I’m a Trekkie
by Danila
I’ve been watching a lot of Star Trek since the latest movie came out. Especially from the original series with William Shatner and Leonard Nimoy.
What makes the franchise so appealing to so many people? And beyond that, what pushes passionate fans onto the next level of devoted fandom? From supporter into trekkie, or trekker.
Perhaps it’s the promise of a better world in the future, where racism, sexism and xenophobia are abolished. Or perhaps the show was the first widespread public medium to dabble with outlandish sci-fi ideas.
In any case, it has inspired a deep and lively subculture of human aliens and self-described Starfleet commanders. It’s the shared experience, the belonging, the common love of something grand. And while Trekkies are often poked fun of by the media and non-trekkie public, they really are a part of giant friendly world. And no one can deny that the Vulcan salute looks awesome.
Live long and prosper, and enjoy the following clips from Trekkies, a light documentary on some of the most devoted fans on the planet.
11.28.09Punk Rock Islam
by Danila
Fiction can be the spark that ignites a movement. A made-up reality that ends up transforming the author’s imagination into something far larger. So it seems with The Taqwacores, a novel by Michael Muhammad Knight.
…this novel explores the twin identities of punk and Islam in their many varieties and degrees of orthodoxy. The story here is primarily with the characters — such as Umar, the straight-edge Sunni; Rabeya, the burqa-clad riot grrl; Jehangir, the dope-smoking mohawked Sufi (who plays rooftop calls-to-prayer on his electric guitar) — and their collective articulation of a heresy-friendly, pluralist Islam.
Since the book first emerged in photo-copy form in 2003, it has inspired a culture of Islam punk rock in the US (and now beyond); a music scene aptly named Taqwacore (a mashup of the Arabic “taqwa,” or God-fearing piety, and “hardcore” for the home-grown punk movement.)
from the New York Times
After reading the novel, many Muslims e-mailed Mr. Muhammad Knight, asking for directions to the next Muslim punk show. Told that no such bands existed, some of them created their own, with names like Vote Hezbollah and Secret Trial Five.
So did the novel create an Islamic punk rock scene from scratch, or did it simply give voice to an identity that was already half-formed and building momentum on its own?
Probably both.
For more, check out some Taqwacore bands, like the Kominas (tagline: I fought Allah and Allah won), and the film based on Knight’s book (currently in post-production).
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What is a subculture?
Subculture, and culture, makes us people. It’s the fascinating mannerisms and customs that bring groups of people together and define groups. It’s not just the punky kids at the basement rock show, but the style of corporate culture, regional food delicacies and even the inner workings, inside jokes and internal language of a family.
I want to explore this lush humanity. We’re all immersed in subcultures and we all define the broader culture. What makes us who we are?
image source: German National Archives, via Wikimedia commons.
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