Interview with Rania Refaat Shaheen

Rania Refaat Shaheen

“The revolution gave me hope: I was disappointed, before I thought there were no opportunities”

Rania is a lawyer, political activist and owner of the El Pergola, a political awareness puppet theater. She is a member of the Kefeya political movement.

Rania describes how her life long love of puppets gave her a medium to pass on messages. She uses them to advance her political and social causes.

Facebook: elpergolapuppettheater

Interview

Interviewed in English in Cairo on 7-may-2012 by Tatiana Philiptchenko.

Q: How did you have the idea of creating a theater?
I was the manager of El Sawy Culture Wheel Center in Cairo from 2006 to 2009. I discovered during that time that I was a good writer and started working on a theater play for homeless children. Where are we (the street children)? and where are you (the society)? was the play I wrote & directed with them. The European Union was the sponsor of this theater project during the Egyptian Revolution in 2011, I wrote the play: Fatah aynak tekol melvin. I choose the troop from the Tahrir Square people (all actors belonged to the revolution) – It was my first play for political awareness about the constitution and selection of candidates Now I have an initiative for my Pergola puppet theater, they are small sketches: this way, we can go anywhere to talk about citizenship, the constitution and human rights (10 minutes plays)

Q: How the idea of using puppets came to you?
I am fond of puppets since my childhood. I still have about 30 puppets now. I still talk to them and they have names and I celebrate their birthdays. Am crazy about puppets. When I met Sawi my colleague who was also found of puppets. We created the puppet theater. I think puppets are a great device. Puppets are not harmful, they are like books. I don’t like to depend on humans as actors. Humans are sometimes unavailable, they want more money, sometimes they are sick. Puppets are kind, never ask for anything and they are like me: poor.

Q: What has the revolution changed for you?
The revolution changed that I found that many people are like me. Before I gave up on people, I was thinking that people became stupid. I found that lots of young people are like myself, they are found of Egypt, they are cultured, well educated, love their country: that was a surprise for me.

The revolution gave me hope: I was disappointed, before I thought there were no opportunities. How come we can’t do something in this country I kept on asking myself? I was thinking about suicide. It was serious because I didn’t want to travel abroad and be a second class citizen in another country. I want my country, I want my people. I wanted to help my country and I couldn’t help it.

With the revolution, I found the candle. I found freedom. Much more freedom.

Before the revolution, we couldn’t walk in demonstrations. We could only stay in our houses. The police hit us & arrested us. We were alone, may be 500 people at many demonstrations I went to. We are not alone anymore. Now we have the feeling of freedom.

I don’t like the Muslim Brotherhood and the fundamentalists. I don’t like their ideology but now they are with us. Now we communicate with them. It is healthy in a country that we can all communicate, even if we are different. The Muslim Brotherhood talks like they are the tongue of god, and I am religious but I know in Islam there’s no «tongue of god». People now see that the Muslim Brotherhood are like everyone else: they are not Prophets, they are normal, they also make big mistakes. This is good for Egypt because: This means we make a step for Renaissance because we are not afraid anymore of men who talk about god. This time is near, I know it. And the freedom of women: they are not afraid like before.

(continued on the right)

I write in the subway these words in front of commuters: «My moral is not in my veil.». Commuters will ask me: “are you Muslim?”, I reply “yes I am Muslim, I pray, I went to Hajj”. You know, because your moral is not in your veil it is inside you. I tell them: “You shouldn’t go behind men, you have your own character, your own brain”. Some of them are happy, some of them are angry, but until now no one hit me. (Rania says laughing)

Q: Did your personal life change since the revolution?
No I didn’t meet my soul mate. And my Pergola theater project still needs work.

Q: Do you think the situation of Egyptian women now is better or worst than before the revolution?
Better. They connect; make groups to talk about themselves. A lot of groups talk about women’s rights. Women were with men in the revolution. Men cannot say anymore: you are negative or useless. We have been arrested, killed, everything. This is a big step for women.

Q: What in your view is the greatest danger facing Egyptian women now?
That fundamentalist take control of the country. It will be a big war. We will succeed but it will take a long time. I don’t want to lose more time. I want men to respect me now.

Q: Do you think social media and Internet played and are playing a role in the Revolution? and is there’s change coming through social media in Egypt?
Egyptian revolution depends on Facebook. In Facebook: Anyone can say anything. People now express themselves freely and have friends on Facebook. Facebook is very important in the Revolution. As is Twitter and all social media.

Q: How about the women who represent you in parliament?
Chairs are more useful than them. You can use a chair but you can’t use them. They are a scandal.

Q: Do you see yourself as a revolutionary?
Yes. I am from Kefaya movement since 2005. And before this in college I was in demonstrations already.

Q: How bad or good the situation of women is now?
It is very bad. They are like slaves. They look at themselves as inferiors. They let men use them. It is very bad. They let men use them in the name of god.

Q: Did women get pushed aside after the revolution?
Women still exist in the Revolution. Media don’t want to talk about women. Women are still there in Tahrir Square. Police killed a lot of girls but we don’t talk about it. Men control the courts, the media and the economics: that’s terrible.