Wednesday, August 23, 2017

Morocco's Ahidous Festival 2017


The 17th edition of the National Festival of Ahidous will take place from 25 to 27 August. The organisers say that the aim of this event is to "preserve and publicise this musical heritage that connects the past with the present and reflects one of the many facets of Moroccan culture"

Ahidous is one of the most important collective dances of Amazigh (Berber) society. It is also a means of allowing the group to express the emotion shared by the individuals and above all to highlight the  culture and the beauty of its nature. As an art rooted in the Amazigh culture, the Ahidous is a means of communication between the individuals of the group and an expression of the collective spirit and solidarity among the Amazigh tribes.

The movements of this dance, being collective, is a trampling, a tremor that spreads, interspersed with undulations that recall the movement caused by the winds on the corn. By the ease of his dancers and the repetitiveness of the rhythms that accompany them, the Ahidous testifies to a remarkable sense of choreography.

Some 45 folklore troops from different mountainous regions of the Middle Atlas will participate in the festival in the small locality of Ain Leuh (province of Ifrane). Initiated by the association Taymate of the arts of the Atlas, in collaboration with the Ministry of Culture, the festival aims to create a space for exchanges and meetings between poets, artists and researchers specialized in Amazigh culture.

This year, tributes will be paid to a number of Amazigh artists, including Fatima Amarech, Hassan Bouykifi, Hassan Charki and Mbarek Oussidi.

A very popular event, since its first edition in 2000, the National Festival of Ahidous has gained momentum and has taken a leading place on the list of festivals organised by the Ministry of Culture.

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1 comment:

Anonymous said...

where is the Festival being held?