Music is in general an art form or cultural activity
which includes the creation of works of music. In the past, music was defined
as tones ordered horizontally as melodies and vertically as harmonies. And as
everybody knows; common sayings such as "the harmony of the spheres"
and "it is music to my ears" point to the notion that music is often
ordered and pleasant to listen to.
The creation, performance and
significance vary according to culture and social context.There are several
kinds of music, such as popular music, traditional music, art music, music
written for religious ceremonies and work songs such as chanteys,However,music
can be divided into genres (e.g., traditional music) and genres can be further
divided into sub-genres (e.g., Ahwash ,lgadra,shatha…), although the dividing
lines and relationships between music genres are often subtle, sometimes open
to personal interpretation, and occasionally controversial.
This
Article discusses Ahwash and its social aspects and orientations.
Amazigh music is a traditional indigenous music from North Africa with a wide variety of styles depending on the region and is particularly a popular music of Berber society. The instruments used are the bendir (drum on frame) and the the oblique flute" Ney", which accompanies the songs and dances by rhythmizing a rich and colorful Berber poetry.
Amazigh music is a traditional indigenous music from North Africa with a wide variety of styles depending on the region and is particularly a popular music of Berber society. The instruments used are the bendir (drum on frame) and the the oblique flute" Ney", which accompanies the songs and dances by rhythmizing a rich and colorful Berber poetry.
As is a
collective Berber dance, Ahouash is a ritual practice that puts into effect a
symbolic relationship between the different actors who participate in it
through collective choreographic structures.Moreover; it is a very important
and traditional dance in Berber culture as well as in Assa. It is performed
through generation to generation, this artistic manifestation is of a high
aesthetic level it has been the aesthetic, artistic, social and ethical value.
Mostly,
drums without stamp are used and can play specific roles. In addition, they may
have different sizes but it’s not obligatory, as they are made from circled
wood covered by animal’s skin particularly that of goats .These instruments
produce different rhythms and musical sounds in parallel with the songs which
are aimed to be chanted.The dance begins vertically and on the spot, all the
movements are in the direction of the height. The arms are on the length of the
body and the dancers flex their shoulders to each other, projects are basin
forward, inclines at the same time the head on the pot. Then, on the contrary,
it makes an extension of the whole body from bottom to top which will end with
a movement of head towards the rear.
Being a
Berber collective and traditional dance, Ahwash is deeply rooted in Moroccan
culture and heritage. Therefore, men are elbow to elbow, forming flexible and
undulating rounds. All accompanied by songs. The dancers can be placed in a circle,
in a semicircle or in two rows facing each other.They are also very tight,
because they must form a block. The musical instruments used are the tambourine
and the clapping of hands.
In Assa, Ahwash dance is divided into
three parts. In the beginning, a group of men stood in front of a leader. This
first part of the dance is called Tawala, where poets try to compete through
verses. During this, the group interprets a dialogue song. This part is
followed by the repeating of the verses in a very harmonious rhythm before
ending with to Derst. During the latter part, the dance is improvised by men
following the gestures and the guidance of the leader.
There
are specific traditional clothes worn during the Ahwash dance and each piece of
clothe serves something very significant.For example:
- The turban is a cloth which demonstrates the maturity of a person as a full member of the tribe, the unity of the color is a symbol of solidarity and unity of targets.
- The turban is a cloth which demonstrates the maturity of a person as a full member of the tribe, the unity of the color is a symbol of solidarity and unity of targets.
-The traditional Moroccan Berber dagger beautifies the
dancers and at the same time it’s a symbol of power and readiness to defend the
tribe anytime that is necessary.
-Slippers: mostly are yellow which demonstrate that
relation between the individual and his group or his tribe, and aslo his deep
relation to his land.
-Long garment is worn to show the culture and its
beauty; as it is one of the region products.
Ahwash
is actually practiced during celebrations such as weddings, national
ceremonies. Women have also played important roles as poets, who have a great
deal in praising the glory of the tribe or in the dance of the duo. Thus,
Ahwash has become a painting of the tribe members. It is also open to the
deeply-rooted cultural heritage and capable of the artistic dimension.
Ahwash
is a joyful and friendly dance. It is a beautiful demonstration of the Assa’s
native population and their traditions in rhis beloved area of Morocco. It has
the aim of the awakening of inspiration or songs of the earth and love and
praise of glories and life’s issues.It has also contributed to the launching of
war drums and the establishment of the values of unity, solidarity and social
brotherhood.
Ahwash is a typical Amazigh dance of the the region, it is a binary collective dance of the village celebrating all the festivities and important moments of the life. It is an integral part of the social life of the Imazighen not only in Assa but also within different Berber tribes, and it demonstrates their oral culture. It is a musical art harmoniously blending movement, rhythm and voice.
Ahwash is a typical Amazigh dance of the the region, it is a binary collective dance of the village celebrating all the festivities and important moments of the life. It is an integral part of the social life of the Imazighen not only in Assa but also within different Berber tribes, and it demonstrates their oral culture. It is a musical art harmoniously blending movement, rhythm and voice.
It is
sometimes instrumentalized by flutes and tambourines and is generally
characterized by a whole process of poetic improvisations, dialogues and
percussion. But each part of Ahwash is distinguished from the next, which can
be one group (the group of men sitting around and the others stand and dance)
or exclusively men or women are dancing in twos in the meddle of the other
circled group,
The most difficult stage of Ahwash is probably the one that constitutes its originality: it is the part of the rivals: the poetic jousts that precede the dance.
The most difficult stage of Ahwash is probably the one that constitutes its originality: it is the part of the rivals: the poetic jousts that precede the dance.
Indeed,
these poetic jousts require that the few dancers of Ahwash who do it are
endowed with an extraordinary power of poetic improvisations and a great sense
of distribution.The choirs stand face to face and alternate their songs which
usually refer to love, nature, or events that occur in the tribe or the country
as a whole.
The gestural manifestations then come into play and include the clapping of the hands, the tremors and the drum sets, which constitute the highlights of the Ahwash. Mostly, musical rhythms and the dancers' gestures accelerated as the dance intensified.Hence,the solemnity that emerges from these dances makes it a spectacle of extreme beauty....
The gestural manifestations then come into play and include the clapping of the hands, the tremors and the drum sets, which constitute the highlights of the Ahwash. Mostly, musical rhythms and the dancers' gestures accelerated as the dance intensified.Hence,the solemnity that emerges from these dances makes it a spectacle of extreme beauty....
L.AHCHOUCHE
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