As of Spring 2009, Saria is working
on a new project which she plans to have published within the
year.
Homeless in Homeland
(working title) is a collection of writing and audio recordings
of works by poet/singer-songwriter/theater artist, Saria Idana.
Saria is a Cultural American Jew from New York with a family background
in Islamic and Christian mysticism and a commitment to self-determination
for all people. Her material addresses the human experience of
longing for a place in which to belong, specifically as it relates
to the Jewish yearning for a homeland and this yearning’s impact
on the Palestinian community. She draws heavily on her experiences
as a traveler, activist and seeker of meaning.
Along with the publication of
the work, she plans to do a series of readings, performances and
workshops in both public venues and in the Jewish Community. The
intention of the workshops are to spark dialogue around the Palestinian/Israeli
conflict, re-examine and re-imagine Zionism, and to better understand
the human desire to have a place to call home.
A note from Saria:
I am a cultural Jewish American Woman who believes that Dignity
and Self-Determination are essential rights for all humans regardless
of race, gender, ethnicity, class, orientation and creed.
-This
type of equal rights does not exist in the Israeli Occupied Palestinian
Territories where the Dignity of Palestinians is degraded daily
and Self-Determination is made impossible by the actions of the
Jewish Israeli military.
I
am the poet and recording artist of a collection of poetry on
the topics of identity, homeland, culture, history and action
in creating a different world. The writing in this collection
draws from research, my personal experiences as a Jewish/Sufi
woman searching for a sense of belonging and as Jewish American
artist and activist both in the US and in Palestine/Israel.
I
believe that my voice can bring healing not only to the Jewish
and Arab communities, both in the region and without, but also
to other communities affected by fear and cycles of violence,
and thus it will assist in the creation of a different paradigm
I
currently need to raise $35,000 in order to make this project
a success. Contributions of all sizes are graciously accepted!
I am currently awaiting word about a fiscal sponsorship which
would make all your donations tax deductable. I will know by the
end of May.
Thank
You for your interest in my work!
If you are interested in making
a financial constribution towards the success of this project,
please email Saria here
Previous work created and performed
by Saria Idana includes one woman show, Giving Voice to Terror,
which she performed on a trapeze with a DJ. The poetry text of
the show has been made available as a chapbook by the same title.
While Saria has not performed the piece since 2004, it still in
her repretory and available for performance.