Essaouira: The 2nd edition of the MOGA Festival

After its postponement in 2017 MOGA, the festival of electronic music and culture, is back in Essaouira ... From October 12 to 14, the 2nd edition will take up its winter quarters in various cultural and historic places in the city

Dedicated to electronic music and culture, MOGA will, according to the organisers, thrill festival-goers with rhythms of exceptional concerts and great moments of fusion of music and sharing on stage.

The fans of the pure sound, will be able to appreciate this year artists of a dozen nationalities.

On the bill of this new edition: Rechulski, Rossko, Salome, Seb Zito, Sepp, Solstice, Stavroz, Viken Arman ... Achil, Acid Pauli, Agoria, Amine Dhobb (live), Audiofly, Bas Ibellini, Chaou.B, Daox , Driss Skali, Gescu, Guy Gerber, Hisham (Live), Jan Blomqvist, Jilaa, John Acquaviva, Kate Zubok, Lady Goule, Lunar Disco, Daniel Maher, MAOU, Mr ID, Nathabes, Nicolas Masseyff, Nico Stojan, Nitin, Oceanvs Orientalis (live), Parallells ...and more.

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Morocco's Festival Season Continues

The Moroccan Ministry of Culture and Communication is responsible over the period from April to November of each year, for more than 23 festivals, spread over the different regions of the Kingdom

The festivals aim to present Morocco's heritage in new ways, celebrating the authentic artistic expressions of the different regions of the Kingdom, in order to preserve the national memory, to make known to the younger generations the richness and the diversity of the components of the Moroccan civilisation and to pay tribute to the great names of intangible cultural heritage.

The Ministry of Culture forms partnerships with public institutions, local authorities and civil society organisations in order to contribute to the preservation of the authenticity of this cultural and artistic heritage.

The Volubilis Festival moves to Meknes as music may damage the ruins!

The 9th Volubilis International Festival of Traditional World Music will be held from August 4 to 7 in Meknes under the patronage of HM King Mohammed VI.

The Festival is assisted by the Ministry of Culture, in partnership with the Council of the Fez-Meknes region and the commune of Meknes ,and aims celebrates the music and arts of the world and to act as a bridge for intercultural dialogue and the mixing of musical styles, in a Morocco of cultural diversity and openness to the world.

This 19th edition will, however, be deserting the historical monuments and archeological sites of the city of Volubilis and take place at the  Mohammed El Manouni Cultural Centre and the Place Lahdim in Meknes, because of the harmful effects  on the Roman ruins of the decibels and the vibrations produced by the high volume of music.

The city of Safi is hosting from August 10th to 12th, the "OxyJeunes" Festival under the theme "African cultural diversity at the service of sustainable development"

The theme chosen for this event, married the new vision of King Mohammed VI on African integration, as well as the new ambitions of the Kingdom for an Africa that is distinguished and develops its cultural wealth, says a statement of the association "Young Abir", organiser of this event.

"Festival OxyJeunes" is by far the most important cultural event in the city, at the same time as being a real platform to promote tourist and cultural values.

Artists from several African countries including Benin, Cameroon, Congo, Ivory Coast, the Comoros Islands, and of course Morocco, are expected to share with their culture with the public. OxyJeunes Festival this year is expanding the panel of activities and has introduced in addition to music, comedy and theatre shows, as well as the screening of African films.

The program also includes a children's village that will offer them various entertainment and education activities, a Breakdance and Skate competition, as well as a big carnival that will bring together several hundred Moroccan and African artists, in a single unit.

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TIMITAR FESTIVAL - WHEN AMAZIGH MEETS THE WORLD

The Timitar Festival was born in the Souss Massa region to preserve and promote Amazigh culture both nationally and internationally. This year, from July 4 to 7, 2018, nearly forty artists will perform at the Timitar Festival on the stages of the Place Al Amal, the Theatre De Verdure and the Place Al Wahda

Each edition has staged artists from different cultures, languages, musical genres, ages, gender and levels of recognition and for its 15th edition this mix continues .

The Festival promotes the perpetuation of Amazigh culture and will open with the Rways, these groups of Amazigh musicians mixing poetry, song, lute, ribab, bell, drum and sometimes copper cymbalette. They will be represented by Rayss Bizmaouen, Rayss Belmoudden, Rayssa Keltouma, Fatima Tamanart and others. From traditions to modernism, the festival will also present innovative artists such as Imghrane, Hamid Inerzaf, Toudert, Imdoukal and Oudaden.

The great Cherifa Kersit is not to be missed

Moroccan folk art will be front and centre with Cheifa Kerzit, Hadda Ouakki, Dounia Batma and Chaabi star Zina Daoudia. The festival will also see and hear the troops Rokba Ahl Essalam of Zagora, Ahidous Izouran of the Middle Atlas, Ahwach Argan Tafraout, Ahwach Tagmout, Ahwach Taskiwin, martial dance of the Western High Atlas of Morocco which is registered on the List of Intangible Cultural Heritage in Need of Urgent Safeguarding by UNESCO.

Chaabi star Zina Daoudia

In a more contemporary register, the festival will introduce Aywa, Kasba, Malca and Gabatch Morocco. The diversity of genres means that there are also performances by DJ Kabir Taxi, DJ Missy Ness and DJ Sama.

DJ Missy Ness 

Inner Circle's 50th year celebration at Timitar

Inner Circle, the famous reggae band from Jamaica, will be celebrating theirfiftieth anniversary with its 50 years of performing. Straight from the Middle East, the Lebanese The Wanton Bishops will ignite Agadir, while the 3MA, fresh from the Fez Festival, bringing together the artists Ballaké Sissoko (Mali), Driss El Maloumi (Morocco), and Rajery (Mali), will come to remind us what the musical fusion means .

3NA - Ballaké Sissoko (Mali), Driss El Maloumi (Morocco), and Rajery (Mali),

The list of artists is long, but there is more -  Timitar Off - with round tables, symposia, conferences that will educate and raise public awareness of the preservation of the art and culture  of the Amazigh.

See the full programme here: Timitar Festival

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Cherry Festival in Sefrou

Cherry Festival, Sefrou -  28, 29th and 30th of June, 2018

For three days in June each year, the local population of Sefrou celebrates the natural and cultural beauty of the region, symbolised by the cherry fruit and that year's newly chosen Cherry Queen, selected during a pageant that draws competitors from the region and entire country.

Only 35km southeast of Fez, Sefrou is well worth a visit. Share a grand taxi from the stand just down the hill from McDonald's in the new city of Fez. Sefrou is a small town which stands at an altitude of nearly 1000m, has tree-lined streets and a cool breeze that tends to blow even in the summer. The town has a fascinating history as it was a major stopping point for traders making their way from the Mediterranean to the Sahara Desert. And the town was a melting pot of culture as Jewish Berber Moroccans and Algerians settled there from the 13th century.

Cherry Queen

Local community arts organisation, Culture Vultures says: Our suggestion, from an insider’s experience, is start mid-afternoon at the crafts tents, which are well attended and stocked, then move to the t’bourida area for the early evening and finish at the main stage. Know that music can go on until 3 a.m. and the crowd is usually pretty rowdy and that Sunday day is when things start to pack down.

A word of warning!
At the last festival local Moroccans and visitors alike reported a cynical fund raising scam by Sefrou authorities. Visitors' cars, parked legally, were being towed away and police are demanding as much as 400 dirhams to release them. Hopefully they will not repeat the exercise this year!

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Merzouga Festival 2018 -5th to 8th April

The Merzouga Festival is the place to be for great music in a stunning environment - four days of food, music and nomadic culture

"The nomadic life is more human, and takes into account its environment in a global way. Still today, the nomad puts his life in the hands of nature and considers wandering, traveling, mobility as the only way to establish a link between oneself, the group and the Universe. The nomad is a part of the natural environment, the environment … It goes with the stars, knows the rhythm of the different seasons thanks to all kinds of natural indications …"

Nomadism is above all a link between peoples and species, through the cultures, manners and customs existing on this earth. Nomads are good connoisseurs of nature. They moved according to the seasons, from one stage to another, from one people to another. Over time, they are enriched by different cultures, mystical beliefs, from the perception of heaven and earth, the visible and the invisible.

Merzouga is the default name used to refer to the whole region lying between the city of Rissani and the Algerian border. It includes the villages of Hassi Labiad, Taouz, Khamlia and Merzouga. At the side of the black and rocky desert, red sand rises as far as the eye can see, offering a decoration that keeps changing with the winds and sunlight. It is the Erg Chebbi, an immense set of dunes that are higher than 150 metres. You are at the gateway to the Sahara, the largest hot desert in the world. Welcome to the neighbours of heaven, those whose silence is the greatest wisdom. It is the empire of blue men where smile and hospitality will always prevail. These desert dwellers have a heart as vast as the horizons around them. This place has stopped in time to blend in with the absolute of true beauty, unchangeable, and inexhaustible. His wind seems to tell the origin of Creation. You will find all the simplicity of the world at your feet, and the most distant constellations within reach of your hands.

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The Fes Festival of Culinary Diplomacy

The Fes Festival of Culinary Diplomacy under the theme "Culinary arts, health and wisdom of the world: gastronomy and local cultures of Morocco and elsewhere", will be held from April 19 to 22

"The event will revisit the collective memory of the gastronomic heritage, of a common cultural history. Our ambition is to see how each country tries to expose its gastronomic art, to develop it to the extent that this promotion is the best ambassador there is, "says Oussama Skali, director of the festival.

This 3rd edition will highlight the kitchens of Tunisia and Mexico. During the numerous conferences, artistic performances and evenings (dinners / debates) organised during the festival there will also be music and the arts.

"We have among the speakers Mrs. Gloria Lopez Morales, the president of the World Forum of Gastronomy of Mexico, who has worked to introduce Mexican gastronomy into the UNESCO World Heritage," says the event's leader.

Another renowned speaker is Professor Henri Joyeux. Author of the best seller "Change of Food" Henri Joyeux should interest the festival-goers with his "health passport" approach.

"It is through the aphorism of Jean Anthelme Brillat-Savarin: "Tell me what you eat: I'll tell you what you are ", that we will trace the path of this knowledge," announces Skali. Mirroring with the book: "Cuisine and Dietetics in the Western Medieval Arab", according to an anonymous treatise of the 13th century, this year's festival will reflect on how to integrate into the contemporary political and diplomatic approach , essential cultural dimensions in a perspective of well-being.

Festival-goers will discover the paths by which we are led to both the art of living and that of food. "We can discover a wealth of information full of creativity and common sense in works of medieval Andalusia such as that of Tujibi, in the gastronomic heritage of Morocco in its different cultures, in the Amerindian traditions of Mexico or Peru, in the Ayurvedic Indian tradition, that of Japan related to Shintoism and Buddhism and the dietary and psycho-spiritual advice of Hildegard of Bingen, "says Skali.

Among them are chiefs Christian Tetedoie, Moha, and Najat Kanaache. These cooks will share their knowledge and their art with the public. They will also reinterpret our respective gastronomies in the light of these centuries-old experiences and what we say and propose in science today.

Local products

From April 19th to 22nd, every evening of the festival will be held with a gastronomic dinner accompanied by debates, prepared by one of the chefs in collaboration with small local producers and the Fez-Meknes region. Also, the festival will apply the concept of diplomacy from the kitchen. Chefs from different countries will work together to present their own gastronomy, but also to create joint creations.

The View From Fez is an official Media Partner of the Festival

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15th International Nomad Festival

The association "Nomads of the World" launches the 15th edition of the International Festival of Nomads in M'hamid El Ghizlane, in the province of Zagora.  It runs from the 22nd to the 24th of March

The cultural event gives the local and international public access to ancestral arts and traditions. On the program are three days of music, debates, traditional sports and gastronomy.

Artists from Hungary, Niger, Mauritania, Mali, Algeria, France and Morocco will take part in the festival. Ffteen open-air concerts will liven up the nights in the centre of M'hamid.

"Music programming is developed to provide a balance between internationally renowned artists and those in the making. The aim is to reach a diverse audience, to create links and to reinforce the fraternal dimension of the event ", explains the director of the event, Noureddine Bougrab.

The days will feature the traditional activities of the Saharan nomads. Cross-country sand hockey players known locally as "mok'hach", the competitors of the camel race called "ellaz". There will also be a sand loaf competition, "la mella" and a demonstration of nomadic tents.

Another tradition, that of the palaver, will be highlighted during the debates, presentations and workshops in the forum of Nomads. The themes will focus on the heritage and history of this Drâa-Tafilalet region. "This ancient cultural crossroads was a crucial step in trans-Saharan trade. But how to think about solutions for the future of nomadism in a Sahara that has seen its nomadic population shrink by 70% in the last decade? National and international specialists will deliver their visions, "emphasizes Noureddine Bougrab.

The festival-goers will also be able to discover the Monday Souk with its colours and scents.

 According to the director of the event, "the festival is a unifying event that, on the one hand, highlights the heritage of nomads and radiates the Hassani culture and on the other hand, supports the local economy by contributing to the attractiveness of M'hamid El Ghizlane in the Drâa-Tafilalet region and encouraging spectators of all origins to visit the area ".

Noureddine Bougrab, teacher of classical Arabic in M'hamid school, insists on the involvement of young people for the smooth running of the festival which welcomed 20,000 people and 300 stakeholders in 2017. "We expect even more this year" he says. This event is the result of a close collaboration between the association "Nomads of the World" and national and regional partners.

A look back at the 2017 edition


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Fifteenth International Nomads Festival

The International Nomad Festival (22 - 24 March) was first staged in 2003 and is based in the small Moroccan village of M'hamid El Ghizlane, some 60 kilometres south of Zagora in the Draa Valley. Entry to the festival is free

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Upcoming Moroccan Festivals

Another big event this year in Marrakech. The Oasis Festival is back for a third edition, from the 14th to 17th of September, bringing together the best of the national and international electronic music scene

For its third edition, the biggest festival of electronic music of Morocco provides a rich and varied programme. This year, the organisers have appealed to an array of world-renowned artists, such as the great Richie Hawtin, known for his taste for technological innovation, and the American-Chilean musician, Nicolas Jaar, who, since its inception, has traced line of sophisticated electronic music.

In a very short time, the Oasis festival allowed Morocco to become a long-term player on the map of the festival destinations, and, faithful to its vocation, the festival continues to participate in the emergence of the Moroccan electronic scene, with the participation of founding father Unes, rising star, Jaza, and the new ambassador of Moroccan electronic music, Amine K and many others.

For the organisers, the 2017 edition is the most impressive in terms of programming since the creation of the festival in 2015. For this year they decided to add an extra day with the official opening party taking place on Thursday September 14th, when the popular Solomun will make his first Moroccan appearance.

The Tanjazz Festival will rock Tangier from the 14th to 17th of September. After paying tribute to the women of jazz during its previous edition, it is the turn of young talent to shine in the spotlight

To celebrate its 18th anniversary, there will be five musical stages with more than 120 singers and musicians during the 55 concerts.

"We wanted to introduce the public to the new voices of jazz, which will perhaps be the headliners of tomorrow," says Philippe Lorin, director of the Tanjazz festival. These are, nevertheless, confirmed artists that Lorin, also artistic director of the event, went to look for in different festivals in the world. "I could listen to these artists by traveling, receiving applications, but also by browsing the web, like everyone else," he says.

Spectators will be able to dance to the rhythm of New Orleans thanks to a rich program and artists from here and elsewhere, such as the 18-year-old Spanish trumpeter and singer Rita Payès, who will open the ball on stage at the BMCI Palais, the Croatian pianist and singer Daniel Čačija, and the quartet by Janis Peruzzi, whose composition combines the rhythms of jazz with oriental sounds.

Other artists are expected, among others, to be headliners, the composer and interpreter of Moroccan-Syrian origin, Samia Tawil, with influences both RnB and funk, the Austrian duo Michaela Rabitsch and Robert Pawlik, Nicolle Rochelle  and Hot Antic Jazz Band and many others.

While the Jazz is appreciated by the Moroccan public and is at the core of two other major festivals in Morocco, the Jazzablanca festival in the economic capital and the Jazz at the Chellah in Rabat, it remains, nevertheless, very little played by the local musicians. Tanjazz's artist list includes only two artists of Moroccan origin (Samia Tawil and Teema) this year.

Oujda hosts the 4th Blouza Festival

The Blouza is a costume or dress originally, from the town of Tlemcen. The blouza (strangely) resembles the low-cut dresses and cuffs of Joséphine, the wife of Napoleon I. Some claim its design was a way of paying tribute to the Emperor, who for a time thought of emancipating the natives from the French colonies, La blouza is traditionally worn by married and middle-aged women. It is long and sewn in one piece or two. It is curved at the waist, is worn with short sleeves, the décolleté and the back are worked in pearls and traditional refined embroideries sewn on to form the part covering the whole chest. Today it is widespread and very popular in the cities of the Orientale region of Morocco, specifically in Oujda

The 4th edition of the Blouza Festival will take place from the 7th to 10th of September in Oujda on the initiative of the Eastern Association for Development (AOD), under the theme "Blouza, a cultural tributary of the western Mediterranean"

Initiated in partnership with the Oriental Development Agency, the 4th edition of this cultural event, which aims to perpetuate the heritage of the region, and  to encourage stylists to innovate and to produce quality works.

To highlight the Mediterranean anchorage of culture and heritage of the Kingdom, this edition will be marked by the presence of Moroccan and foreign specialists in the field, giving them the opportunity to discover, according to the AOD, "the intrinsic ties of our common heritage and thus bring an international dimension to our Festival ".

"This Festival will also be an opportunity to promote the work of craftswomen in order to create income-generating activities through the creation of cooperatives and thus highlight the specificities of the Oriental in the framework of advanced regionalisation advocated by the Kingdom" - AOD

The program of the Festival includes discussions on the festival theme, stands to exhibit and market artisan products, and a fashion show that will highlight the work of stylists and craftsmen and women.

"A few decades ago, the Oujdie woman and the Oriental in general were proud to conceive their Blouza themselves and to shape it under different cuts and models. This is the main reason why the Blouza has become a heritage, "says the President of the AOD

He added that the Blouza Oujdia, which had almost been put away in the antique shops and disappeared, is regaining its titles of nobility, thanks to the efforts made in particular in the framework of this event, which made it possible to reinforce the concept Blouza and promote this traditional dress of the city of Oujda and the Region.

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Freestyle Urban Dance Festival in Meknes

The 14th edition of the International Festival of Urban Cultures will take place from the 4th to 17th of September in Meknès. It is the initiative of the Association "Espoir Jeunesse Morocco Freestyle Urban dance", this event will take place in several areas of the city of Meknès

Organised in partnership with the French Institute and the town of Meknes, this edition will see the participation of more than 800 national and international artists and athletes. The program includes competitions, workshops, training courses, meetings, artistic residencies and a socio-sportive and cultural caravan.

Professionals from Morocco and elsewhere were invited to supervise the workshops and trainings. They will also take part in the juries of the different competitions scheduled during this edition.

The artists participating in this festival, considered the biggest artistic event in the category "Competition" for urban cultures in Morocco, compete in several categories, including hip-hop and breakdance, djing, graffiti, freestyle, beat box and rap.

The "Espoir Jeunesse Maroc Freestyle Urban dance" Association, founded in February 2008, has as its main objective the supervision and training of young people in the field of urban cultures.

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Taragalte Festival - 27, 28, 29th of October 2017

A Festival Under The Stars

(Click on images to enlarge)

Taragalte is a 3 day festival in Zagora. A very different festival under the stars in the desert of south Morocco. This festival is a celebration of nomadic heritage and world music. The festival will also host the 4th edition of the Peace Caravan -  promoting peace and tolerance in the Sahara and Sahel. You can relax in the dunes, listen to music, poetry, dance under the moon and enjoy art or participate in workshops about the fragile environment of the desert.

Read about last year's festival here

 Find out more about this year at http://www.taragalte.org

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"Les Chants des cèdres" - Ifrane Festival

The singer Hatem Idar and the Franco-Moroccan rapper Lartiste will open the second International Festival of Ifrane from 7 to 9 July under the sign "Les Chants des cèdres"

This festival, presented under the patronage of His Majesty King Mohammed VI, has invited a wide range of musical talent including: Abdelwahab Doukkali, Egyptian singer, Sherine Abdelwahab, Lebanese pop star, Wael Jassar and Moroccan-Iraqi singer Shada Hassoun.

According to the national president of the Fez-Saîss Association, Driss Alaoui Mdaghri, after the first edition that focused on spectacular evenings and the discovery of the culinary facets of the Kingdom, the programme of this 2nd festival offers, in addition to the musical festivities, numerous activities with a cultural or playful aim.

Festival opener: Hatem Idar

The festival, which is organised by the Ifrane Forum for Culture and Development in partnership with the Fez-Saiss Association, offers a host of activities including ta forum "Environment, Mountain and Spirituality". There will also be opportunities to discover of the local fauna and flora, star gazing, painting exhibitions, a chess tournament and workshop, mountain walks and a "waste hunt".

Driss Alaoui Mdaghri says that the festival is a good opportunity to shed light on the important cultural and artistic landscape of Morocco "where diversity is everywhere celebrated, where the sap of the trees nourishes the creativity and where the winds Desert, sea and mountains combine the dreams of its men and women beyond the oceans and at the top of the highest peaks".

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Gloria Gaynor Heads to Casablanca Festival

The International Festival of Casablanca will be held from July 6 to 15

Ten arts will be honoured during the ten days of festivities, on two main stages in the TORO space and in Ain Sebaa, where several national and international artists will perform, said the director general of Casa Events and Animation, Mohamed Jouahri, at a press conference devoted to the presentation of the festival's programming.

The festival has had a rocky history with last year's festival being scrapped. Thankfully, it appears to be back on track.

Abdelaziz Stati 

Other arts programmed include, dance, reading, film screenings, children's shows and street art.

I'm not dead!

Among the artists appearing are; Gloria Gaynor, Oum, Five stars, French Montana, Dizzy Dros, Daoudi, Zina Daoudia, Fnaire, Dj naamane, Fatima Zahra Laa Roussi, Mourad Bouriki, Haim Hobble, Hoba Hoba Spirit, Mister You, Kids united, Jil Jilala, Nass el Ghiwane, Dj Van, Hatim idar, Abdelaziz Stati, Betweenatna, Tiken Jah Fakoly, Wachm'n hit, Acid Arab, Daox, Polyswitch and Don Bigg.

Gloria Gaynor will appear - despite having been the subject of a death hoax this week! News of singer Gloria Gaynor’s "death" spread quickly causing concern among fans across the world. However the report has now been confirmed as a complete hoax and just the latest in a string of fake celebrity death reports.

On Tuesday (June 13) the singer's reps officially confirmed that Gloria Gaynor is not dead. “She joins the long list of celebrities who have been victimised by this hoax. She's still alive and well, stop believing what you see on the Internet,” they said.


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Timitar Signs and Cultures Festival

Youssou N'Dour will perform at the 14th edition of the Timitar Signs and Cultures Festival

This year the festival will be held from the 5th to 8th of July.

The Senegalese musician, Youssou N'Dour will be a huge drawcard. He is to perform on the Al Amal Square stage on Wednesday, July 5, as part of the opening of the festival.

Singer Ghanay Kabbaj will  e on the main stage on July 6th, with 6.Raï musician, Hamid Bouchnak, on July 7th in Amal square. DJ Badreddine Benhassan will perform July 7 at Place Bijouane.

Other acts include Hoba Hoba Spirit, Stati, Tiken Jah Fakoly, the legendary Nass El Ghiwan and American group, Vocal Trash.

The Timitar Festival is a must in the cultural agenda of world music. Last year's edition was attended by several renowned artists including the Amazigh diva Tachenouit, the Arab pop prince the Egyptian Tamir Hosni, and the star Chaâbi Daoudi, not to mention the troops of Ahwach and Great DJs. In total, more than 40 artists from all over the world participated.

For four days, the concerts scheduled promotes peace and tolerance and normally attracts more than 800,000 spectators. The Timitar Festival also has a role of agitator of ideas and a positive contribution to the evolution of Amazigh (Berber) culture.


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Lankum – Irish Traveller Ballads - Review

Lankum is the new name of a band UK newspaper, The Guardian, has called "The most convincing folk band to come out of Ireland in years." Their original name, Lynched (presumably a play on the surname of the founding brothers, Ian and Daragh Lynch), was dropped last autumn in protest at the "ongoing systematic persecution and murder of black people in the USA." The new name derives from the ballad, False Lankum, sung by Irish Traveller John Reilly Jnr.

This act, the motivation behind it, and the choice of new name give quite an insight into this four-piece from Dublin. Apparently originally formed as an experimental psychedelic-folk-punk duo by in the early 2000s, the group is now in its most stable incarnation yet with a total of four members.

Radie Peat

In addition to Ian (uilleann pipes, tin whistle and vocals) and Daragh (guitar, vocals) are Radie Peat (vocals, concertina, Russian accordion, tin whistle) and Cormac Mac Diarmada (fiddle).

The repertoire were we offered this evening included less of the band's claimed influences of punk, ambient techno and black metal and stuck to a folky set of traveller ballads, protest songs and traditional Irish reels and jigs.

The band showed up looking like they had come for a jam session in their local pub, and engaged the audience in a similarly informal fashion. They opened with a couple of upbeat numbers and with a little more encouragement several people would have been on their feet. However, a succession of slower songs followed featuring the more melancholic undertones of the pipes and accordion. While these undoubtedly showcased an extremely talented group and offered a broad selection of Irish ballads from the historical to the political, from love to comedy, the tempo was lost. And although the set finished with a seamless arrangement of 3 jigs followed by a comic (if rather lewd) ditty that ended in a fast-paced fiddle frenzy, all the audience could offer was some clapping along with the ever-hastening beat, despite an explicit invitation from Ian Lynch to get up and dance.

Epitomising the understated, self-deprecating charm of the Irish, Lynch concluded the evening with "Cheers fellas, nice one" to enthusiastic applause. I couldn't help but wonder though, if the set had been slightly misjudged. An Irish pub audience would have got the historical references and in-jokes and offered more energy back to the band. A few more predictable jigs might have got the Fez crowd going sooner and made for a more satisfactory experience all round. Nonetheless, in terms of genuine folk talent, Lankum have it in spades.

Review and photographs: Lynn Houmdi

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Three Days of Great DJs in Tangier

Electronic Music Festival 2-4 March 2017 Tangier-Morocco - Festival de Musique Électronique 2-4 Mars 2017 TANGER-Maroc

From 2 to 4 March 2017, the association Maroc Créations will be holding the 2nd edition of the electronic music festival TangerGround.

Twenty DJs of 9 nationalities will spin their turntables before the enthusiasts of this musical genre.

In a statement, the initiators of the event explain that the objective of this second edition is to promote electronic music and promote an exchange between Moroccan and foreign DJs.

Lighting is promised to be spectacular

For three days, the Tangiers will celebrate. On offer are great sound and sophisticated lighting. For this second edition, the association Morocco Créations announces the participation of DJ enthusiasts who will mix before hundreds of people.

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International Festival of Nomads - 16th to 18th March

Morocco is famous for its many unique festivals but one in particular is not to be missed - the International Festival of Nomads

An open-air event in harmony with nature and with the nomads' world, the International Festival of Nomads is a forum for freely expressing and exchanging ideas in a friendly environment, showcasing a civilisation of children, women and men with a strong cultural identity of the values ​​and wisdom that are the legacy of their ancestors.

Various cultural activities highlight the tangible and intangible heritage of the nomadic tribes and contributing to preserving their cultural identity. Economic and social solutions are presented during the conferences and workshops, to encourage collective and associative initiatives and open new opportunities to local development.

Set in a colourful and exotic setting, the 14th Nomads Festival will be once again a great meeting of nomadic cultures, an exploration for the visitors and a model for the younger generations, who have an opportunity to open up to new borders while preserving their traditions .

An ode to the discovery of another culture and to the familiarisation of the history of the Saharan nomads, the festival was initiated by the Association Nomades du Monde,  thanks to the vision of its director Noureddine Bougrab. This Arabic teacher had the primary goal of "involving young people" in this adventure.

The event, which is free and citizen-oriented, allows for "three days of music, debates, games, dromedary races, gastronomy and crafts that make the whole region live" Life and to bring it closer to this way of life, the same source said.

Thursday 16, Friday 17 and Saturday 18 March 2017, the public is invited to M'Hamid El Ghizlane, in the province of Zagora to join this most musical celebration. Indeed, this edition will be marked by the participation of Tuareg guitarist Bombino and the Malian group Terakaft, among others. The kingdom will be represented by the legendary group Nass El Ghiwane, the rising star of the Gnawas Mehdi Nassouli, the Sahrawi diva Saïda Charaf, the rocker Mohamed Jbara as well as the traditional dancers of Ahwach de Ouarzazate.

During the festival there will be three days of conferences, round tables and workshops are offered on various subjects: nomadism, heritage, flora, fauna, agriculture, environmental protection, economy, health and education.

The culinary art is present through one of the essential preparations in the desert: sand bread (mella).

And there is sport, with a demonstration of nomadic hockey and a camel race called "ellaz".

sand bread preparation

M'hamid El Ghizlane ("the plain of gazelles"), the last village before the vast expanses of the Sahara, is a rural municipality of the Zagora province, in the southern Drâa - Tafilalet region. It is located at the end of the N9 road, after Tamegroute, and it shares its southern border with Algeria.

An ancient cultural crossroads - its territory used to be a stop for trans-Saharan traders - M'hamid El Ghizlane is part of a nomadic area. With its little adobe shacks made of mud or clay bricks, the little ocher village seems to come right out of sand.

The climate is dry, with high temperatures in the summer, and cool in winter. The landscape is arid. Due to the land's barrenness and dryness, and the shifting national borders, a great number of nomads have abandoned their itinerant lifestyle. However, the people of M'hamid treasure the traditions of their ancient lifestyle, and preserve the noble legacy of their ancestors.

M'hamid El Ghizlane is sheltered in a palm grove stretching for 16 km along the river Drâa (oued Drâa). One of the banks is M'hamid Bali, the old town, which holds an important kasbah. On the other side, M'hamid Jdid, (the new village), offers essential facilities: groceries, craft shops, cafes, restaurants, family hotels and tourist agencies.

The legendary Nass El Ghiwane will perform at the festival 

Every Monday there is a souk, an opportunity to see the famous "blue men", desert camel-herders, and to buy local products, bathed in the colours and fragrances of these goods.

Getting there is easy. M'hamid El Ghizlane is accessible from the international airport of Ouarzazate and then by road to Zagora. There are rental cars at the airport or in town. Local transport is available with regular bus connections. The CTM (Compagnie des Transports du Maroc) is present in all bus stations

For accommodation, visitors can choose between different categories of hotels, riads, guesthouses or desert camps. M'hamid El Ghizlane has established itself as the main departure point for desert excursions, especially to the dunes of Erg Lehoudi and Erg Chegaga.

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"Hymn for the Sahara" - Festival in the Desert

"Hymn for the Sahara" is an exciting 3 day festival under the stars in the desert of south Morocco. It will take place on the 28th, 29th and 30th of October 2016 in M'Hamid El Ghizlane, in the province of Zagora

The organisers aim to celebrate nomadic heritage and world music. In addition the festival will feature the 3rd edition of the Peace Caravan promoting peace and stability in the Sahara and Sahel. This is a festival where visitors can relax in the dunes, listen of music & poetry, dance under the moon and enjoy art or participate in workshops about the fragile environment of the desert.

Festival Taragalte – 7ème édition «Hymne au Sahara» - 28 au 30 octobre, 2016  - M’Hamid El Ghizlane, Maroc

«L’Oasis, source de vie au cœur du Sahara»

Célébration de la Culture nomade et des musiques du monde -Conférences, ateliers, expositions, artisanat et projections de film.

A month to go - and the work has begun

The festival sprung from a team of young local Moroccans who, in their words, "had a dream to make a contribution, no matter how modest, to the development of the Sahara region of Morocco". The team is already hard at work transforming the site in preparation for the festival.

This team, coming from a traditional Saharan Nomad background, wished to contribute especially to the preservation of the ancestral heritage of this region.

Expect tents and a lot of carpets

Taragalte concept was born out of a partnership between the local team with local foundations as well as national and international institutions, all wishing to make a contribution to genuine development of this region.

Taragalte concept not only wants to make an economic contribution to the region, but also to strengthen the cultural exchange between people. To stimulate the cultural exchange, the initiative aims to strengthen the connection between the different communities, already present in the Sahara when the great trade caravans were still running, to increase awareness and preservation of their cultures. The organisers say that exchanges are not only important between local people, but also for people passing through, among each other and with the locals.

Performers include:
Oum, Morocco
Tinariwen, Kel Tamasheq / North of Mali
Sahmaoui Aziz, France / Morocco
Kaira Arby, Mali (representing Festival Timbuktu)
Awek, France
Imerhan N'Tinezraf, Algérie
Hamid Ekawel, Niger
Hassani Group, Mauritania
Mohamed Dorentie (representing Festival Segou, Mali)
DJ U.R.S.N Suisse
Groupe Amazigh Amediaz Band Morocco
DrâaTribes, Morocco
Generation Taragalte, Morocco
Chabab (young) M'hamid, Morocco

Groupe en résidence «Caravane Culturelle pour la Paix» Maroc / Mali: Mariam Koné /
Samba Touré / Benzabo / Cheik Sikasso Ahmed Ag Kaedi / Said Jardouj / Ibrahim Laghferi

Groupe en résidence «Ecole de musique Joudour Sahara/Playing for change»
Pjeunes talents de M’hamid encadrés par:
- Nabyla Maan Morocco
- Fadimata Walt Oumar du Disco / Tartit Mali
- Samira Dainan Netherlands
- Susie Ibarra Philippines / USA

For more info check website: Taragalte.org
The full programme as a PDF can be downloaded here: Taragalte Festival

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