Rabat – The Taragalte festival will be held between October 28 and 30 after a two-year hiatus due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.
The festival has traditionally taken place in the M’Hamid El Ghizlane oasis in southern Morocco.
The organizers noted in a press release that the festival’s location is “the old starting point for caravans that once crisscrossed the Sahara, from M’Hamid el Ghizlane to Timbuktu.”
This year, the Taragalte gathering will be themed around “A Heritage of Restraint” which is set to reflect the nomadic culture and its wisdom.
The 11th edition will also coincide with the ninth stop of the “Cultural Caravan for Peace,” that will be held in M’Hamid El Ghizlane following its latest stop in Segou, Mali.
Initiated by the organizers of the Taragalte festival with the support of the Dutch DOEN foundation, the caravan is an “ongoing commitment to Sahelo-trans-Saharan cooperation in favor of dialogue, solidarity, and peace among brother peoples.”
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While more details on the program are yet to be announced, the organizers noted that the Taragalte festival will provide local traditional dance performances and musical fusion. Additionally, it intends to introduce the public to Sahrawi nomadic heritage through three exhibitions of artisanship, photography, and painting.
The organizers invite the festival’s guests to visit villages nearby to weave their own carpets and celebrate local heritage and women’s artistic work.
Dating back to 2009, the Taragalte has paid tribute to the tradition of Moussems, local celebratory gatherings. The festival has also sought to promote the local nomadic cultural heritage while contributing to the socio-economic development of the M’Hamid El Ghizlane and its surroundings.
The Taragalte festival is also a member of the recently created “EcofestAfrica EFA”, which is a network of eco-responsible festivals. Founded in 2020 in Segou, the network brings together the entertainment organizers of Africa to improve the management of events’ resources and water, while promoting arts and culture.
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