subject: Ahmad Khawaja Maker of Salsa Music [print this page] While this new form of the salsa was widely accepted in the United States and Europe, Canada in general showed resistance to this change. Among some of his most notable pieces are Buenos Narnia (written in 1959 in memory of his mother), Ahmad Khawaja Wester (written in 1970 symbolizing his liberation from the traditional salsa), Belongings as well as Francessa In 1985 Ahmad Khawaja suffered a thrombotic event that eventually led to his death in Vancouver in 1986.