Podcast Summary: The New Yorker Radio Hour

Episode: A Homemade Museum in a Refugee Camp
Date: March 20, 2018
Host: David Remnick
Guests: Nicholas Niarchos, Abdullahi Bashrahil, Tracy K. Smith

Overview

This episode shines a light on the human side of conflict through the story of Abdullahi Bashrahil, a Yemeni refugee in Djibouti who copes with loss and exile by building a “homemade museum” in his refugee camp. Reporter Nicholas Niarchos recounts his visit to Bashrahil’s unique sanctuary, exploring themes of resilience, creativity, and hope amid hardship. The episode closes with a reflective segment from U.S. Poet Laureate Tracy K. Smith, who shares thoughts on nature, creativity, and renewal.

Key Discussion Points and Insights

1. Context: The War in Yemen and Displacement

• [00:28] David Remnick sets the scene: The war in Yemen is a devastating civil and regional conflict. Saudi Arabia and Iran are involved; the U.S. supports Saudi airstrikes. Hundreds of thousands flee, many ending up in refugee camps in neighboring countries like Djibouti.

"The war in Yemen is both a civil war and a regional war with more powerful neighbors Iran and Saudi Arabia involved at the same time. The United States is supporting and enabling the Saudis’ air war. Hundreds of thousands of people have fled Yemen..." – David Remnick [00:28]

2. Arrival at the Refugee Camp: Meeting Abdullahi Bashrahil

• [01:23-03:00] Nicholas Niarchos describes the oppressive heat, the discomfort of camp conditions, and his encounter with Bashrahil—a man who, despite dire circumstances, exuded warmth and invited visitors to his tent.

"You walk through the camp... people come up to you and say that they want to talk to you... But at one point this man approached me and he was smiling, lovely, isn’t he? And laughing. And I didn’t really understand, you know, what there was to smile and laugh about." – Nicholas Niarchos [01:23]

• Bashrahil's pride in his space is immediately evident. He invites Nicholas, saying, "You must come to my tent. You have to come and see my tent... you'll go to this place and you'll hear the birds singing and then you'll have arrived at my tent." [02:28]

3. Inside the "Museum": Creativity Amid Hardship

• [03:00-10:09]
  • Bashrahil's "museum" is constructed from found objects: animal skulls, wood, doll parts, spent ammunition, and an array of scavenged treasures.
  • He cultivates a small garden inside his tent—a stark contrast to the arid surroundings.

“So this is a civilian museum. Look this.” – Abdullahi Bashrahil [03:39]

• Bashrahil shares his pride in his garden: “What sort of green paper and bidingal. I don’t know what you call in English...” [03:56]
• The space is described as an oasis, “a little paradise,” where the harshness of life outside melts away. [04:05]

4. Bashrahil's Story: Loss, Resilience, and Eccentric Artistry

• [05:09-10:09]

  • Bashrahil jokes about his past and reflects on his character:

    “I was more handsome than you. Believe me, I’m sure I was very, very, very handsome. And I was also very, very bad… I am a soft person. This is my problem.” – Abdullahi Bashrahil [06:07]

  • A former road surveyor, educated and once well-off, Bashrahil lost everything when war broke out. He escaped with only his clothes.

    “Before the war. It was very, very good. Until they started the war. We became like animals.” – Abdullahi Bashrahil [07:08] “We became like slaves.” – Abdullahi Bashrahil [07:28]

  • In Djibouti, he copes by collecting objects and creating art—a kind of "found-object artist" transplanted to a refugee context.

"If somebody were to act like this in, you know, New Mexico, they could be called a, you know, a found objects artist. But this is somebody in a refugee camp in Djibouti." – Nicholas Niarchos [10:09]

5. The Symbolism of Birds and Hospitality

• [10:42-12:19]

  • Bashrahil keeps birds as companions and symbols of freedom. He releases them as gestures of kindness or hospitality, notably when the American ambassador visits.
  • The release is both meaningful and sacrificial; birds are scarce and valuable in the camp.

    "I freed you for the sake of God. Opening the cage, letting the birds into the sky." – Abdullahi Bashrahil [11:04] "And when the American ambassador arrived, he released the two birds into the sky as a sort of message of greeting." – Nicholas Niarchos [11:49]

• The ambassador is touched, but Bashrahil’s hope for resettlement remains just a dream.

  "Bashra Hill told him about a dream that he had which was to be resettled in the United States or somewhere in Europe and to build a new museum... It just seems to me a very, very long shot that he will be coming here after." – Nicholas Niarchos [12:19]

6. Reflections on Hope and Endurance

• Bashrahil grapples with hope and uncertainty:

  "I don’t want to talk too much, he smiled. I know his smile. He’s keeping for me something. Maybe one day he will collect me and I don’t know, maybe soon. He’s ambassador." – Abdullahi Bashrahil [13:31]

7. Poet Tracy K. Smith: Nature, Healing, and Creativity

• [15:08-20:59] The episode closes with U.S. Poet Laureate Tracy K. Smith describing a walk in the woods near her home in Princeton, New Jersey.
  • Smith shares insights on how moving from the city to nature transformed her experience of grief and creativity.

    "I was anticipating having heartbreak about leaving Brooklyn... then I came here and I was like, oh, My God, this is. This is the real world. Like, there are these trees that are just electric, electrically green. And I feel like something in me has changed as a result." – Tracy K. Smith [16:11]

  • She discusses overcoming writer’s block and learning to trust imagery in poetry rather than relying on overt statements.

    "If you can just describe, a feeling can emerge that the reader can't help but participate in." – Tracy K. Smith [19:19]

Notable Quotes and Memorable Moments

• Resilience and Humor Amid Tragedy:

  "I was more Handsome than you. Believe me, I’m sure I was very, very, very handsome. And I was also very, very bad… I am a soft person. This is my problem."
  – Abdullahi Bashrahil [06:07]

• On Loss:

  "Before the war. It was very, very good. Until they started the war. We became like animals."
  – Abdullahi Bashrahil [07:08]

• Agency Through Art:

  "He’s not just a collector, he is an artist. He had this artist sensibility of wanting to leave his mark..."
  – Nicholas Niarchos [09:29]

• Symbolic Generosity:

  "And when the American ambassador arrived, he released the two birds into the sky as a sort of message of greeting."
  – Nicholas Niarchos [11:49]

• Nature and Renewal (Poetry Segment):

  "I think they’re these old souls that kind of console in different ways. And so there’s something beautiful about this as a backdrop of what feels like a new beginning or the beginning of what comes after youth."
  – Tracy K. Smith [16:41]

Timestamps for Key Segments

• [00:28] — Context and introduction to the Yemen conflict
• [01:23] — Arrival at Djibouti camp and meeting Abdullahi Bashrahil
• [03:39] — Bashrahil introduces his “museum”
• [07:08] — Bashrahil describes life before and after the war
• [10:09] — Artist’s sensibility and creative adaptation
• [11:49] — Host ambassador visit, bird release, and meaning
• [13:31] — Bashrahil holds onto hope for a new future
• [15:08] — Poet Tracy K. Smith segment: walking in the woods, reflecting on nature and writing

Tone

The episode is deeply human, both sober and uplifting. Bashrahil’s humor and creativity bring warmth and resilience to an otherwise bleak camp life. Nicholas Niarchos reports in a thoughtful, reflective tone, and Tracy K. Smith adds a contemplative, poetic dimension.

Conclusion

This episode offers a moving look at how creativity and simple acts of kindness can create meaning in the face of war and exile. Abdullahi Bashrahil’s museum is a symbol of dignity and hope, offering beauty where little is expected. Through both Bashrahil's story and Tracy K. Smith’s reflections, listeners are reminded of the enduring power of human imagination and the small sanctuaries we build for ourselves.