Tapestry

Salman Ahmad and his band Junoon perform an irresistible blend of rock and qawwali. Their lyrics are in Urdu, inspired by the mystical branch of Islam ... Sufism. Junoon is the most popular rock group in South Asia, with sales of over 30 million. In his memoir, Rock & Roll Jihad, Salman Ahmad describes his fight to bring down the wall between east and west, and to overcome the barriers of fundamentalism to bring cultures together through music.

Dr. Francis Collins is the geneticist who directed the Human Genome Project mapping DNA, which he calls the "first glimpse of our own instruction book, previously known only to God."

According to Patricia Pearson, about fifty percent of the bereaved sense the presence of the dead. Her book is called, Opening Heaven's Door: What The Dying May Be Trying to Tell Us About Where They're Going.

When asked for a short bio, Bryan Stevenson offered up these 7 words: "Broken by poverty, injustice, condemnation. But hopeful." It's a powerful description, if a little too modest. Other people have called him: Atticus Finch meets Martin Luther King.

In our new COVID-19 world, decisions that were once easy — going to the park, visiting friends and family — are suddenly more complex and morally fraught. Philosopher Alice MacLachlan and moral psychologist Azim Shariff offer some ethical guidance. Plus, a new addition to our Soundtrack for the Soul.

Frodo Baggins, Odysseus, Dante. Three characters on epic, dangerous quests. According to scholar Joy Clarkson, reading stories like theirs can inspire strength and courage in people during hard times. Plus, we check in with BC salon owner Tanya Sullivan — before and after the pandemic shutdown — and discover what music is keeping her afloat.

In the Before Times, Mary Hynes and Brian Goldman were work pals. We called Dr. Goldman to talk about our Soundtrack for the Soul — the playlist of songs giving people life right now — but the script went out the window and the two started talking from the heart. Blue Jays announcer Jamie Campbell has been calling elderly fans during the pandemic to ward off loneliness… and the human connection has fortified Campbell and fans alike. When Nehal El-Hadi gave birth to her first child, she instinctively reached for the sandalwood oil, to anoint her baby and build a connection with her Sudanese culture.

Korean boy band BTS has legions of devoted fans known as ARMY. In her documentary, CBC producer - and self-professed ARMY - Jane van Koeverden explores why the connection between BTS and its fans is so deep. Hint: their loyalty is based on much more than just catchy music. Escape room owner Ibrahim Faruqui talks about the importance of play during the pandemic. Stan Halbesma, owner of a rural Manitoba grocery store, offers music for the soul.

We revisit an unforgettable interview from 2006 with journalist Randall Sullivan as part of our Tapestry@25 celebrations. Sullivan began investigating purported miracles — sightings of the Virgin Mary — as an assignment for Rolling Stone magazine. It took him from a trailer in Oregon to the hillsides of Medugorje and eventually led to a harrowing chapter of his life… that turned him from a skeptic to a believer. Plus a new addition to Tapestry’s Soundtrack for the Soul.

Shortly after the COVID-19 pandemic began, Dene artist and activist Melaw Nakehk’o packed up her three sons, left their home in Yellowknife, and set up camp with her parents along the Dehcho River. She says physical distancing in town left her feeling disconnected, but isolating on the land for five weeks gave her family an opportunity to reconnect with their traditional way of life. Khristi Lauren Adams is an ordained Baptist minister and youth advocate who has devoted her life to working with young black women and girls. She says they often struggle with the belief they can’t be anything but fierce. She works to help them feel ‘seen’ and cultivate their self-acceptance.