Aguelmouss I 9/67

Recordings from a wedding and ahwash performance in the village of Aguelmouss. Ahwash is the festive music and dance of the Tachelhit-speaking Imazighen (Berbers) of the High Atlas, Sahara and Sous regions of Morocco, performed in celebration of important occasions and holidays. Each village has its own unique form, though generally ahwash is performed by two large antiphonal choruses accompanied by polyrhythmic drumming on frame drums (benadir or tilluna). The dancers link arms -the men in one row and the women in another- and move in an uninterrupted chain. 3000 people in the village –all well acquainted –all came to the wedding with gifts –lasts for 4 days –father invites and entertains all the men, mother the grown women, the daughter of the house the girls. The first night, in front of 20 witnesses, the imam incorporates the amount of the dowry into the wedding agreement –bargaining goes on –a certain amount is settled upon which is paid over by the bridgegroom to the imam, if the marriage breaks up, and he pays it over to the girl –this is no matter how many years have passed.

Ahwash wedding dance (part 1)

Ahwash wedding dance (part 2)

Commentary on wedding scene by Alan Lomax and interpreter

Ahwash wedding dance (part 3)

Tamawayt (with interpreter's commentary)

Ahwash wedding dance (part 4)

Ahwash wedding dance (part 5)

Ahwash wedding dance (part 6)

Ahwash wedding dance (part 7) (with Alan Lomax and interpreter's commentary)

Ahwash wedding dance (part 8) (with interpreter's commentary)

You Are Beautiful (with interpreter's commentary)

Sidi Hassan, the King

Partial translation of Sidi Hassan, the King

Talk/ambience

Ahwash wedding dance (part 9) / Tamawayt song

Ahwash wedding dance (part 10)

Ahwash wedding dance (part 11)

Ahwash wedding dance (part 12)

Tamawayt song

King Hassan Comes To The Beautiful Gardens

Ahwash wedding dance (part 13)

Ahwash wedding dance (part 14)

Ahwash wedding dance (part 15)

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