Roots and Heritage

This week-end I took a trip to my roots and heritage through music. I consider myself very rich... Rich of the traditions and the extraordinary culture of my country of origin, Morocco. I'll try here to take you on a musical trip to Morocco. I classified the music by genre. Sacred and Religious Music We have different "genres" of music in Morocco, but it all starts with our muslim identity. Morocco is a moderate muslim country. The Qr'an is our source of legislation. Allah (God) is omnipresent in all our institutions and down to the very ordinary gestures in our daily lives. It seems that all we do is in the name of Allah. B'ism Allah (in the name of Allah) dots our language at each task we begin. Either it is to begin a meal (talk about a short and sweet grace ! 3 words and we're all set... smile...) or we start the engine of our car for a trip to the grocery store, we say "B'ism Allah". In the following link, a group made exclusively of women perform a "Hadra". It's a praise to Allah. As often seen in women performances, they begin by singing A Capella, then they use their percussions to rythm their incantations. These women are from the North of Morocco (near Spain), they are from the mountains of the Rif, the Chaouen region. People from that region are very famous for their fierce character and their proudness. In times of war, they are fearless, extremly courageous combatants. In Morocco we say we'd better have them as friend rather than ennemies. Like all the Moroccan, they are also very attached to their traditions and culture. Clic on the video link (on the word "Play", and you may need to hold the "control" key while you clic on it) on the following link to enjoy a most extraordinary "Gospel" performed by Ensemble Akhawat el Fane el Assil, under the direction of Rahoum Bekkali (dressed in a mustard-yellow outfit and an orange scarf). http://www.mondomix.com/fr/videos.php?artist_id=1215&reportage_id=2801

The following video is also an exclusively feminine group "The Roudaniyates", from south of Morocco this time, chanting (first A Capella then with percussions) Allah, asking him to take good care of them in their daily lives of women. These women are from the very known tribe of "Houariyat", in the south of Morocco, between the towns of Taroudant and Tiznìt (populated by berbers, know in morocco as "Chleh").

http://www.mondomix.com/fr/videos.php?artist_id=872&reportage_id=1737

There are other confessions in Morocco than the muslim one. They are in minority number wise, but nontheless a very important part of our country's identity. Which brings me to make you discover an other religious tinted kind of music and songs, the jewish one, through the andaluz melodies of our very famous moroccan sepharade jew artist, Emil Zrihan. Quoting him will give you an idea of what his artist work is all about and it'll be better than me trying to explain.

As a singer I act as a bridge betwenn the arab and the jewish culture. We always lived together, ate together and sang the same songs together. And suddenly we find ourselves in a fight for the same peace of earth. It is bizarre and that fight is not what we want to do.

Clic on the link below to enjoy some of this great moroccan artist melodies, (clic on the "video" link on the page, holding the "control" key).

http://www.mondomix.com/fr/videos.php?artist_id=894&reportage_id=1805

Clearly Tribal Music

There are very different tribes and most of them have very distinctive cultures. Even languages are different from a region (a tribe) to an other. The clothing, the language, the everyday life and of course the music almost makes us wonder sometimes if we're still in the same part of the globe. That's also Morocco ! All its regional distinctive cultures.

In the south of Morocco, there's Marrakech and then the desert of Sahara. My grand-mother (on my mother's side) is from there. My grand-father (mother's side) is "Chelh" (Berber) from the low mountains. And my father is "arabic", meaning he's not from a tribe but a descendant of the arabs (Middle East and Persia) who invaded North Africa, Spain and part of France several centuries ago. Such a mixture of genes in my sibblings and me. We're 8 sisters and brothers and all very different looking physically. It always suprised our french friends so much we could all be sibblings and so different physically.

From the far south of Morocco, here's a performance of the Ensemble Samaa Sahraoui. You will notice how witty is that beautiful dancer. She removes her veil for few seconds for the men to see her hair (very indecent !!!!). I mean, really ! Did she need to remove her veil to show her hair ? Her face is such a beautiful one she just as easily charmed us all without us seeing a single hair of hers.

http://www.mondomix.com/fr/videos.php?artist_id=864&reportage_id=1722

But the most reknown tribal music of Morocco is without a doubt the "Gnawa" music. I've been at Gnawa performances and I've seen countless people enter in real transe just listening and dancing on the Gnawa music. SylviaLynn, who listened to it yesterday, told me it sounds like a "voodoo" music and she's right. No wonder Jazz artists are very attracted to Gnawa (Louisiane heritage musicians, voodoo... see where I'm going?).

Gnawa bands are usually exclusively men. A woman is a rare exception in a Gnawa band. In the following video, you'll have a glimpse of the night life in the mystic town of Essaouira on the edge of the Atlantic. As well as the performance of one of the most famous Gnawa Maâlem (Maâlem = Master), El Mokhtar Guinea. You'll notice how much Morocco culture lefts no doubt about its african roots.

http://www.mondomix.com/fr/videos.php?artist_id=1198&reportage_id=2757

Tomorrow, I'll post about the classical music in Morocco as well as our "Popular" music, the kind that sells thousands of CD.