Amir: An Afghan Refugee Musician’s Life in Peshawar, Pakistan

By John Baily
52 min., 1985

Between 1973 and 1977 John Baily carried out extensive ethnomusicological fieldwork on the urban music of Afghanistan, particularly in the western city of Herat. In 1985, he traveled to Peshawar to film Afghan refugees who were musicians and again met his old friend Amir Mohammad, from Herat. The film portrays aspects of Amir’s life as a refugee – his living conditions in Peshawar and his longing to return to Herat. It is also about Amir’s life as a professional musician and his relationships with other musicians in Peshawar. Musical performances include resistance songs at a Pakistani wedding.