Khawal & A'aber/a

NAXÖ

NAXÖ is a queer, non-binary, Egyptian sound healer and multidisciplinary sound artist. NAXÖ is fusion of Middle- Eastern folklore and groovy electronic psychedelic music with songs that consider queer culture/migration, postcolonialism and re-imagining a better world -all with grand Arabic vocals, ecstatic synths, and the kind of percussion that finds its way to your core. Based in Chicago and their works have been featured in Chicago Reader, Chicago Zine Fest, Windy City Times, Philly Weekly, and others.

A’aber/a
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A’aber/a is the Arabic word
for trans. This song is about transness in culture, queerness, and migration through nonbinary time and space. This song is a reminder for solidarity and accountability, a conversation about the intersecting reflections of trans/queer wisdom , and an invitation to open the mind, body, and soul to revolution..
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Khawal
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The Khawal was a traditional native Egyptian male dancer who wore in feminine attire. Khawalat (plural) were popular up until the early 19th century. Following religion based prohibitions on women dancing in public, cross-dressing men took their place throughout the Middle East. The khawal were perceived as sexually available; their male audiences found their ambiguity seductive. Unfortunately, in modern Egyptian slang, the term is derogatory and refers to queer and trans people. This song is about reclaiming and honoring our ancestral powers -revitalizing the origins of khawalat to dismantle the monstrosities of queerphobia and misogyny.

A’ABER/A Lyrics and English Translations
*Translated from Arabic
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نامز لك ىف .. ناكم اي ناك
Once upon a time .. at all times
و ك َمسإ و يمسإ ىلع نيبعال ةلواطلا ىف ك ِمسإ
Players on my name, your name and your name on the backgammon/table
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انم اوفطخو انيلع تاف انرود هرهزلا
We missed our turn and they snatched the flower/dice from us

قاروألاب انومر و اهومر
They threw it and they threw us with the papers/leaves
ياشلا يف انومسو
And we were poisoned/called into tea
ليل اي .. ىسمش و
And my sun .. oh night
نيع اي .. ىناونع و
And my address .. oh eye
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ناصحلا و .. ليفلا انأ
I am the elephant ... and the horse
بياشلا و هكلملا انأ
I am the Queen and the King/Old one

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ناولألا لك انأ
I’m all the colors
ناونعلا لك ىلع انأ
I’m at all and every title
نامك يلك انأ ..(هرباع*رباع انأ
I am transient ... I am all for more

ناكمو نامز لك انأ
I am every time and place

ديعب تحر امل ركاف اف اف
(هركاف)

Remember when you went far away
ديحو تبعل امل ىسان )هيسان)
Did you forget when you played lonely
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ضيبت و ديزت و ديعت و
And repeat, add more and bleach
(هركاف( رجاف شم ركاف انأ
I think/remember, not vulgar
(هرباع( رداغ شم رباع انأ
I am transient/moving, not leaving/deceiving
(هدعاق( ىشام شم دعاق انأ
I am sitting, not walking
(هيشام( دعاق شم ىشام انأ
I am walking, not staying
(هيسان( رداه شم ىسان انأ
I forget, not brawling
(هركاف( ىسان شم ركاف انأ
I think, not forget
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(هرباص( ىساق شم رباص انأ
I am patient, not hard
(هرباع( ىسار شم رباع انأ
I am passing by, not docking
(هدعاق( ىشام شم دعاق انأ
I am sitting, not walking
(هيشام( دعاق شم ىشام انأ
I am walking, not staying
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رباع انأ
I am passing by
ليل اي .. ىسمش و
And my sun .. oh night
نيع اي .. ىناونع و
And my address .. oh eye
شينردنجتم
Don’t gender me
شينحرجتم
Don’t hurt me
شينجرحتم
Don’t embarrass me
شينطبحتم
Don’t drag me down
شينبصعتم
Don’t unnerve me
شينسبحتم و مهفا
Understand and don’t imprison me
شيتفتم و مهفا
Understand and don’t lie
شينبساحتم و مهفا
Understand and don’t judge me
شيكحتم و مهفا
Understand and don’t talkover
مهفا
Understand
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ىساس و ىشتيب انأ هويأ
Yes, I am bitchy and sassy
يساد شم ىتيب سب
But my home is not my hurt
ىساسأ فراع و ىبح انأ
I am my love and I know my essence
همالسلا عم .. هدك سب
Just like that .. Goodbye

KHAWAL Lyrics and English Translations
*Translated from Arabic
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ةروع يل اولوقي تيبلا يف
At home they tell me shame
لوخ اولوقي عراشلا يف
On the street they call me names, Khawal
ةروع يل اولوقي تيبلا يف
At home they call my nakedness, shame
؟انأ
Am I?
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الو يلوخ يبخا شتفرعام انا يتروع لوخأ شتفرع
I do not know how to hide my libido, and I do not know that I have to authorize my nakedness
الو يلوخ يبخا شتفرعام انا يتروع لوخأ شتفرع
I did not know how to hide my libido, and I did not know that I have to authorize my nakedness
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هسفن نم فياخ عمتجم
A society that is afraid of itself
هدقع ارو نم تام لجار
The man died from his perplexions
مدقتت سانلا سانلا سانلا روسج ينبتو
People people people should be advancing and building bridges
روسكم قبط يطغي شوح وهو
He is a monster covering a broken plate

الو يلوخ يبخا شتفرعام انا
يتروع لوخأ الو الو الو
I do not know how to hide myself, nor, nor, nor, nor do I have to authorize my nakedness

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الو يلوخ يبخا شتفرعام انا يتروع لوخأ الو الو الو
I did not know how to hide myself, nor, nor, nor, nor did I have to authorize my nakedness
ليصفت ىلع ةروع لوخلا
The khawal is ashamed to detail
لوسغملا هغامدو عمتجملا ةحار
Society comfort and its washed brain
عمتجم ةدقع يد ةروعلا سب
But the shame is the society convolutions
ليواشم غارفل عيقرت ةقصلو
And a patchwork of emptiness over carried
الو يلوخ يبخا شتفرعام انا يتروع لوخأ الو الو الو
I do not know how to hide myself, nor, nor, nor, nor do I have to authorize my nakedness
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الو يلوخ يبخا شتفرعام انا يتروع لوخأ الو الو الو
I did not know how to hide myself, nor, nor, nor, nor did I have to authorize my nakedness
الو يلوخ يبخا شتفرعام انا يتروع لوخأ شتفرع
I do not know how to hide my libido, and I do not know that I have to authorize my nakedness
الو يلوخ يبخا شتفرعام انا يتروع لوخأ شتفرع
I did not know how to hide my libido, and I did not know that I have to authorize my nakedness
فرعه شم و شتفرعام انا
I did not know and I will not