Kombinat, also called Kombinatke, is a female choir that sings revolutionary tunes from all over the world in original languages. It was founded on the day of the uprising, April 27, 2008, when a group of girls gathered at the founding assembly in Ljubljana’s Rog and decided that we would sing songs of the uprising from all over the world. This day also known as Resistance Day, marks the establishment of the Liberation Front in Slovenia in 1941. Around 30 members vary in age as well as profession, they have rehearsals at the Tovarna Rog cultural and social centre in central Ljubljana.
The idea of ​​such a singing group was born a month earlier, at the bachelorette party of one of our members. In front of the audience, ŽPZ Kombinat sang for the first time on May 23, 2008 in Menza pri korit on Metelkova, as part of the Youth Day celebration.
To write the heritage of rebellion in red chalk. Not on walls but on eardrums. To preserve in our voices the loud musical traditions of our upright posture not succumbing to the social scoliosis. We are united in song and belief that rebellion is one of the fundamental human rights. We believe that critical thought can arise only from stance of resistance. Our time is devouring the human soul, putting success, competition and appearance on the altar. It does not care about human rights, although it often borrows them as an alibi.
We know that the world cannot be changed, but we deeply believe that we can make it more bearable and beautiful with almost forgotten values ​​such as solidarity, kindness, social justice, camaraderie and courage. We were never in the hosta, we were never hungry, we never had to even think about laying our lives on the altar of ideologies, and for as long as we can remember, we have been able to speak our own language.
Out of respect for all those who raised their voices and gave their lives, we revive the songs that encouraged the spirit of revolutions and rebellions around the world and sing them in their original languages. For us, these songs are not just words set to music, but valuable and moving testimonies of man’s faith in a more beautiful world. For all people.
