Preserving Arab Cultural Heritage: A Tribute to Brahim El Mazned

Preserving Arab Cultural Heritage: A Tribute to Brahim El Mazned

Recognition at the Sharjah International Storytellers Forum

In a remarkable testament to the power of cultural preservation, Moroccan cultural figure, Brahim El Mazned, was recently honored for his extraordinary efforts in preserving Arab cultural heritage. The accolade came during the 23rd edition of the Sharjah International Storytellers Forum, a global event with participation from 47 countries, including Morocco.

Anthologies: A Step towards Cultural Preservation

El Mazned was recognized for his anthologies, “Chioukhs and Chikhats Al-Aïta” and “The Art of Rwaïs,” integral works that play a significant role in preserving and promoting Morocco’s ancient musical heritage. “Chioukhs and Chikhats Al-Aïta,” produced in 2018, is a ten-disc collection that illuminates the eight components of Al-Aïta. It boasts recordings from over 200 male and female artists in Casablanca, accompanied by two booklets filled with archival and session photos. This documentary anthology brings to light the Moroccan art form of Al-Aïta, enriching the Moroccan musical repertoire and underscoring the urgent need for its preservation.

“The Art of Rwaïs”: Unfolding the World of Amazigh Singers and Poets

In contrast, “The Art of Rwaïs,” released in 2020, provides a journey into the world of wandering Amazigh singers and poets. It’s a compilation of ten albums, featuring a selection of about a hundred songs performed by over 80 artists. This musical work is complemented with three 120-page booklets in Arabic, French, and English, delving into the various facets of Rwaïs music, including its origins, rhythm evolution, and biographies of leading artists in this musical expression.

Morocco’s Representation at the Sharjah International Storytellers Forum

Apart from El Mazned, other Moroccan representatives at the Sharjah International Storytellers Forum included Najima Ghazali Tay Tay, the president of the “Morocco Storytelling” International Academy, who presented on “The Tree in Moroccan Popular Imagination,” and academic critic and researcher Saïd Yaqtine, who discussed “Plants in Arab Popular Memory.” Additionally, presentations by Fatima-Zahra Litima on the topic “The Grass of Death and Life: Plants, the Secret of Healing and Immortality in Popular Stories and Legends” and researcher Habib Naciri on “The Stories of Henna in Moroccan Popular Culture” were part of the Moroccan participation. The Forum’s program contained several sessions centered on cultural heritage protection, plant stories in UAE heritage, plants in popular literature, their use in medicine, decoration, trade, and the symbolism of plants in people’s heritage and Arab imagination.