Waiting for a Return: Aziza Brahim and "Regreso"

Today's song comes from disputed territory and a woman without a country. Aziza Brahim was born in the Sahwari refugee camps in Algeria where her mother had fled from Moroccan troops occupying Western Sahara. She studied in Cuba, but was rejected for music school and returned to Algeria. In 1995 she won a contest sponsored by the Sahwari Arab Democratic Republic, then joined a Sahwari musical tour through Mauritania and Algeria. She then toured Europe with the Sahwari group Leyoad. She has since collaborated with Touareg musicians, the Spanish latin jazz band Yayabo. In 2007 she created Gulili Mankoo, comprised of Sahwari, Spanish, Colombian and Senegalese musicians and mixing African music with blues and rock. Since 2009 she has been touring with the Basque txalaparta band Oreka Tx. She has released three albums. This song, Regreso, can be found on the compilation album Freemuse & Deeyah Present Listen to the Banned. The video is live concert footage.