Dar Akrab - opening soon in Moulay Idriss

One has to marvel at the entrepreneurial expertise and energy of Café Clock's Mike Richardson. Not only has he turned Café Clock into one of the most successful venues in the Fez Medina, but now he has taken on a whole new project in Moulay Idriss. Welcome to Dar Akrab!

Until a few years ago the notion of opening a tourist venue in Moulay Idriss would have been unthinkable. As recently as 2005 non-Muslim tourists were advised to leave the small mountain town by mid-afternoon. Staying overnight was forbidden.

However, given the extraordinary beauty of the hilltop town and its proximity to the ancient Roman ruins of Volubilis, Mike Richardson saw the potential to create something special. The result is Dar Akrab - Scorpion House.

The stunning view from the terrace

"Foreigners are warmly welcomed in Moulay Idriss now. From what I can gather the myths about the place being unfriendly come about because the place is so special that the Moroccans wanted to keep it a secret." - Mike Richardson

Dar Akrab will not only offer accommodation but will also operate as a restaurant/café. Given the interesting menu at Café Clock, we can expect the same level of culinary creativity in Moulay Idriss. And it will be in safe hands with cookery writer Tara Stevens, firing up the Moroccan barbecue and teaching guests how to make everything from duck in spiced pomegranate molasses to crystallised rose petals. Tara is well known in Morocco for her delightful cook book, the Clock Book.

Restaurant Dar Akrab is scheduled to open the end of May from 10am until sunset everyday – evening parties can be arranged on a private basis. There will be a traditional outdoor charcoal grill (‘chawaya’) serving barbequed meats, fish and vegetables, sumptuous organic salads, milkshakes, smoothies, Manuel coffee and many other fresh offerings.

Much of the produce will come its very own terraced kitchen garden (‘jnane’).

Additionally, musicians, henna artists, Arabic language classes and dance will be part of the atmosphere.


Managing Dar Akrab will be Robert Johnstone, who, like Mike, is a former maitre d' at the Ivy in London. In an inspired move he will be creating Muslim-friendly cocktails. As he explains, "Alcohol-free, but full of bright colours and glitz. We're going to bring in a bit of glamour."

 You can contact Dar Akrab, on +212 535 637855, cafeclock.com.

Marrakech bomb has all the hallmarks of al-Qaida - Moroccan Interior Minister

According to Taib Cherqaoui, Morocco's interior minister, the Marrakech bombing has all the hallmarks of an al-Qaida attack

16 people have died and 25 people were injured, 14 of them hospitalized.

The bomb was triggered remotely and packed with nails. Some were found at the scene of the blast, others in the bodies of victims, Cherqaoui said.

"The manner reminds us of the style used generally by al-Qaida," Cherqaoui said. "And this leads us to think that there is a possibility of more dangers to come."

No one has claimed responsibility for Morocco's deadliest attack since 2003.

Marrakech Blast - Latest Update

"We worked for more than an hour, maybe less, on the hypothesis that this could eventually be accidental. But initial results of the investigation confirm that we are confronted with a true criminal act." - Moroccan government spokesman Khalid Naciri

UPDATED (twice) FRIDAY 29th

TOLL NOW REACHES 16 DEAD - Also among the dead, a Dutch National. Two other Dutch citizens —a man and a woman—were seriously wounded in the attack accpording to the Dutch foreign ministry official Christophe Kamp. Two Canadians are also reported to have died.

Israel’s consul in Shanghai, Jackie Eldan, confirmed on Friday morning that a Jewish couple from Shanghai was murdered in Thursday’s terror attack at a café in Marrakesh, Morocco.

The two are 30-year-old Israeli Michal Weitzmann Zikri and her 32-year-old husband Mas'oud Zikri, a native of Morocco. The two traveled to Morocco with their son to visit Mas'oud’s family. They left the baby with his grandmother and went to Marrakesh, where they lost their lives. Earlier it was reported that the woman was in the fourth month of pregnancy.

Since the blast in the Argana Cafe at 11.55 this morning, there have been numerous conflicting theories circulating as to the cause of the blast. While the consensus is that it was a bomb, the method of delivery is still widely debated.

One witness who was inside the cafe but escaped unscathed said: “An individual entered, ordered an orange juice and a few minutes later blew himself up.”

But another witness, quoted by several Moroccan radio stations, said the bomber dropped a suitcase and immediately walked out of the cafe.

Latifa Idrissi, whose husband Yassine Bouzidi, 28, was one of the victims, said the blast occurred on the café’s terrace and badly injured the manager.

A medical source reported five women are among the dead.

Foreigners were among 16 people killed and 23 wounded in Djemma el-Fna in Marrakech in what the Moroccan government described as a criminal act. The toll includes six French nationals, one Briton, five Moroccans and three other foreigners of unknown origin. Confirming that there were French casualties, France condemned the blast as being "cruel and cowardly".

Nicolas Sarkozy, the French president, learnt "with consternation of the terrorist attack," his office said in a statement. "He condemns with the greatest firmness this odious, cruel and cowardly act that has caused many casualties, including French citizens," it said.

Alain Juppe, the French foreign minister, slammed "this barbaric terrorist attack that nothing can justify", calling in a statement for "all light to be shed on this revolting crime, for those responsible to be found, tried and punished".

Asked whether there was any current threat against French citizens in its former North African protectorate, Henri Guaino, Sarkozy's advisor, said France "had nothing in particular to fear in Morocco at the moment. Terrorism is something that we always fear... that reminds us to be extremely vigilant against this terrifying phenomenon,"

According to Liz Gracon, a U.S. public affairs officer based in Casablanca, there were no U.S. casualties from the explosion.

Two residents in Marrakesh who were near the square told Reuters the explosion was carried out by a suicide bomber, but there was no immediate confirmation of this. The first floor of the Argana Cafe bore the brunt of the damage while the ground floor was almost intact.

HM King Mohammed VI, ordered a speedy and transparent investigation into what he described as a “criminal explosion,”.

Security experts said the attack was in line with Islamist militants’ previous attempts—most of them disrupted by security services—to undermine Morocco’s rulers by targeting the tourism industry.

“I heard a massive blast. The first and second floors of the building were destroyed. Some witnesses said they have seen a man carrying a bag entering the cafe before the blast occurred.”- Witness

“Everything was covered in blood. The scene is horrifying, tables were broken and glass was shattered.” - Tarek Bozid, a 33-year-old photographer and Marrakesh resident

An official in the regional governor’s office told Agence-France Presse that initial information suggested that a suicide bomber could have perpetrated the blast.

“We found nails in one of the bodies,” added the official, who visited the hospital where some of the bodies were taken.

And an interior ministry official said that indications pointed to a terror attack on the Argana cafe in the Jamaa el-Fna Square, a favorite haunt of foreign tourists.

The square is recognized by Unesco as a World Heritage Site and it attracts thousands of tourists from inside and outside Morocco every day.

The fallout from the tragedy has been immediate. Morocco’s MADEX Free Float Index (MOSEMDX) slid 1.6 percent, the most since April 1, to 9,694.51 at the 3:30 p.m. close in Casablanca. The measure dropped as much as 3.5 percent earlier today.

Hotel and guesthouse booking agents and travel companies reported cancellations within hours of the blast. The roll-on effect is likely to have a major impact on Marrakech tourism. Other cities, such as Fez, Tangier and Casablanca, are liable to feel some impact but are considered safer destinations for tourists.

BREAKING NEWS - Blast in Marrakech Cafe

According to a Reuters photographer who witnessed the incident earlier today, a blast hurt several people in the Argana Cafe in Marrakesh. The latest reports say that at least 14 people have been killed. The blast took place around 11.55 am. The cause of the blast is still to be clarified.

The scene outside the Argana Cafe

The first response from an official source said the blast appeared to have been caused by gas canisters catching fire inside or beneath the Argana Cafe, in the main Jamaa el-Fna square. The cafe is a popular stopping place with tourists.

A correspondent for the Pan-Arabic television station, Arabiya, reported the incident. Members of Moroccan security forces stated, "We are investigating the possibility that the explosion of a gas tank in the Marrakesh cafe might be an act of terrorism." .

Investigators begin the grim task

A telephone operator at the local emergency services said the explosion appeared to be have been caused by a concentration of gas in the basement of the building. The operator was not authorized to speak to the media. He also declined to give the number of casualties, saying emergency teams were still at the site.

The Reuters photographer said rescue services were pulling casualties from the cafe.

Once security officers had arrived at the site, the story took on a more sinister tone and Morocco's interior ministry said the explosion appeared to be a "criminal act", according to the state news agency MAP.

The Argana before the incident

In a report from Associated Press, a French official in Morocco confirmed there were several casualties in the explosion. The official was not authorized to be publicly named according to government policy.

Witnesses described chaos and panic on the busy square in the Marrakech, a popular tourist destination known for its snake charmers, fire breathers and its old medina. The explosion was first reported at 11:57 a.m local time.

"There was a huge bang, and lots of smoke went up, there was debris raining down from the sky. Hundreds of people were running in panic, some towards the cafe, some away from the square. The whole front of the cafe is blown away," said Andy Birnie,a North Londoner on his honeymoon in Marrakesh.

Reports say that 20 tourists from a number of countries are among those injured in the blast.

"The first collected clues show that this is a criminal act"- MAP

The View from Fez will update this story as news comes to hand.

Moroccan Bluegrass Tour ~ Tangier, Chefchaouen, Fez & Casablanca

If you have ever wondered what a fusion of Bluegrass and Moroccan beats might sound like, well now is your chance to find out.

The concert tour starts in Tangier on May 7 then heads to Chefchaouen for a concert on Sunday May 8. Tuesday May 10 is the date for Fez. The concert in Fez will be held at the Complexe Al Houriya. The final night of the tour will be held in Casablanca on Thursday May 12.

Every concert starts at 8pm and the good news is that admission is free. The tour is sponsored by The American Embassy in Rabat, The American Language Centre, Tangier, Chaine Inter, The Talessemtane Association for the Environment and Development, the Sidi Mohammed Ben Abdellah University and the Theatre Sidi Belyout.

CLICK ON POSTER IMAGES TO ENLARGE.

Towards constitution reform in Morocco: Faouzi Skali

At the closing concert of the Fez Festival of Sufi Culture last Saturday, Festival Director Faouzi Skali read a prepared statement in support of constitutional reform. The statement declared that the Moroccan Al Karama Association for Islamic Culture & Civilisation called for the tenets of the Imarat Al-Mouminine (ie the Muslim nation) to be enshrined in the Constitution.

M Skali affirmed that the Al Karama Association (meaning dignity), which operates within the religious field, supports the stipulations of Article 19 of the Constitution, “the cornerstone of the functions of Imarat Al-Mouminine and the unity of the State, the people and the country” in relation to the current moves towards constitutional reform.

He also confirmed that the Association is insistent upon the constitutionalisation of the fundamentals of the Moroccan civic project that are dependant upon the historic and structural correlation between Imarat Al-Mouminine, the Maleki, the Achaarite doctrine and the tradition of Sufism based on the Qur’an and the Sunna.

Among the Association’s propositions, he continued, is the constitutional reference to Bei’a, or allegiance, which consists of a contractual engagement between Amir Al-Mouminine (the Commander of the Faithful, or HM the King) and the Moroccan people with all its components and institutions.

In the present climate of change it was notable that Faouzi Skali as President of the Association highlighted support for an important proposition: to enshrine in the Constitution the creation of a legally constituted State dedicated to the necessary structures and institutions to support the cultural roots of human rights within Moroccan society.

The Weather in Fez ~ Lurching Towards Summer

The weather in Fez has been a mixed bag lately and that is likely to continue, at least in the short term. Although today is expected to be only partly cloudy and a warm 25 degrees Celsius, tomorrow will be cloudy. There is also a chance of a thunderstorm on Thursday. Temperatures will be cooler - 10 to 23 degrees.

For those wanting a little rain, Friday is your day (9 - 16 degrees) and there is a chance that Saturday will also be cloudy with a chance of rain.

Unfortunately the unsettled conditions will continue into next week. The long term outlook is for much cooler weather with lows of 7 and highs of between 15 and 18. Storms and rain is predicted for Monday and Tuesday.

And the good news? Well, the experts say that there is no chance of snow!  

Update on Protests in Morocco

One of the clear differences between Morocco and other countries where protestors are calling for reforms is that the protests are peaceful. Although thousands of Moroccans nationwide held demonstrations yesterday, they were without violence. Here in Casablanca as in other parts of Morocco the demonstrators are calling for a radical overhaul of the country's governance before a new constitution is unveiled in June by King Mohammed VI.

The march was organized by the Facebook youth movement Fevrier 20. The group said its members would not accept the present draft constitution because it was written by the king's own people. It denounced his decision to refer the new constitution to a committee he appointed.

HRH King Mohammed announced last month he would give up some of his wide-scale powers and more importantly from the demonstrators' point of view, make the judiciary independent.

Here in Casablanca, Fes, Rabat and Marrakech protesters demanded much more and openly rejected the moves.

"We are not believing these speeches anymore. We are tired of this," said medical student Meryum, 17, who did not want to give her full name. "We are telling those who defend these speeches that we are sick of them. We only believe in real people today, like this, in taking part in real politics in Morocco. We are not going to stop until they hear us and get back our lost rights."

AN END TO CORRUPTION

Many believe that bribery in Morocco needs to be tackled before any reforms can actually take place. The central theme of the march - corruption - was reiterated by most groups at the rally.

“Corruption must end and we demand a progressive country,” said protestor Abdelfetah Bahjadi, “This is the people speaking to get our dignity back.”

Morocco was recently ranked the 89th most corrupt country in the world by In a recent report by the respected NGO Transparency International.

Corruption accounts for a loss of about 2% of Morocco's GDP, officials have said. More important, it deters vital foreign direct investment from flowing into Morocco, they say.

Moroccan Jewish cooking: moufleta recipe

Jews of North African origin celebrate the Mimouna festival tomorrow, Monday, the day after Pesach. The colourful festival marks the beginning of spring and a return to eating leavened foods.


Moroccans add moufleta to the Mimouna table. It is prepared on the eve of the Mimouna, with flour bought after Pesach is over. Eat it with butter, honey or jam.

TRADITIONAL MOUFLETA (makes about 40)

1 kg flour
1⁄4 Tbsp. yeast
2 Tbsp. sugar
1 Tbsp. salt
1 Tbsp. vinegar
About 21⁄2 cups water

Place all the ingredients in a large bowl and knead. Cover and leave for 30 minutes. Divide the dough into 4, oil your hands and roll each part into a long “sausage.” Cut into rounds and place on an oiled surface.

Leave to rise for half an hour.

Using your hands, flatten each round as thin as you can. Place a skillet over medium heat. Place the first round on the heated frying pan.

When golden turn over and place the second round on top. Wait about 30 seconds and turn both rounds up-sidedown.

Place a new round on top, wait 30 seconds and turn again. Continue turning and adding rounds until you have a tall pile of 15 moufleta. Serve them warm to your guests and continue with a new pile.

Spread butter and honey on the cooked rounds, roll and serve with mint tea.

In Retrospect - The Fez Festival of Sufi Culture, 2011

The fifth Festival de Fès de la Culture Soufie - The Fez Festival of Sufi Culture - was an overwhelming success. From the opening night concert with Moroccan singer, Karima Skali, through the nights of Samaa to the final concert at the Hotel Jnan Palace, the audiences were large and appreciative. Here is our wrap-up of the Festival.

The focus of the festival was on the female aspects of Sufism and this theme was explored in the 10am and 4pm conferences and round table discussions. The well attended conferences ranged across topics from the female saints of Morocco to the writings of Isabelle Eberhardt.

The only disappointment was the cancellation (due to illness) of Sir Nicholas Pearson and the fact that English is still not employed (with one exception) in the discussions, introductions or the programme. While being aware of budgetary restraints, the large number of English speaking visitors makes English important. The other improvement needed is a more descriptive programme with notes on the various brotherhoods, the name of their leader and so on.

The venue, the Batha Museum courtyard was, once again, perfect, with the sound and lighting of the highest standard. Even when rain threatened, the erection of small tents enhanced the intimate feeling.

The feminine was not as present in the evening events which were more about immersion in and reflection on the spiritual aspects of dhikr and samaa. Too often in presentations such as these, there is a sameness that is discernible, even by the uninitiated. This was not the case at this festival, with every evening having a distinctive tone that made for an exhilerating week of discovery.

The highlights

While many of the locals in the audience had strong affiliations with particular Sufi brotherhoods, without doubt the highlights for almost all visitors were the energy and spectacle of the Tariqa Khalwatiyya. Yet, beyond the spectacle, the power of the devotion at the core of the Turkish dervishes was apparent to all. It was both an exciting and deeply moving event.

Experiencing the power of the Boutchichiyya or the intensity of the other brotherhoods, it would have been difficult to pick a highlight - that is, until the Tariqa Siqilliya entered the courtyard at the Batha Museum.

For those who had not seen this brotherhood before, the glorious polyphonic singing was such a surprise that there was an audible gasp from many in the audience. Not only was the polyphony entrancing, but the voices of those who sang solo lines amidst the chanting, were superb. It was THE stand out event of the festival.

See reviews of the Siqilliya HERE and HERE

A small gripe: please wait until after the last concert before dismantling the Coke fridge and stacking up chairs. This was distracting.

A VISITOR'S PERSPECTIVE

Fitz Morrissey read about the Sufi festival on The View from Fez and decided to visit Fez with a friend. They are both students of Arabic and Islamic studies at Oxford University. Fitz kindly offered to write about his experiences.

Fitz Morrissey and Chris Lyle

A trip to the Fez Festival of Sufi Culture, 2011

When I first decided to visit the Festival of Sufi Culture in Fez, I'd imagined a somewhat low-key affair: a few academic lectures attended by a select group of Sufism enthusiasts, and if we were lucky a recital or two from some real-life Sufis. What we got instead was an extravaganza, a festival in the true sense of the term celebrating all that is good about religion. Here, at the Batha Museum in Fez, was the place to be. Where I had imagined an esoteric gathering came an eclectic group from near and far, some young, some well traversed on the Sufi path. Many were imbued with a sense of deep piety that added to, rather than hindered, their life-affirming outlook. When one told me, "This is the true Islam, not the one you see on the TV," I understood what she meant.

Faouzi Skali's festival at all times reflected Sufism's focus on the harmony between the outward and the inner, on the underlying unity of superficial difference. By day we had the all-enveloping cosmology of Ibn al-'Arabi, biographies of those female saints whom history has suppressed, poetry from Rabi'a, Rumi and Goethe. All, though coming from different backgrounds and writing in different ages, seemed united by a shared appreciation of the power of love in and of God. With every talk my knowledge was broadened and my sense of wonder heightened. Importantly, this was not just staid academia, but a project that needs to be actualised. Sufism is a living reality, and thus a potential vehicle for both the remembrance of God and the betterment of oneself as a human being. It is through festivals such as this that this message of love and tolerance, and especially this year the celebration of women's role in the tradition, can be shared with those whom Sufism was previously unable to reach.

And then there were the concerts. I'd enjoyed al-Kawthar and the Ensemble Ibn 'Arabi, two professional Sufi groups playing music from al-Andalous, enough on the first two days to go home contented there and then. Little did I know that round the corner were the sama' recitals of the Sufi brotherhoods, each unique in its own way, yet all united by a common purpose of the annihilation of the ego. These events were like no other concert I'd ever been to. Here one felt not a member of the audience, but rather part of a congregation, a participant in an ancient ceremony. On Monday night, when the Turkish Khalwatiyya brotherhood whirled, swayed and rocked to the rhythm of their trance-inducing chanting, at times menacing and at others a picture of tranquility, a part of me wished that I too was a Sufi. What's more, every performance, from the Boutchichiya to the Siqilliyya, featured singing and playing of the highest quality. Sama' is ritual, but it's also great music. Every night we saw a different take on the dhikr (remembrance of God) ritual, once more highlighting the rich diversity of Sufi culture. How can we generalize about Islam when so varied are the modes of expression of a Muslim's commitment to God?

The Festival was a real joy to attend, surpassing my expectations, confirming and confounding in equal measure. I saw an outwardly foreign culture to be in fact a resource of common humanity. I met Moroccans, French, Turks, Nigerians and English, all taking something different from each event, but all united by their wish to partake in this spectacular celebration. Faouzi Skali should be lauded for the conception of this project, which everyone I spoke to said gets better year upon year. I certainly hope so, as I'm sure I'll be drawn back to Fez, the perfect setting for this festival of mystical and traditional spirituality, at some time in the future.  -  Fitz Morrissey

ON THE LIGHT SIDE

"Aisha" - The Sufi cat was at every performance.

The devotees added colour and movement

Even during chanting one brotherhood member had time to find the number and then make the call !

OUR CONGRATULATIONS...

To Faouzi Skali on presenting a world class event that leads to greater appreciation of many aspects of Sufi Culture. To his entire team from security through to administration, lighting and sound who made the event a pleasure to attend... and to the visitors from around the world who made the effort to come and join the locals in Fez for a wonderful festival.

To see all our stories on the Sufi Festival CLICK HERE

Photographs: Sandy McCutcheon. Additional photographs: Gerard Chemit.

Fez Festival of Sufi Culture: the final day

AFTERNOON CONCERT AT THE BATHA MUSEUM

Faouzi Skali and Leila Anvar chatting before the concert

Leili Anvar and Renaud Garcia Fons provided an afternoon concert on the final day of the Sufi Festival.

Leili Anvar and Renaud Garcia Fons

Under a threatening sky, Anvar, who is an expert in Persian studies in Paris, recited poems written by women from the 7th to the 20th century. She was accompanied by Renaud Garcia Fons on double bass in a premiere of a work composed by him.

Garcia Fons' work began with a traditional "taqsim" - a melodic improvisation style which usually precedes a composition - with an interesting technique of bouncing the bow on the strings of the bass (known as 'striking'), producing a sound very much like the plucked strings of an oud, albeit of a deeper register. It was an extraordinary introduction.

The poems were beautifully read by Leili Anvar in French.

In the audience Nezha Lyadini and Gerard Chemit

EVENING CONCERT AT THE JNAN PALACE HOTEL

Another premiere for this evening's final concert - and a first for Morocco where male and female voices joined members of the Fez Orchestra for a melange of Melhoun music and Samaa. Melhoun is known as the music of the artisanal brotherhoods - the music of the people, while Samaa is largely classical Arabic music.

The mixture worked - it was a lively concert much appreciated by a very large crowd in the Jnan Palace Hotel, and a fitting end to a most successful Festival. The orchestra comprised violins, a kanoun, oud, daf, drums and a ney flute.

While most of the audience were Moroccans, there were some visitors, too, including author and photographer Gunther Komnick and his wife Lila (pictured above) of the Iziko Museums, Cape Town.

The View from Fez will feature a complete wrap-up of the Sufi Festival tomorrow.
To see all our stories on the Sufi Festival CLICK HERE

The Moroccan Siqilliyya Brotherhood - a review

The View from Fez is in debt to Fitz Morrissey for the following review. Fitz was a recent visitor to Fez and wrote about the Sufi Festival on his blog: Fez Festival of Sufi Culture

Sama’ concerts end in style with the Siqilliyya

Review by Fitzroy Morrissey, student in Arabic and Islamic studies at Oxford University.


I should probably have learnt by now to expect the unexpected, when it comes to the sama’ ceremonies of the various Sufi orders. Last night we were privileged by the company of the Moroccan Siqilliyya brotherhood, who had been chosen as the last order to perform at this year’s festival. Like the Wazzaniyya the evening before, they began with a procession to the stage, to the sound of “la illaha il Allah”, and remained seated there for most of the evening. It is about here, however, that the similarities end.

The origin of the Siqiliyya seems to be shrouded in mystery. A book that I purchased at the beginning of the Festival, Confreries Musuleman au Maghreb (Muslim Orders of the Arab West, which has become s good source of background information on the different orders, is silent on the Siqilliyya. Faouzi told us that they are a Moroccan offshoot of the Turkish Khalwatiyya, the same brothers who so enraptured us on Monday.

Most interesting of all, however, is the theory of Helen Ranger and Sandy McCutcheon on The View From Fez. They suggest that there is a strong Sicilian influence upon the order, hence the name Siqilliyya, from the time when Muslims first ruled, and then lived largely peacefully under Christian rule in Sicily, in the mid-10th to mid-13th Centuries.

This is an interesting and plausible theory, which might explain why the songs of the Siqilliyya were so different from those we had heard on the previous nights. Once again, the diversity of origin and expression of the different orders was truly striking. For me and seemingly for most of the packed out audience, this foreign influence produced the most complete, most melodious performance of all the nights.

Whilst their Turkish Khalwati cousins provided the greatest spectacle, these brothers involved the audience most fully of all the orders. Where the previous evening some who were familiar with the words sang along, whilst others remained overly self-conscious, here a large part of the audience accepted the sheikh’s active to request to join in the chanting of “Allah” and “La illaha il Allah”. Some cried “na’m” or “aywa” (both “Yes!) at breaks in the singing, and regularly bursted into spontaneous, uncontrolled applause after a solo. This reached a frenzy at the end, when hundreds, now standing, crammed together at the front of the stage, rocking and bouncing to the beat, led by Faouzi himself at the front.

Dressed in white robes, and either white caps or red fez, hinting at their Turkish origin, the Siqilliyya certainly responded to Skali’s description his introduction that theirs was a “participative sama’”. Though they had no drums, a strong rhythm was kept throughout, the sheikh directing thongs from the centre with a subtle nod here, a hand gesture there.

Phrases that I picked out as most striking included yet another new take on “la illaha il Allah”, and my favourite of all, the chant:

“Allah, Allah, Allah
Allah ya Mawlana
Allah, Allah, Allah
Bifadlika Kuli.”

~ “God, God, God
God our lord,
God, God, God
Through your grace is everything.”

As the pace to the latter chant grew, the atmosphere grew more
manic, the audience clapping along until the pace slowed considerably right at the moment of climax, as if the brothers were reining in the rapture.

The Siqilliyya brotherhood succeeded in creating by far the most dynamic of the sung-only performances so far. They displayed a complete mastery of their form, at times wild and threatening (particularly when evoking the Khalwatiyya’s guttural “Hu!”), at others peaceful and harmonious. The power of their music seemed to lie as much in the gaps, the moments of silence, as in the moments of greatest noise. What’s more, they made many of us in the audience feel as if we were Sufis for one night only.

News and Views from the Fez Festival of Sufi Culture

For those people searching for information, reviews and the programme for the Fez Festival of Sufi Culture (Festival de Fès de la Culture), we now have a quick link.

2011 Sufi Festival ~ the best yet 

All our Sufi Festival stories can be found here: Festival de Fès de la Culture Soufie

Note: all the photographs can be enlarged by simply clicking on them.

Flashback #2 ~ Fez One Hundred Years Ago

April 22 1911 was the date and the people of Fez were on edge because news had reached them that a large number of visitors were expected in the city. And it wasn't tourists, but a large force of French soldiers. However, it was to be sometime before the French arrived as the countryside was hostile and with very few roads.

The route from Rabat to Fez in 1911

Here is how it was reported at the time:

French Ready to March on Fez

French Colonel Brulard heads to Fez

Although the situation still gives rise to some anxiety it does not yet call for European intervention. A considerable French force is waiting at Rabat to proceed to Fez. It will have to pass through the Shawia country, and a great deal depends upon whether it encounters hostility from the tribes before it is enabled to join forces with the Sherarda mehalla. According to the latest news from Fez, adds Reuter, the Consuls are arranging for the departure and safe-conduct of the European woman and children to the coast should their removal become necessary.

OUR EDITOR NOTES: "In the interest of authenticity we reproduced the text exactly. However, we feel that typographic errors are not a modern curse and that in 1911 the journalist responsible probably intended to write "women" not "woman" as we are assured there was more than one of them in Fez at the time!

Siqilliyya Brotherhood at Fes Sufi Festival

If you thought that another night of samaa was was going to be more of the same, you could not be more wrong. The Tariqa Siqilliyya gave the audience a completely different experience from anything we have had so far at the Fez Festival of Sufi Culture. Leaving the uplifting spiritual power of the evening aside, the vocal work was sensational - and very unusual.

Right from the start, the night was different. With the threat of heavy rain, there had been talk of shifting away from the open-air venue at the Batha Museum. Instead the audience walked into a tented space. This was good thinking on the part of the organisers who had erected a number of tents without markedly restricting the sight-lines of the audience.

From the moment the brotherhood started chanting and made their entrance it became obvious that this was a group capable of performing samaa with great force of intensity. However, it was not until they settled onto the stage that it became clear that this was not the usual samaa.

At first the singing seemed to have echoes of something else - a music from another place. There was no mistaking it; what we were hearing was a subtle polyphony - a texture consisting of two or more independent melodic voices, as opposed to music with just one voice The brother's voices rose and fell, others cut in underneath and the effect was what one might have expected from an early Christian liturgy!

The exact origins of Christian polyphony are unclear, but history tells us it was being used as early as the year 900. It was also widely used in secular music and for that reason was banned by the church in the 14th century. Dissonant clashes of notes was labeled as evil, fueling the argument against polyphony as being the devil’s music. Yet, the musical influence on the Siqilliyya has produced a sound that is truly angelic.

So how did such an influence come to leave an echo in Sufi samaa? The name of the brotherhood may well give us a clue to the answer. Siqilliyya was the Arabic name for Sicily, which was a Muslim Emirate from 965 to 1072. Before this time, Eastern Chistianity had been prominent during the time of Byzantine rule, and even under the Muslim rulers.

A QUICK HISTORY LESSON

During the time of the Emirate, Sicily prospered, with Muslims arriving in large numbers, spreading Islamic civilization to its various cities. Travellers and geographers praised the mosques, palaces, bath houses, hospitals, markets, walls, citadels and ports. In addition to the various new industries like paper, silk, ship building and mosaic industries, they also extracted various minerals such as sulphur, oil, ammonia, lead and iron. They contributed to agriculture and trade and spread the Arabic language and culture. They also absorbed the popular music of the period.

But this tranquility and stability in Sicily did not last long. After the collapse of the Kalbid State (1052) internal conflicts laid it open to conquest, from north or south. The Amirs of Tunis failed to achieve that from the south; but the Normans, rulers of southern Italy, managed to capture Sicily from the north under Count Roger I, ruler of Calabria, who exploited the internal strife among Muslims in Sicily and by supporting Amir Al-Qadir Bi Allah Ibn Al Thamna, ruler of Trapani against his rival Ali Ibn Al Hawwas, ruler of Catania. After nine years of war, Roger managed to gain control of the whole island (1092). Because of these unstable political conditions in Sicily, a large number of its scholars and writers left and settled elsewhere.

Though King Roger I (1093-1101) put an end to Islamic rule in Sicily, he did not harm its Muslim people; on the contrary , he provided them with protection, and recognized their religion and legislation and allowed them their own judges, if they chose. He also allowed them to celebrate their religious occasions in public. In addition, he abstained from participation in the crusades in spite of the Pope's pressure.

Al Sharif Al Idrisi - The Fez connection

Roger II (1101-1154 A.D.) succeeded his father and followed his tradition in protecting Muslims through his influence and laws. An example of the King's tolerance and his love of justice and equality is that he inscribed all Sicilian coins in Arabic, Latin and Greek, the languages used by his citizens. He is also reported to have imitated the Muslims rulers in their loose clothes in a clear indication of his lack of bias. His court in Palermo contained a large number of Muslim poets, musicians and scientists including the major Maghrebi geographer Abu Abdulla Mohammad Al Sabti better known as Al Sharif (the noble) Al Idrisi, being a descendant of the Idrisi Kings of the Maghreb and grandsons of the Prophet Mohammad through Al Hassan Ibn Ali Ibn Abi Talib. Al Idrisi (1100-1154) was fond of travelling to acquaint himself with the conditions in various countries and the customs of their people. When he visited his relatives in Sicily, Roger II invited him to his court and was very hospitable to him.

BACK TO THE MUSIC

The Tariqa Siqilliyya were not only intense and moving to listen to, but their invitation to the audience to participate was taken up with enthusiasm. Their music, no matter what its origins, is clearly very popular as was demonstrated by the many people in the audience who followed every word.

For others this was the first time that they had experienced the power of Siqilliyya, and judging by the overwhelmingly positive response, it will not be the last.

Reporting and research: Helen Ranger & Sandy McCutcheon
Photographs: Sandy McCutcheon

Mosque Collapse in Fez ~ Breaking News

According to neighbours, a mosque has collapsed near Bab Seffer, just outside the Fez Medina. First reports say as many as three people are dead and another nine people are believed to be buried under the rubble.

What is particularly distressing is that this mosque was one of the ones undergoing restoration following the collapse of a mosque last year.

The scene at a mosque collapse last year

The collapse of ancient mosques has happened on several occasions. In September last year, three people were killed in collapse of a mosque roof in Casablanca. Earlier, in March 2010, one person was killed and three others wounded when the dome of the Al-Amal mosque in the town of Zaio in the Nador province in northeastern Morocco collapsed during repairs. The dead man was one of the repair workers.

Also in March 2010, the 400-year-old minaret came down during prayers at the Bab al-Baradeen mosque (also known as the Lalla Khenata bint Bekkar Mosque) in Meknes, killing 41 worshippers and injuring over 80. At the time, following the tragedy in Meknes King Mohammed VI ordered an urgent appraisal of all the country's old mosques.

Looloo is Live in Fez!

Looloo is Alive !  Well, that's what the poster says. But we decided to make sure it was true and so we met up with the singer over lunch at Fès et Gestes. Yes it is all true, not only live, but performing at a venue we thought was dead and buried. Thankfully the Cinema Astor has shrugged off the dust and is ready to rock. Well, maybe not rock, but you can expect Looloo and the Quintet Definitively Soul to bring out some of the great hits of folks like Aretha Franklin, The Temptations, ... for the oldies and Amy Winehouse, Duffy, ... for the new generation.

The dates: Friday the 22nd and Saturday the 23rd. Concert runs from 9 pm to 10:15 pm with a reasonable price of 80dhs and 40dhs for students and under 18.

Tickets for sale at Café Clock, Fès et Gestes, Fez Cafe, Riad Al Bartal as from now or at the cinema one hour before the concert.

Our congratulations to  Cécile at Fès et Gestes for her initiative!