghan gypsies) herding their sheep with their households on
donkeys and camels. We saw one sheep dog taking a break from work riding in a bag on a
donkey, sleeping soundly.
As we entered the compound where the drug rehab center was housed, I was greeted by
children with plastic flowers. For my security, only the director knew I was coming. They
were his children. They wanted me to play first but the chairs were set up outside and the
sun was blistering while the air was cold off the snow and the wind was whipping. I
thought, bad sound, flying music, and varnish damage. Amin and I looked around inside.
The largest room was set up for tea but the inside courtyard was protected from sun and
wind and I figured Afghans can stand a little cold. So the ceremony proceeded with
speeches by the director and the deputy governor and other dignitaries. Interspersed were
testimonies in the form of poems or songs by many of the recovered addicts.
minister that they move the capital here. The air is clean and there’s lot’s of room”. Good
Idea. We went over a high pass covered with snow and then dropped down to Gardez.
Along the road were Kuchis (Afghan gypsies) herding their sheep with their households on
donkeys and camels. We saw one sheep dog taking a break from work riding in a bag on a
donkey, sleeping soundly.
As we entered the compound where the drug rehab center was housed, I was greeted by
children with plastic flowers. For my security, only the director knew I was coming. They
were his children. They wanted me to play first but the chairs were set up outside and the
sun was blistering while the air was cold off the snow and the wind was whipping. I
thought, bad sound, flying music, and varnish damage. Amin and I looked around inside.
The largest room was set up for tea but the inside courtyard was protected from sun and
wind and I figured Afghans can stand a little cold. So the ceremony proceeded with
speeches by the director and the deputy governor and other dignitaries. Interspersed were
testimonies in the form of poems or songs by many of the recovered addicts.
| Mt Shamshat |
The facility has 20 beds and the
patients stay for several months, but
after their release they have
continued after care and this
celebration was part of that. A
group of musicians, made up of
former addicts, played and the men
danced. The custom is that men and
women dance separately so this
was not unusual, but the good spirit
and gratefulness of the former
addicts for their new lives and
towards Wadan was palpable. After
tea they moved the chairs to the
courtyard and I played Bach. The
sound off the four walls was
wonderful and the attention and
appreciation was fantastic. Among
the former addicts was a Mullah
and a policeman. There are now
three million identified addicts in
Afghanistan and presumably the real
number is much larger. The social
stigma and ostracism from family in
a culture where family is everything
is a horror we can barely imagine.
For this center there is now a
waiting list of 1500.
patients stay for several months, but
after their release they have
continued after care and this
celebration was part of that. A
group of musicians, made up of
former addicts, played and the men
danced. The custom is that men and
women dance separately so this
was not unusual, but the good spirit
and gratefulness of the former
addicts for their new lives and
towards Wadan was palpable. After
tea they moved the chairs to the
courtyard and I played Bach. The
sound off the four walls was
wonderful and the attention and
appreciation was fantastic. Among
the former addicts was a Mullah
and a policeman. There are now
three million identified addicts in
Afghanistan and presumably the real
number is much larger. The social
stigma and ostracism from family in
a culture where family is everything
is a horror we can barely imagine.
For this center there is now a
waiting list of 1500.
| At The Drug Rehab |
| Gardez Event |
| Dobbs Performing in Gardez |
| Men Playing Music in Gardez |
| On the way home from Gardez |
| Men and their sheep |
| Shaking Hands |
| Dog riding on Donkey |
Amin wanted me to record the
Bach suite that he has come to
like for Shamshat TV, but he has
to travel to Jalalabad for a funeral
the next day and only he can
arrange it. I take a day off and
after that get so busy that we
aren’t able to tape the Bach. ....
but next year.
Bach suite that he has come to
like for Shamshat TV, but he has
to travel to Jalalabad for a funeral
the next day and only he can
arrange it. I take a day off and
after that get so busy that we
aren’t able to tape the Bach. ....
but next year.
The following day is the event at the Wadan office. Kathleen who was nearly blown up
trying to get into Bagram was there, and Dr. Akbar the poet, and some people who are
advisors to the the media center, and the contact at Shamshat TV, and some government
people, and friends of Wadan. It was nice to play in that beautiful room where I had shared
good food and conversation with so many interesting people. It turned out that Gordon, an
Englishman, and the advisor from the BBC to the media center was a serious amateur
cellist, and he was fascinated by hearing and seeing the Bach suites on the bass. Dr. Akbar
was very happy with the arrangement of his poem, and both he and Gordon insisted that I
come and record it at the center.
trying to get into Bagram was there, and Dr. Akbar the poet, and some people who are
advisors to the the media center, and the contact at Shamshat TV, and some government
people, and friends of Wadan. It was nice to play in that beautiful room where I had shared
good food and conversation with so many interesting people. It turned out that Gordon, an
Englishman, and the advisor from the BBC to the media center was a serious amateur
cellist, and he was fascinated by hearing and seeing the Bach suites on the bass. Dr. Akbar
was very happy with the arrangement of his poem, and both he and Gordon insisted that I
come and record it at the center.
The next day I did two concerts at the
school Afgans4tomorrow, a
wonderful place where a nice teacher
from New York City, Jeff Symanski,
had spent a couple of months and
shared his experiences with us at
Dartmouth. The school has a morning
and an afternoon session. The girls
were very attentive and asked some
good questions, but they are very shy,
as Kushal said. In between concerts, I
moved the bass trunk and all my stuff
to the Wadan guest house where
Amin and Kushal both stay when they
are in Kabul. The joys of traveling
with a bass. Then we hurried over to
the media center to record. They
closed at 4:00 but at 5:30 we were still
recording, just so I got every word in
Pashto said correctly. By this time the
entire staff of 20 or so people was
gathered in the tiny control room. Dr
Akbar said, “They all want to hear
your voice”. Then Gordon coached
his young announcer though an
interview with me and we all had tea,
(for probably the 5th time so far that
day).
school Afgans4tomorrow, a
wonderful place where a nice teacher
from New York City, Jeff Symanski,
had spent a couple of months and
shared his experiences with us at
Dartmouth. The school has a morning
and an afternoon session. The girls
were very attentive and asked some
good questions, but they are very shy,
as Kushal said. In between concerts, I
moved the bass trunk and all my stuff
to the Wadan guest house where
Amin and Kushal both stay when they
are in Kabul. The joys of traveling
with a bass. Then we hurried over to
the media center to record. They
closed at 4:00 but at 5:30 we were still
recording, just so I got every word in
Pashto said correctly. By this time the
entire staff of 20 or so people was
gathered in the tiny control room. Dr
Akbar said, “They all want to hear
your voice”. Then Gordon coached
his young announcer though an
interview with me and we all had tea,
(for probably the 5th time so far that
day).
| Afghans 4 Tomorrow |
| Girl Touching Bass |
| Girls watching performance |
| Girls Waving |
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There are women addicts as well who cannot come to treatment centers and Wadan has a
program of sending counselors and health workers into the homes to help them. I tell the story
of Billy and Brenda and sing the song for the women, and then shake hands with all the
recovered addicts. It is twilight as we cross back over the pass weaving through huge flocks
of sheep driven by the Kuchis. They are hurrying to get down out of the snow by nightfall.
program of sending counselors and health workers into the homes to help them. I tell the story
of Billy and Brenda and sing the song for the women, and then shake hands with all the
recovered addicts. It is twilight as we cross back over the pass weaving through huge flocks
of sheep driven by the Kuchis. They are hurrying to get down out of the snow by nightfall.