The artistic group Boudar closed in beauty, Saturday evening at the historic space of the Kasbah of Taourirt in Ouarzazate, the fifth edition of the National Festival of Ahouache Arts organised under the High Patronage of H.M. the King Mohammed VI.
Led by Raïss (maestro) Hassan Ida, the Boudar group of Figuig enchanted fans of this type of traditional music by interpreting with brilliance, finesse and in a typically local style well-rhythmed folk dances punctuated by poems (Timdiazine) which are inspired by the Amazigh cultural heritage dealing with love, nature, the concerns of daily life, as well as praises and panegyrics of the Prophet Sidna Mohammed. This unique evening of the festival, which offers a show full of colours, was also marked by the highly applauded performances of the troupes Aawad Ichmraran (Chichawa), Ahoudjine (Azilal) and Ahouache Association Louz (Imghran), which magnificently revisited many pieces of the Moroccan traditional musical and cultural heritage. These musical troupes interpreted with virtuosity well-rhythmed dances appreciated for an evening by a large and knowledgeable public of Ahouache, this art in relation to the daily life of the local populations of the High and Anti-Atlas. Initiated by the Ministry of Culture, this festival, which presents an aspect of intangible heritage with costumes, lyrics, rhythms and dances, saw the participation of many musical groups representing different regions of the Kingdom for three days.
This artistic event aims above all to contribute to the promotion of Ouarzazate as a cultural and tourist destination and to preserve the art of Ahouache as one of the main tributaries of culture and heritage. In addition to Ahouache dances which featured several local folk troupes, the festival also hosted a poetry evening "Assays Nayt Oumargue", a term designating in the Amazigh language "Circle of poets", exhibitions of traditional clothing and visual arts in addition to a conference on intangible heritage and development. About 23 artistic groups took part in this fifth edition of the festival, including the troupes Tisssint of Tata, Aklal Essif of Zagora, Afous Gho Fous of Guelmim and Ahouache Ijdiguen of Demnate.
