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Emma
- Emma
- Ringqvist
Emma Ringqvist is a musician, adventurer and activist who sailed with the Women’s Boat to Gaza in 2016 and on that trip the song that she contributed was created.
She has lived in London for most of her adult life, where she has studied composition and been active in various musical projects over the years.
She writes music, sings and plays guitar.
In recent years, she has moved back to her roots in Gothenburg.
Hand in hand with the music is the interest in sailing and in 2018-19 she was out on a long solo voyage down to the South Atlantic. Much of the time at sea was spent making music.
In 2016 I sailed as a crew onboard the sailing boat Zaytouna Oliva which was part of the Freedom Flotilla Coalition. We sailed from Barcelona all across the Mediterranean sea to the coast of Gaza.
Our journey went under the name of ‘Women’s Boat to Gaza’. We were 13 women activists onboard the vessel. We undertook this journey to highlight the occupation of Gaza. Our aim was to show support to the women in Palestine and to show the world that we will not give up and close our eyes to this continuous occupation which make the people inside Gaza loose their freedom. Freedom is a basic human right.
Our boat was confiscated by the Israeli army on international waters near the Gaza coast. We were put in prison and then sent back to our countries.
This song was composed during the journey and all the women onboard contributed towards the lyrics.
The video that I have submitted was recorded at a later journey in 2018 when I sailed solo on the Atlantic Ocean.
Song Title: Women’s Song for Gaza
Women’s Song for Gaza – Emma Ringqvist
We anchored up and sailed out from the shore of Spain
On our boat Zeytuna Olive, that’s her name
And olive is the symbol of a far away place
To which we steer our course across the waves
We are thirteen women here to sail with peace in our hands
Towards our sisters in this foreign land
From many different corners of this world we have come
To bring to you the freedom of a song
[Chorus]
We will sail for your freedom, our sisters in Palestine
We will never be silent until you are free
We are guided by the light of the stars at night
And the power of the sea so very bright
As the world is watching us we bring our women’s voice
With a message that we all should have a choice
Your grandmothers they planted olive trees
Upon this land were you should live in peace
Those trees of a thousand years they have been dug away
May your daughters plant new seeds and watch them stay
[Chorus]
We will sail for your freedom, our sisters in Palestine
We will never be silent until you are free (x2)