OMID’S TAPES

THE AFGHAN MEMORY KEEPER

Based in California, Omid works with a team spread across the globe to find and save Afghan music, radio recordings, films, and TV shows. Tamana Ayazi, Afghan journalist and filmmaker, joins Omid on his latest rescue mission: saving two rare collections of Afghan music cassettes before the Taliban destroy them.

An Almost Tangible production for BBC Radio 4.
First broadcast on 25 Nov 2025.

Presented by Tamana Ayazi.

OMID’S TAPES: THE AFGHAN MEMORY KEEPER

Based in California, Omid works with a team spread across the globe to find and save Afghan music, radio recordings, films, and TV shows from the past, seeking to preserve the identities and voices of those who have been displaced by war. Fragments of a once-vibrant cultural heritage that the Taliban seeks to erase, these recordings are not just old tapes; they represent the memories, stories, and sounds of the Afghan people. Their significance goes beyond their musical and historical value; they are a lifeline to a lost world, a bridge between the past and future, and a testament to the resilience of Afghan culture.

Tamana Ayazi, Afghan journalist and Emmy-award-winning filmmaker (In Her Hands, Netflix), joins Omid and his team in their latest rescue mission: to secretly transfer two major collections of Afghan cassettes from Samangan and Kandahar (at opposite ends of the country), via perilous routes into Quetta Pakistan, and finally to Omid in the United States. Will the tapes (and the people who carry them) make it safely across Afghan security checkpoints and pass through US customs?