Fez Festival of Sufi Culture - Day Two Review

The evening concert was from the Tariqa Boutchichiya

The first Round Table of the Fez Festival of Sufi Culture was attended by just over one hundred people at the Medersa Bouananiya. The topic was Sufism: a paradigm for Civilisation

The standout speaker at the morning Round Table discussion was the Franco-Tunisian scientist Inès Safi. Born in 1967, Inès Safi is a  researcher at the French National Center for Scientific Research in Theoretical Physics.

Inès Safi

Inès Safi is an impressive women with wide interests and outside of academia is involved in a renewed reflection on the relationship between science (the philosophy of quantum mechanics) and religion. Her other main interest involve the place of women in Islam and inter-religious dialogue. Her work centres on an integral vision imbued with Sufism. In a male professional environment, Inès Safi's profile is surprising. And if Islam is frequently criticised for having a complicated relationship to rationality ... and to women, then Inès proves that one can be a woman, a Muslim, and achieve the  pinnacle of scientific research - without denying anything of her faith.

The afternoon round table was on Sufism and the Feminine.

The panel itself was proof enough that Sufism benefits from the presence and input of women.  The powerful lineup included (among others) Salamatou Sow a sociolinguist and anthropologist from Niger and who works on the Fulfulde language. Singer Françoise Atlan, Others on the panel were, Leila Anvar, Carole Latifa Ameer and the impressive Franco-Tunisian scientist Inès Safi.

Leila Anvar and Salamatou Sow

Carole Latifa Ameer and Françoise Atlan

Once again there was no available translator or even programme notes for English speakers. A Swedish couple from Malmo pointed out to The View from Fez, that even a little English would have been a great benefit. "Don't they understand that for most Europeans and Scandinavians, English is our second language."

Evening Concert - Tariqa Boutchichiya

The Boutchichiyya Brotherhood are from the small town of Mardagh, near Berkane, in north-eastern Morocco and has become an important pilgrimage destination. The sheikh is Sidi Hamza el Qadiri el Boutchichi and the brotherhood is active in many countries, particularly in the UK.

The Boutchichiyya are an offshoot of the Qadiriyya tariqa, one of the oldest Sufi orders, which was brought to Morocco (initially to Fez) by the descendants of the two sons of ‘Abd al-Qadir in the 16th Century. The Boutchichiyya take their name from the 18th Century sheikh Sidi Ali al-Boutchichi, a Qadiri who was given the title “al-boutchichi” because he used to serve “cracked wheat” (bou tchich) to the poor who came to his zawiya.

.The Brotherhood of the Samaa Qadirya Boutchichiya performs a sacred music, and produces a spiritual state "where celestial music becomes audible," says Moroccan musicologist Abdelfettah Benmoussa. "It combines the primordial sound and the absolute divine word. Through the practice of Samaa, it becomes possible to experience the depths of being in universal harmony".

The Tariqa Boutchichiya have been at the forefront of a genuine revival of Sufism. Sidi Hamza Qadiri Boutchich, descendant of Moulay Abdelqader Aj Jilani, is a "Living Master" of the contemporary teachings of Sufism. The Brotherhood produced this revival under the leadership of Sheikh Al Haj Al Sid 'Abbas, then his son and successor Sidi Hamza. This renewal is distinguished by its ability to adapt to the changing socio-cultural contexts of our time.

The Brotherhood are a purely vocal group and the Boutichichiya are blessed with some extraordinary voices. Among the various munshid (soloists) in the group, there were a number of virtuosic singers.

The music differs from most Moroccan forms in that there are interesting hints of the eastern-Arabic macam modal system in their music. At different times different munshid would take solo parts, called mawwal, a form of improvised singing where they use poetry and improvise melodic passages using words that they have written in front of them. All the singers had a great command of the macam and mawwal.

The power of the samaâ was evident from the first note they sang - the familiar refrain of La illaha illah Allah (there is no god but God) - through until the last. While many in the large audience sang along, others simply swayed in time, internalising the moment. The harmony singing was a delight and the presence of so many talented young followers suggests that the Boutichichiya will continue to thrive for years to come.

For first time visitors to the festival, here are some background on Sufi music from Philip Murphy, anthropologist and music-ethnologist at the University of California

Sufism is very focussed on the prophet Mohammed. Muslims are also, but Sufism tends to prophet centred. A lot of the poetry in samaâ is about the prophet, for example, al-Burda – the name means 'poem of the mantle' or 'of the cloak'. It was written in the 11th century by Imam al-Busiri and forms part of a vast body of literature in praise of the Prophet that emerged from an Islamic culture where seeking knowledge of him was encouraged.

In writing al-Burda, or Qasida Burda, Imam Al-Busiri acknowledges the shortcomings of describing the Prophet in the poem itself.

He is like the sun, small to the eye when seen from afar,But when glimpsed close up. It dazzles and overwhelms.al-Burda

The word tariqa in the name of a group, such as Tariqa Qadiriyyaq Boutchichiya, literally means ‘the way’. In this context it means the Sufi way, literally a path, a road, which, when applied to Sufism will relate to a specific order, but they think of it as the way to God. A lot of Sufis will say there are many paths, and this is our path.

Much of what is performed is known as samaà - a form of Sufi music, and the literal translation from Arabic is audition, to listen or to hear, but with spiritual connotations. It also refers to a ritual taking place in the zawiya, Arabic for the corner of a Sufi house or meeting place, which could be attached to a Mosque, and which would indicate that the original samaâ used to meet in a corner.

Samaà is something that happens in the zawiya but is now becoming part of these cultural festivals. As Faouzi Skali explained, the evening was one of community prayer, not a performance. This is what adds intensity to the experience as it is never really a performance for outsiders, more for the Sufi’s themselves, but has now become a staged thing that has entered the world music market and festival circuits. It seems that it is a very personal celebration between the group themselves but it has also taken on the modern role as a public performance of what they do. There are some differences, for example with the Moroccan-Andalusian style there will usually be some kind of orchestra, but in the zawiya the typical way of doing it is without instruments, so it’s often just vocalising.

The samaâ isn’t really considered singing, it’s more melodic vocalising. It has been called chant, but it can be translated in different ways. The word is inshad in Arabic, which can be translated as chant or melodic vocalising, it’s distinct from singing, which has other connotations. To our ears it is very melodic and the melodic rules, the ways that you develop melody, are similar for both, but it has to do with place, time and the role of music, it’s so very difficult to give an exact definition.

A blind eye is better than a blind heart - Kharaqani

Tomorrow at the Festival
10am - 12 at Medersa Bouananiya - Round Table - El Andalouse a crucible of mystical encounters and the influence of d'Ibn Abbad
4.30 to 6.30 Medersa Bouananiya - The Mausoleums of Timbuctu
8.30pm Jnan Sbil Gardens - Leila Anvar with mystic poetry followed by Tariqa Sqalliya
Festival weather tomorrow. Fine with a top of 28 degrees Celsius. Night temp - 16 degrees

Buy a ticket online " Ticket Sales"

The View From Fez is a Festival Media Partner

SHARE THIS!