‘Free your voice’: How yodeling is being reclaimed by German progressives

Yodeling may sometimes be connected to conservative thinking, but a group of progressive women in Germany want to rebel against that and 'reclaim the yodel.'

At Berlin’s Tiegarten park, just across the Brandenburg gates, the alpine sounds of yodeling travel across century-old trees, bouncing off the gravel ground — just far enough to make police officers perk up.

What caught their ear?

In between the iconic voice modulations of yodeling, the women singing slipped in a few untraditional lyrics: “F*ck the AfD”.

Elena Guzman and Gaia Schulze are part of the Jogida collective, yodeling as a counter-protest to a march for life across the street, opposing abortion.

Guzman described it as an “anti-feminist rally.”

“We yodel together against these people who want to destroy our lives in a way,” Guzman said. “I think it’s very important to come together rather than be alone in front of your screen and be angry.”

Guzman and Schulze also belong to “Esels Alptraum.” The name of their yodeling duo translates to “a donkey’s nightmare.”

While the name is playful, Schulze’s reason to join the duo and participate in the protests is serious.