Post by Chris Somes-Charlton

Himno de Andalucía – para Blas Infante (“Anthem of Andalusia – for Blas Infante”) is Palestinian singer Reem Kelani’s latest release, dedicated to the memory of Blas Infante (1885–1936), the ‘Father of the Andalusian Homeland’. You can listen to & purchase the track here: https://lnkd.in/e3CdyYiW An Arabic poem composed in al-Andalus around 1051 is believed to have inspired Infante’s design of the Andalusian flag, the “Arbonaida” (from the Arabic al-bulaida, meaning ‘small country’): “You girded yourself with a wing of bliss / A green banner that turned white dawn into a radiant sash. With a triumphant vision, I guarantee you abundance and joy / Await hence a victory, as your auspicious sign foretells.” —Abu al-Asbagh ibn Arqam, Madīnat al-Mariyya (Almería), al-Andalus, c. 1051 Blas Infante was summarily executed by Francoist Falangists on the Carmona Highway, in the northeastern outskirts of Seville, in the early hours of 11 August 1936. Leena Zaher’s evocative cover design draws on the green and white of the Andalusian flag, the landscapes of al‑Andalus that Blas Infante cherished, and the poignancy of the memorial statue marking his execution. Andalusians invoke Infante’s memory on Día de Andalucía (28 February), the date on which Andalusians voted for self-government in the 1980 referendum; it is also the official release date of this single. Reem chose this anthem to begin her exploration of the musical and cultural legacy of al-Andalus (711–1492) Reem’s al-Andalus project is dedicated to Syrian filmmaker Hatem Ali (1962–2020) and to Andalusian singer-songwriter Carlos Cano (1946–2000). Hatem Ali’s towering TV trilogy opened a window into the history of al-Andalus. Carlos Cano is widely regarded as ‘the voice of the Andalusian people’, and his ode to the Andalusian flag, “Verde Blanca y Verde” is revisited in the choral arrangement of Reem’s rendition. Alongside Kelani, the single features the sweet yet defiant vocals of singer and poet from Málaga, Isabel Ros López. A seasoned partisan, López took part in the mass autonomy demonstrations of 1977, a period when “Himno de Andalucía” was gaining momentum as a shared symbol of identity. Adding virtuosic, richly coloured piano work is Kelani’s long standing musical partner, Bruno Heinen, professor of jazz piano and composition at Trinity Laban Conservatoire. Reem’s work on al-Andalus forms part of her broader This Land is Your Land project, conceived as a response to Donald Trump’s rhetoric toward Islam and the wider Muslim world. In this context, the enduring legacy of al-Andalus, a key formative influence on the European Renaissance, takes on renewed poignancy today. This project is built upon a multiplicity of connections, yet its message is one. It is the fruit of countless interactions — historical, cultural and personal. Infante’s final line in this anthem, “Los pueblos y la humanidad” (“For the people and for humanity”), goes to the very heart of it.