Imenza Tilelli : A Breath of Fresh Air to the Amazigh Modern Music Style

http://www.moroccoworldnews.com

Music is among the most powerful means of expression and human communication. It has been so since antiquity. It is a thorough and exhaustive accumulation of human civilization and culture.
Moroccan music ranges and differs in style and language thanks to the country’s cultural diversity and according to the various geographical areas in the country. The musical style prevalent in the southeast of Morocco developed from various genres and styles, in particular, Ahidus which characterizes the whole region. However, the modern Amazigh style is subversive in all its facets.
Before the rise of the modern Amazigh music style, there were some distinguished singers in the southeast region, but their experience was very limited to singing in weddings and occasionally participating in festivals. Their instruments were very traditional, mostly using the Lutra, a plucked string instrument of four strings usually played with a pick, and tambourines. With only these two instruments, a band would create lively music.
The unique experience of the band of Mohamed Mallal, known in the art scene as Moha Mallal, enriched the Amazigh world of music. He contributed to the transition of the Amazigh song from traditional style to modern creativity. In 2007, he won a prize for best modern Amazigh song.
With the beginning of the 21st century, the modern Amazigh music style has emerged widely on the art scene in the form of groups that have broken local boundaries, and that have boosted the reach of this art to a global level. Fed by democratic ideas and global human values, songs often treat many socio-cultural issues, for example marginalization, poverty and social justice.  Their singers believe in art as an expressive way of rejecting these situations and a civilized way to make known the Amazigh cause.
The music is based on very modern musical instruments, primarily guitars and other accompanying instruments like the harmonica, flute, violin, drums, and tambourines. Most of the members of the modern bands are educated; however, very few have been to the conservatory. They autonomously studied music theory and spent large amounts of time practicing. With their determination and hard work they participated in national festivals along with very famous professional artists, supported by large audiences.
The band of Imenza, originally from Goulmima, or Tizi N Imnayen as Imenza loves to call their city, is among the pioneering groups that have embraced the Amazigh modern style. They started their professional career very early in high school when their performances were limited to social evenings organized by some local associations and those held by the Cultural Amazigh Movement in universities.
The founder of the Imenza is Mohammed Oumani who with the help of his friend Fouad, famous in the art scene as Foue, were able to publish their first album in 2006, including six songs written by the poet Omar Derouich, and a second album released in 2009. Both albums were very successful and Imenza has gained a large following.
Moha, the leader of Imenza, has taught the basic elements of guitar to many people among them are the distinguished Amazigh singer and guitarist M’bark (may his soul rest in peace) the founder of Saghrou Band, and Moha’s brother Zakar, who is a very skillful guitar soloist in Imenza.  Moha, while studying English at the University of Moulay Ismail, Meknes, gained broad knowledge about human civilization. His songs have transcended the regional and local boundaries and his fan base continues to spread.
By Larbi Arbaoui
Morocco World News
Taroudant, Morocco, December 23, 2011

Communal Lands In Morocco: Ambiguity of Local Customs and Intransigence of the Beneficiaries

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Communal land, know in Morocco as Aradi Aljoumou or Aradi Assoulalia is a form of collective property ownership.  This land represents a very significant amount of property in Morocco with an area of approximately 12 million hectares that is one third of the area of agriculture, pastor, and forest of the public space, located in 48 provinces.
This territory of such importance is governed by a law that goes back to the colonial period, specifically to the law “Dahir” of April 27th, 1917 of which some of its articles were modified in 1963. However, these amendments did not affect the essence and philosophy of the old law.
Originally, the large territories were owned by certain tribes, Jamaat Soulaliat, and exploited for grazing and agricultural activities in accordance with strict local norms.  The law, “Dahir” of 1919 states that no decisions are to be taken in regard to this land without the approval of the ministry in charge. It is neither for sale nor for private ownership, but for the benefit of all the right holders collectively.
Being governed by complicated local norms, this land often becomes the subject of disputes in courts between the adjoining tribes claiming their collective ownership. Disagreement sometimes takes violent forms without arriving at solutions acceptable to all parties. These disputes remain a stumbling block for investment, local development and to poor people seeking to secure housing for  their families and relatives.
As a result of the great economic expansion in Morocco during the past decade, adding to the growing need for the private use and personal investments of this collective communal land, serious attempts and willing procedures have been taken to divide fairly the territory among the right holders.
Some tribes have successfully distributed their property without having confronted any obstacles. Others are still struggling to come up with ways to satisfy all parties in disagreement.  Needless to say that the procedures in settling such a complicated issue are not that simple for several reasons.
Among the problems raised when people in charge try to draft a list of right holders among the aboriginal inhabitants of the tribe in point are: first, they find it challenging to determine right holders as a result of inter-tribal marriages. Second, some people really have the right to benefit from this legacy but as they have been away from their original tribes for a long time, voices are raised calling to exclude them from maintaining a share in this communal land.
Third, in some tribes women are said to be of less ability, and thus are treated as inferiors to men when distributing the land, therefore, they were given only halftheir rightful share. Finally, the most complicated problem hindering the distribution of the communal land among right holders are disputes over borders between adjoining tribes. Every tribe claims the land to be theirs based on some old charts or evidence they consider to be authentic.
People in charge must bear full responsibility to involve all right holders with equal shares irrespective of their gender, ethnicity and age. For everyone of theses categories contributed somehow in the daily socioeconomic activities of the tribe in question. Women have, as it is clear to everybody who has been even once to the countryside, a vital contribution to the well being of their families. For this reason and for the sake of being democratic they should have equal shares as men.
To ensure that everyone benefits from this collective property, we appeal to the conscience of all interveners to contribute honestly in handling this issue.
By Larbi Arbaoui
Morocco World News
Taroudant, Morocco, December 18, 2011

Ashura: a day of joy and sorrow

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The Muslim world celebrates the Day of Ashura today December 5^th, the tenth day of Muharram in the Islamic calendar. Originally a Jewish celebration, this ceremony marks the Jewish tradition of fasting on the tenth day of Muharram to commemorate the rescue of Moses from Pharaoh.  In Sunni Islam the celebration also is tied to Moses:  Where prophet Mohammed advised his fellow Muslims to fast the ninth and tenth day or the tenth and eleventh day of Muharram also to honor the deliverance of Moses.

For the Shia Muslims, Ashura is a day of sorrow and mourning remembering the grandson of the prophet Mohammed, Hussein Ibn Abi Talib, whom was martyred in the Battle of Karbala around thirteen centuries ago.
In some Sunni countries like Morocco, the commemoration has grown beyond its religious roots into a festive and enjoyable day.  Moroccans  prepare delicious meals made specifically to celebrate Ashura.  One of the traditions is to keep the tail of the sheep of ‘Eid Al Adha’ until Ashura, and use it along with sun dried meat called “kurdas” inMorocco’s famous dish of couscous.  Kurdas contains liver, fat and lots of spices, wrapped around the stomach and tied tightly with the small intestines then stored in an open sunny place to dry.
In the Moroccan city of Goulmima there is a large street festival where  people celebrate Ashura by wearing costumes, different skins of sheep and goats, and scary looking animal masks.  In the Berber tradition, the costumed people are referred to as “Udayen n Ashur,” the Jews of Ashura.  With only tambourines and handclaps, “Udayen n Ashur” creates lively music, performances of acrobatic dancers.  Everyone sings and dances with amusing variations on the songs, until very late into the night.
Another Ashura tradition is throwing water at one another.  This is another very common tradition in Morocco, especially if Ashura comes at the end of a hot spring or summer day. Moroccans are showered from head to toe whenever they’re caught outside.  The Arabic speaking regions call this tradition “Zamzam.” The Berbers have a different name for each of the three days of Zamzam:  The first day is “Bou Isnayen” the second, “Bou Imerwasen” and the third is, “Bou Imrazen.” These are translated as “the day of throwing water,” “the day of repayment,” and finally “the day of fight.” On any one of these days, if water is thrown at a person, they have the right to throw stones back.
On Ashura, children move from house to house, singing rhyming songs and collecting money and sweets. The songs are often prayers or offers of praise for kind and generous people.  As a child, I always looked forward with overwhelming happiness to Ashura.  The day before, my friends and I would prepare Ashura clothes and long necklaces from shells of the dead snails. When traveling from house to house, one of us used to lay down in a neighbors’ door and pretend to be dead while the rest sang sorrowful mourning songs personalized for each house, for example:  ‘Oh! Mr. Lmakki, our friend has tragically passed away, if only you could bring him back to life, we would give you almonds and henna for your kids.”  Nearly all the houses would offer us eggs, dates, almonds, and sometimes even money.
By Larbi Arbaoui
Taroudant, December 5, 2011

“Don’t Count Your Chickens before They Are Hatched”

published in Morocco World News

Taroudant, November 30, 2011
The image of Moroccan news reporter, Nadia Lyoubi, wearing the hijab (veil) while reporting on the results of Morocco’s elections went viral on the internet. In a few minutes thousands of Facebook users shared this picture on their walls. Some of them interpreted this occurrence as the results of the victory of the PJD and the ensuing adaptation of 2M executives to the religious orientation of the new government. Nidal Chebbak, Morocco World News’ reporter in Fez, wrote a story about the sudden appearance of Nadia Lyoubi, raising a couple of questions about the reasons lying behind it.
I think that Moroccans are certainly not naive to that extent of feeling satisfied and rejoiced by seeing on their TV screens a news reporter wearing the hijab. They will not be easily misled by a superficial change, though unlikely to occur, in the costumes and clothes of news anchors and reporters.
In fact, grooming and appearance of the broadcasters and news reporters is the last thing that interests Moroccans. Not because Moroccans do not care about clothes and elegance, but they are more preoccupied with all that is most important. We have seen in the most popular TV channels of other Arab countries that broadcasters and news reporters have different styles of dress, but still they are renowned for credible content and professional presentation.  This is what Moroccans are longing for; TV channels that respect and consider their intellectual abilities, and reporters that provide them in real time in up-to-the-minute news.
Moroccans will call it a change in media once they see varied programs and TV shows that meet their needs, and respect their diversity and socio-cultural identity. Moroccans from all stripes of life need independent media in its various forms such as radio, television, newspapers, magazines and the internet.  They are hungry for media that is free of influence of government or corporate interests; media that provides quality, unbiased coverage of the economy, health, development, education and other issues that touch the interests and main concerns of common people.
To attribute the appearance of news reporter Nadia Lyoubi, on 2M to the legislative election results and victory of the Party of Justice and Development (PJD) is to believe that 2M knew ahead of time the results of the elections. It was an all too quick judgment to suggest that as a result of the election of the moderate Islamist party, 2M executives decided in a blink of an eye to modify their firm policy, which forbids reporters to appear on the TV screen wearing the hijab, in order to be consistent with the orientations of the Party of Justice and Development.
I strongly support the fact that media should be unbiased and free from the influence of government regardless of who is in authority.
I do not think that the PJD will consider it a priority to change the clothing habits of  news reporters. The main priorities of the new government will be rather to address the acute social and economic problems of Morocco, least of which are unemployment, corruption and nepotism, to name a few.
In the press conference after the announcement of his party’s victory, Benkirane was quick to convey reassuring messages to those Moroccans who fear possible interference by the party in people’s life. In this regard, the PJD Secretary General said that nobody should fear his party. Its intentions are to improve the day-to-day life of the Moroccan people. Benkirane also made sure to send a reassuring message to the West when he stated that his government intends to build balanced relationships with Morocco’s western partners. Moroccans who entrusted the PJD with leading the new government may see in this party the ‘superman’ that will solve the complicated economic, political and social issues that the country is facing.
When I read Mr. Abdelilah Binkiran’s statements, I suddenly recalled a Berber pithy proverb that has the English counterpart as follows: «Don’t count your chickens before they are hatched». Simply put, expect no more than a usual government but this time with a fierce opposition.
I am neither pessimistic nor do I underestimate the statesmanship and diplomacy of the Party of Justice and Development. I am totally aware of the national and international challenges that are awaiting the party of Mr. Abdelilah Benkirane.