Rabat – Ahwash, originating from the Amazigh communities in the Atlas Mountains, is a collective dance that blends rhythmic movements, poetry, and music. During their recent tour, the Argan Haha Association performed a variety of the music specific to Tamanar, a village of about 1,000 people in the Haha region between Essaouira and Agadir, where Ahwash is performed without vocal accompaniment and therefore emphasizes the instrumental tradition.
A recent performance at the Center for Cross Cultural Learning (CCCL) in Rabat captivated the audience with intricate choreography and powerful drumming, highlighting the cultural heritage and communal spirit of the Amazigh people. The dancers, wearing traditional white jellabas, turbans, and slippers, with ceremonial daggers tied over their shoulders with a black cord, moved in unison to the hypnotic beats.
The group of 18 brought with them two traditional instruments: Nays (flutes), and bendirs (drums). One piece involved waving the daggers to mimic tribal battles that the music often commemorates.
Caption: The association performs a piece commemorating warfare, where ceremonial daggers are thrusted to the rhythm of the music
The group brings together performers across generations. Most of the men are farmers or teachers by profession.
Rachid Wachimen, one of the group’s most active members, is a teacher of the Amazigh language who has been involved with the collective since it was founded ten years ago. At 26, he’s one of the youngest members of the group.
“We try to encourage the young people to join us so that after 20 years we won’t lose this culture,” he told MWN after the performance. “When the old people are tired, the next generation will take the initiative to carry on with this culture.”
Rachid grew up around Ahwash performances and remembers them being an important part of his childhood. He performs with the association both for enjoyment and to preserve his heritage.
“It’s our tradition and it’s our identity. So if we keep this, we’ll keep the language alive and we’ll keep the culture alive, he said. “We try to make people, especially the Amazigh people, know about their culture.”
Caption: The Ahwach Argan Haha Association uses traditional instruments, such as the nay (flute) and a cog as a cymbal, as well as more modern drums
Ahwash is a communal performance involving rhythmic chanting, drumming, and dancing, often performed during local festivals and celebrations. When Ahwash has lyrics, they often reflect themes of nature, love, and community, preserving the oral traditions and cultural heritage of the Amazigh people.
Traditional instruments for Ahwash are often still handmade from natural materials. Bendir frames are made from the wood of almond and walnut trees and drum heads are made from goat or rabbit skin stretched over the frame. The nay – traditionally played by a shepherd – controls the tempo of the music while the different styles of palm and finger drumming give the composition texture.
Both men and women perform Ahwash, although they do so separately. Anyone can watch performances put on by male groups but traditionally performances by female groups are put on only for groups of women.
Traditional Art and Cultural Exchange
Caption: After the performance, the association invited the audience to learn some steps
Farah D’Ouezzan, co-founder of the CCCL, had hoped to bring the association to the center earlier but plans had been disrupted by Morocco’s September earthquake. Nevertheless, she was happy to welcome the group during the summer months, while a number of international students are studying in Rabat, so the performance could be enjoyed by Moroccans and foreigners alike.
“I’m happy that we are doing some cross-cultural exchange within our country,” she said as she introduced the group. “Because it’s very much needed.”
The Center for Cross Cultural Learning serves as a hub to promote and preserve Morocco’s cultural expressions, offering both locals and international visitors an opportunity to engage with the country’s rich traditions.
On Monday, the audience was invited to join the association on stage after the performance, to learn a few Ahwash dance moves. For the association’s members, it was an opportunity to illuminate an important part of Moroccan culture.
“Amazigh culture is a part of Moroccan culture. We cannot deny that,” said Rachid. “Morocco is very rich because of the Amazigh culture”
