Baby Arabia

Short Film: Jor Kaw Teun (Shallow News In Depth)
D: Nattapong Tiendee, Janya Wongsurawat, John Wongsurawat
Thailand 2011, 12 Min., Original with English subtitles
Media activist present

Baby Arabia

Documentary, Thailand 2010, 74 min., Original with English subtitles

In the presence of Kong Rithdee

Baby Arabia follows one of the oldest Thai-Muslim bands specializing in the genre of Arab-Malay music, the bouncy ethnic cross-pollination of Arabian melodies, Malay throbs, Thai luk-thung kicks, and a bit of Latin tempo. We meet Geh, founder of the band who taught himself to play the accordion 35 year ago. Joining Geh is guitarist Umar (a former Koran teacher with a knack for Egyptian numbers). Fronting their band is Jamilah, a husky-voiced, humble diva who teaches the Koran during the day and sings Arabic songs at night while wondering if the world of melody can be both faith-bound and joyously secular. Though some Islamic scholars question their brand of worldly merry-making, claiming that it's against the law of the religion, the humanizing power of music and irresistible exuberance of their songs provide a definitive counter-argument.