The musical heritage of German guest workers in the 1970s and 80s played an important role in their cultural identity. Especially by coming together in choirs, migrant workers connected with international labour and solidarity movements, thereby gaining a political voice. The musician Sümeyra Çakır dedicated her life to defending the rights of workers, in particular women, and the physical consequences of mining were a recurring theme in her music. In my research, which will lead to a video installation, I want to situate Sümeyra Çakır's musical work in the larger context of migrant musical traditions in the Ruhr region of Germany.
Pınar Öğrenci is an artist based in Berlin.
