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Refugee All Stars
The purpose of art is complex and varied, but it is especially rewarding when art reflects the strength of the human spirit. When beauty, hope and positivism can be found in the face of abject horror, few achievements could be considered more admirable. The Refugee All Stars represents a conglomeration of musicians intent on finding a reason to believe in themselves against overwhelming odds, and this video documentary of their trials and tribulations is as spiritually stimulating as it is musically rewarding.
The civil war that erupted in Sierra Leone forced much of that country’s population to flee into neighboring Guinea, where tented camps provided refuge but little else. This video follows the band members’ plight, from their horrific experience in their native country, to the time spent forming a band and rehearsing while in exile, through their trepidatious, but ultimately heroic return to the homeland. In the face of trauma, in the midst of a refugee camp filled with tents that can make simple dignity an effort of survival, the Refugee All Stars provide hope through beauty.
From a musical perspective, the band betrays an unusually strong reggae influence, combined with rap overtones that fatten the grooves of the traditional African rhythm base. The vocal harmonies are rich, conveying evocative, melodic lyrics that rely on poetry more than political diatribe. Songs are topical, but not specifically political. Astoundingly, the band never lapses into polemics, keeping the emotional content of their plight front and center without taking sides in a civil war that has cost them so much. They bemoan the loss of family members – and body parts - to the cruelest brand of indiscriminate violence, but they aim over the heads of their tormentors, questioning human nature (the nature of violence itself) instead of the specific perpetrator. This isn’t fiction, but the DVD plays like an adventure film. Eyes were slashed with a cutlass. Parents were killed. Children were tortured and murdered. Imagine the intelligence and strength of character that must be invested in the souls who can sing of such atrocities without exacting a sense of vengeance.
One fascinating characteristic of the refugee camps portrayed in this film is the unity of the camp population. The music made by the All Stars is celebrated by all generations simultaneously. There is a sense of community, togetherness and unity that results from the music of these remarkable players. As an American, I am almost ashamed to see how, in comparison, our own society is so stratified and distant, even with an abundance of creature comforts. Maybe it is because we have grown complacent while expecting too much from everyday life, or maybe it is because the stress of living on the brink of death causes you to be thankful for any small act of kindness. Whatever the reason, watching this video is bound to move you, but you will also swing your hips. The Refugee All Stars reach for the stars, and in the process they discover that music can quite literally be the language of God. A Tom Ryan
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