What happened to Egypt?!

It has been a hard, challenging time to the world and Egypt is, most certainly, not an exception. In much less than a year, we´ve been through a Revolution and a presidential democratic election process that resulted in the opposite of all that the Revolution asked for (at least, in my opinion). 

We craved for justice and a brand new Government which would clean the old dog´s dirt but we ended up with those same old dogs still ruling the country PLUS a Muslim Brotherhood President that represents all that DEMOCRACY and FREEDOM aren´t. 

As the religious extremism found its way out from the repressed times of Hosny Mubarak, 

one could easily see the immediate results:

*An increase of sexual harassment (even rape and physical attacks) towards women in public spaces, even in the safest parts of Cairo;

*An increase of violence and insecurity in general (Cairo used to be the safest city I knew...you could go anywhere, at any time of the day or night, and feel safe: not anymore);

*The so called guardians of morals and muslim extremists started to feel they had the right to come to light and point a finger, offend and exclude everyone who does not profess their religion or behaves the way they think fit (Egypt is a predominantly muslim country for a long time but was always very flexible towards other religions and foreigners: not anymore.);

*Egyptian audiences for Oriental Dance changed. Maybe dancers who perform mostly for tourists cannot feel it but my audiences have always been mainly egyptian so it turns out impossible not to SEE what´s happening in front of my eyes.

  I knew I was considered a prostitute outside of my work and around it (between sexual harassers and pimps aka "empresarios, managers and bosses) but MY MUSICIANS and MY EGYPTIAN AUDIENCES never disrespected me WHILE on STAGE; well...not anymore. 

Egyptians are becoming closer and closer to Arabs in many ways.

Musicians still are my greatest fans and allies but even them seem to feel the negative turn and feel depressed, not stimulated to keep working with passion and sad. 

 The perception that Oriental Dance (and music, a woman´s body, celebration, pleasure, and...and...and...an array of idiotic stuff can be added to the list) as "haram" (forbidden by God) has never been so strong as now. Before, there was a division in the audience´s being (egyptian mind told them this is "haram" but their heart still FELT* it and RECOGNIZED it as ART and a SPIRITUAL link between souls) but now there is no division. 

The pseudo-religious crap people are eating for breakfast on a daily basis has stopped their hearts from feeling so the brain and its prejudices rules.

Not feeling connected with an egyptian audience is, probably, the most painful thing of all for me; seeing WHY they are not connected anymore is even worse. 

* The mind set and mood of people has changed. Less humanity, patience, kindness and more judging towards everyone who refuses to follow the sheeps, separation, ignorance and an invasion of one´s space. If you´re not a muslim (moderate to extremist) man, your life can be HELL over here nowadays. Although I learn and take the good things from all religions and I was raised as a christian in a culture deeply connected with catolicism (Portugal and Spain), I am not stuck to it. I can feel peaceful and pray at a church as well as in a mosque or a hindu temple; the place does not matter as much as the sincerity within my heart. 

Titles, constructions made by human hand and prisons do not define me or restrain my consciousness. 

But I can only imagine how egyptian (coptic) christians may feel at this time, seeing their country on the way to a muslim State based on muslim legislation, rituals, way of life. 

* Music and laughter- two treasures egyptians kept in their nature so well until now - are being replaced by the Holly "Quran" playing in radios - 24 hours per day - and a fake aversion to art, joy and laughter. What´s happening to egyptians?!

* A general sense of hopelessness as the DREAM of a FREE, NEW, OPEN MINDED, FAIR and HUMAN society comes to an end. Very few people - both internal interests as well as exterior- are interested in the new Egypt many of us dreamt of.

* We all hope for the best - for the sake of Egypt, its unique, rich and ancestral culture (that should not be defined or limited by Islam or any other religion or political system). As I consider Egypt a part of my own Soul, I am aching.