This artistic evening, organised at the city's Cultural Centre, is part of the "Awal" programme of the House of Poetry in Marrakech, which aims to celebrate Amazigh poetic achievement as an experience that forms a multifaceted depth of Moroccan poetic identity. It opens up to poetic voices from across Morocco's diverse geography, within an open space for the meeting of generations, experiences, and sensibilities of Moroccan poetry.
Thus, festival visitors had an appointment with a group of experiences from leading figures of Amazigh poetry such as the poet Saleh Ait Saleh (Taroudant), Safia Ezzeddine (Ouarzazate), Hayat Boutarfas (Nador), and Abderrahim Amadjar (Chichaoua province), who presented diverse poems drawing from the depth of Amazigh heritage and its deep-rooted traditions.
The director of the House of Poetry in Marrakech, Abdelhak Mifrani, confirmed that the "Awal" programme chose, within this year's festival edition, to celebrate Amazigh culture with the presence of many names representing multiple trends of Amazigh poetry and belonging to its various generations, in a scene that embodies the richness and diversity of the tributaries of Moroccan identity.
Mr. Mifrani added, in a statement to the Maghreb Arabe Presse (MAP), that the poets participating in this event represent the traditional and modernist trends of Amazigh poetry, alongside other trends that combine criticism and poetry, considering that this homogeneity between poetic generations and the multiplicity of their writing styles highlights the urgent need to shed light on the Amazigh poetic heritage.
For her part, the poet Hayat Boutarfas confirmed, in a similar statement, that her poems address Amazigh culture and identity, which have deep roots in the history of reviving the "Id Yennayer" celebration, and enshrining the principle of cultural diversity that Morocco possesses culturally, literarily, and linguistically.
In addition to celebrating the poets' experiences, the segments of this evening included an artistic concert performed by the "Ouled El Bled" group for Houara art from Tata, in celebration of the tangible and intangible cultural heritage of this essential component of Moroccan identity.
The festival, organised by the Ministry of Youth, Culture and Communication - Culture Sector, in partnership with the Prefecture of Al Haouz Province, the Provincial Council of Al Haouz, and the Communal Council of Aït Ourir, aims to celebrate Amazigh culture as an essential part of the Moroccan national identity, by highlighting the richness and diversity of Amazigh heritage in the fields of music, poetry, theatre, and visual arts, in addition to presenting artistic and literary performances that shed light on the components of this civilisational legacy.
It is also an opportunity to strengthen cultural communication between various actors and creators, and an open invitation for art and heritage lovers to discover the aesthetics of Amazigh culture.
This festival comes within the framework of the major orientations of the Ministry of Youth, Culture and Communication - Culture Sector, aimed at valuing intangible heritage, preserving national cultural memory, and ensuring its continuity.
The festival programme, organised until January 17th, includes various segments including musical artistic performances, with the participation of 16 local artistic groups and 6 groups at the national level, in addition to poetry readings in the Amazigh language by a group of creative poets, as well as a theatrical performance in the Amazigh language.
