M��sica Marroqu��

http://www.mincom.gov.ma/english/gallery/music/music.html Al Ala - The Moroccan Andalusi Music A Living remnant of the brilliant Spanish-Maghreban civilisation, the Andalusi music of Morocco perpetuates the ?la, a broad repertory of songs and instrumental music which Moroccans have jealously preserved thanks to a strong oral tradition. Today, this repertory consists of eleven n?b? each based on a specific principal mode and a variable number of secondary modes, each n?b? is divided into five main parts or m?z?n, of uneven length. corresponding respectively to five basic rhythms. Each m?z?n respects the principle of progressive acceleration in three phases muwassa'(broad), mahz?z (increased), insir?f (lively, fast). The poetic corpus, besides classical poetry, comprises muwashshahat constructed around a new metre distinct from that of the traditional ar?d, Andalusian zajal, and barw?la (Moroccan malh?n). It is usual to call the sung poetic text san'a (craft, masterpiece). San'a treat various subjects in praise of the pleasures of love and of wine, piety, Sufism. It is customary for a nub? to last for seven hours. It is not usually performed in its totality, one makes do with playing a m?z?n on feast days, According to tradition, each m?z?n begins with instrumental preludes, bughya mish?liyya, t?shiya, followed by the linking san'a performed in chorus. Sometimes, one or two individual songs (maww?l or insh?d) are interposed between two movements of a m?z?n. The traditional orchestra is made up of instrumentalist-singers with, in their midst, the leader, who is not only the guardian of the repertory but bas a long experience of the style and way of arranging san'a to his name. Nowadays, the instruments of the orchestra performing the ?la are the rb?b usually played by the leader, the ud (lute), the violin, the viola, the violoncelle, the t?r and the darb?ka. The rb?b is a monoxylic fiddle whose boat-shaped sound box is made of walnut, cedar or mahogany wood, with two bowed catgut strings but no neck. The upper part of the sound box is covered with a thin layer of wood decorated with rosettes. The lower part is covered with goatskin. The short, heavy bow is made of a piece of iron in the shape of an arch holding strands of horsehair. The rb?b rests on the player's thighs and is played vertically. The 'ud is a pear-shaped lute with five or six lines of double strings and an unfretted neck. It is played with a horn plectrum The western violin an viola, introduced in the 18th century, are played vertically on the left knee. The violoncelle, introduced more recently may be played with a bow or pizzicato. The t?r is a small frame drum measuring approximately 6 inches in diameter to wich small silver or brass cymbals are attached. Held in the right hand, it is struck with the fingers or the palm of the left hand, white the right hang bangs the frame against the right wrist in a skilful hand movement. The darb?ka is a terracotta goblet drum covered with goatskin. Laid across the left thigh, it is struck with the hand and bare finger. Following the example of the n?b? ghar?bat al-husayn, played by the Al-Brihi Orchestra of Fes under the direction of Haj Adbelkrim al-Rais, the N?b? al-'ushsh?q is a new contribution to the Al-Ala anthology set within the framework of the policy for the safeguard and preservation of Moroccan cultural patrimony. This policy aims at propagating the patrimony and, in particular, at progressively building up a documentary database of recordings using the most advanced techniques, combining high fidelity with respect for authenticity and classical rules of interpretation. This is why the Ministry of culture, in collaboration with the Maison des Cultures du Monde in Paris, bas taken the initiative in publishing the Al-ala anthology (Andalusi-Moroccan music) and introducing the public to the n?b? al-'ushsh?q in an interpr��tation by the orchestra of Moroccan Radio and Television (RTM) conducted by Haj Mohamed Toud. The n?b�� al-'ushsh?q is one of the most beautiful for its music as well as its poems and is also one of the most popular, its m?z?n being played often at private and public celebrations. This recording is a tribute to the late artist Moulay Ahmed Loukili, one of the greatest names in Andalusi music that this century has produced. Head of the RTM orchestra from 1953 until his death on 25 november 1988, My Ahmed Loukili, in addition to his musical knowledge possessed a keen sense of text and literature which served him on numerous occasions when restoring san'a whose musical syntax and poems had suffered damage. This is not so surprising when one knows how much he gave of himself in striving for perfection of interpretation as well as the development of aesthetic qualities in his musicians and disciples. He had already begun rehearsing for this n?b? in order to take part in the anthology when illness forced him to interrupt his work. On his death. Haj Mohamed Toud, the most senior and the most gifted of the musicians in this orchestra took over and continued the work of his master, resulting in a complete n?b? whose san'a are remarkably well arranged. THE N?B? 'USHSH?Q According to the Al-Hayk classification (XVIII century), al-'ushsh?q appears as the eleventh and last n?b? of the morning. Its poems al ?la Moroccan repertory reveal the desire for clarity and limpidity following an active night entirely given over to beauty and wine. Obscure night steals awayChased by the light that sweeps up shadowsThe candlewax runs as if weeping tears of farewellAnd then, suddenly and behold, the birds are singingand the flowers smile at us. (14th san'a of the m?z?n bas?t) The n?b? al-'ushsh?q is based principally on the 'ushsh?q tab' (mode) around which gravitate two secondary modes: raml dil and dil. These three modes, introduced separately or mingling within the same san'a unite to make the n?b? al-'ushsh?q, one of the most popular in Morocco because of the variety of modal colours and the freshness it gives off The 'ushsh?q modeEnding on the note ramal (G), this mode reflects a fundamental pentatonic structure, the fourth and seventh degrees, rarer and less stable than the five others, may be considered as passing notes or temporary positions whose role is to introduce the other modes The t?shiya of the n?b? provides an excellent illustration of this pentatoniccharacter: The 'raml dil modeBased on the note maya (D), raml dil is characterised by the appearance of atetrachord (jins) hijaz:This jins is used at the end of phrases and almost always in the form of a descending figure moving from the dominant to the tonic before the notes dil (C) and sik? (F) appear and contribute to defining the mode, An exemple of this may be found in the san'a "?hin ya sult?ni" of the bt?yhi mizan. The dil modeThis tab' is founded on the note dil (C) with the note sik? (E) being played insistently as in the san'a "Sayyid? fal ma tash?" of the bt?yhi: Under the direction of Haj Mohamed Toud, the orchestra of the National Radio of Rabat presents the n��b? al-'ushsh?q and takes the opportunity of rendering homage Io ts late "master", Moulay Ahmed Loukili whose rigorous style and pertect mastery of san'a were famous. This n��b? lasts approximately six hours and forty five minutes. The five rhythmic stages comprise a total of forty seven san'a, eighteen in the bas?t, thirteen in the q?ym wa rusf, sixteen in the bt?yhi, fifteen in the darj which was recomposed in 1940 by the Tangiers master Larbi Sayyar, and twenty five in the qodd?m. Moulay Ahmed Loukili Born in Fes, in 1909, Moulay Ahmed Loukily first learnt music from his father, then as an observer at the qarrawiyy? where he met his first master teachers, Mohamed Zahi Berrada who taught him the lute, Mohamed Ayyoush and Abbelkader Kourrish who introduced him to the san'a repertory. But his true masters were to be al-Brihi and al-Mitri, who were to pay tribute to his talent elsewhere. Loukili was a member of the Al-Brihi orchestra in Fes, then left for Tangiers where he founded the Ikhwan al-fan association (Brothers of the arts) which organised concerts and carried out musical teaching... At the same time, while teaching at the conservatory of Tetouan, Loukili seized the opportunity of deepening his knowledge of the repertory by learning San'a specific to the style of Tetouan and Chefchaouen. In 1953, he became conductor of the radio orchestra, a position he held until his death at the end of 1988. My Ahmed Loukili's style may be characterised by precise dawr (poetic metre) and impeccable mastery in the use of taratin (empty syllables completing the dawr), as well as the attention paid to correcting mistakes in language and grammar commonly made by the musicians, Through a constant effort of research and analysis, he has also restored and brought to light san'a that had been forgotten in part, reconstituting the metre and certain melodic passages. My Ahmed Loukili not only has former pupils in all the towns in which he lived, he also has followers almost everywhere who consider him to be, and rightly so, the greatest master of Andalusi music for the past forty years Haj Mohammed Toud Born in 1928 in Ksar el Kebir of a theologian father (fqih), Mohamed Toud was initiated into the rules of Koranic cantillation before even attending the Koranic school (msid), Throughout his youth, his studios at the muslim college went hand in hand with an apprenticeship in Andalusi music. In 1951, he was engaged by Radio Rabat to declaim the Koran daily and thus came to the attention of the great Mbirkou who invited him to join his orchestra as soloist singer (munshid). In 1953, Moulay Ahmed Loukili took over as conductor and Mohamed Toud entered a new stage in his career, learning the long, difficult san'a of the repertory and disciplining himself to the rules of the master's style. Moreover, he completed his training with Mohamed Jaidi, teacher to the Royal Guard and Mohamed Shiya, dean of Rabat musicians . On the death of My Ahmed Loukily at the end of 1988, Mohamed Toud became conductor, in consideration of his long association with the orchestra, his knowledge of the repertory and his talent as munshid. Haj Abdelkrim Raiss Source : Collection INEDIT, Recordings conducted in october 1989 at "Studio Son et Lumi��re" Casablanca", The Moroccan Ministry of Culture and Maison des Cultures du Monde (Paris 1990) Links to either sites about Moroccan Andalusi music Association Chabab Al Andalous Samaa Le "Samaa", "l'��coute" est un art de chants polyphoniques sacr��s, hymnes au Proph��te Sidna Mohamed (P.S.) et �� Allah. Un groupe de Samaa se compose de 8 �� 40 membres se produisant lors de f��tes religieuses, �� l'int��rieur des mosqu��es, des mausol��es ou simplement chez des paticuliers �� l'occasion de mariages, circoncisions, naissances ou enterrements. Dans les chants, la majorit�� des "Mounchids" (choristes) maintient la ligne m��lodique dans des tonalit��s graves et sobres, ce qui permet aux solistes d'��laborer des "broderies", ornements vocaux, sur les chants. La technique de respiration, �� la fois intuitive et codifi��e, fait en m��me temps appara?tre la cha?ne sonore come un tout ��manant d'un seul souffle. La pratique du Samaa remonte �� l'av��nementde l'Islam (622 A.D.) Le Proph��te (P.S) fut re?u lors de son exode de la Mecque �� M��dine, par un chant �� sa gloire. "Le Lune tr?ne parmi nous" est chant�� encore de nos jours dans tous les pays arabes. Le Samaa de F��s a su traverser les si��cles en s'enrichissant par l'arriv��e des Arabes d'Espagne apr��s la chute de Grenade en 1492 et par leur musique dite andalouse. Le flux ininterrompu des assoiff��s de savoir �� F��s, a permis aux chanteurs de rester en contact avec la musique de l'orient arabe. Toutes ces influences musicales po��tiques, une fois tamis��es �� F��s, ont cr���� un genre musical original, local et en perp��tuelle ��volution. Le Samaa a pu nous parvenir, riche et authentique. Il a su plaire aux fervents des belles m��lodies arabo-andalouses et cohabite avec l'orthodoxie musulmane en louant Allah et son Proph��te (P.S.). Les confr��ries soufies pratiquant le "Dikr", chant au rythme extatique �� but th��rapeutique, ont une influence certaine sur le Samaa. Ils ont tous deux pour but d'aider les chercheurs de la v��rit�� supr��me �� atteindre Dieu en empruntant des sentiers ��sot��riques : le Soufisme. L'influence pr��pond��rante de la musique arabo-andalouse sur le Samaa nous incite �� en parler davantage. Cette musique se compose de 11 "Noubas" telle l'a r��pertori��e Al-Ha?k dans son ouvrage du 18��me si��cle. La "Nouba" est une suite de po��mes chant��s. Chaque suite est appel��e "San'a" (oeuvre d'art). Ces po��mes peuvent s'encha?ner directement ou ��tre s��par��s par des interludes instrumentaux ou vocaux. Ainsi, une Nouba se compose de 5 mouvements. Le mouvement se compose, lui, de 20 "San'a". Chaque "San'a" est une suite de vers chant��s. Un vers chant�� peut se prolonger pour des raisons de commodit��s musicales par des "Taratines" : Ya Lalan, Ha Nanan, Tiri Tan ou Tari Tanan, onomatop��es sans signification aucune. Un chanteur de Samaa a obligatoirement ��tudi�� cette musique, fr��quent�� une des confr��ries et a ��t�� initi�� �� ces chants tels Issawa, Tijani, Derqawa, Hmadcha... Une soir��e de Samaa dite "Lila" rel��ve du rituel. Elle commence par la s��ances de fumigation par le bois de santal et la lecture de la Fatiha, premi��re Sourate du Coran, sous le signe de la s��r��nit�� et de la purification. Nous sommes en pr��sence de Allah et de son Proph��te Mohamed (P.S.). Le chant ainsi commence par la s��ance dite "Hissa" :1- Raml Al Maya est une Nouba andalouse. Elle se caract��rise par un rythme long 6/4 ex��cut�� sur le mode R��. Elle s'acc��l��re en une mesure de 3 temps en 6/8. Elle est suivie des "Baytayne" (2 vers) chant��s par un soliste. Il s'agit d'un pr��lude hors cadence dont la forme est fixe, aucune improvisation n'y est admise. 2- Le Hijaz : mode de R�� avec Fa di��se, dans lequel on sent tr��s nettement l'influence de l'Orient arabe. Il est introduit par un Mawal (pr��lude vocal) o�� le chanteur se livre �� une improvisation r��glement��e. 3- Le Rasd : mode de Mi, est la sixi��me Nouba selon Al-Ha?k. Le chant s'articule sur une mesure de 8 temps appel��e "Btayhi" qui s'acc��l��re en un "qudam", cinqui��me mouvement de la Nouba. 4- Al Khamra ou Al Jalala : litt��ralement le vin divin ou la majest��. Les chanteurs sont debout car l'acc��l��ration rythmique rend le souffle haletant. Plusieurs textes sont superpos��s en un jeu d'harmonie. On y sent l'influence des chants confr��riques extatiques. C'est la cl?ture de la soir��e, les invit��s deviennent �� leur tour des ex��cutants qui cherchent cette transe prophylactique sans tomber dans les exc��s h��t��rodoxes. The Melhun The Arab popular song in Morocco borrows its modes from the Andalusian music, by simplifying them. The Qassida however preserved the division of the text in stanzas as in the Andalusian song: the verse (ghson: connect or branch) can include from eight to sixteen verses, a short refrain (harba: launch) offers an alternation which makes it possible to break the monotony of the musical discourse of the Melhoun song. Among the former authors of Melhoun, it is advisable to quote Abdelaziz El-Maghraoui (1578-1602) and of the same time, Sidi Abderrahmane El-Majdoub famous for his mystical quatrains. In 18th and 19th centuries, Morocco knew a great number of poets who, from Fez, Meknes or Marrakech spread popular poetry; and, even as high-ranking persons such as the lawyer Sidi Kaddour El-Alami and the Sultan Moulay Abdelhafid did not scorn the Melhoun. The Melhun, originally a pure literary creation, emerged as a poetic art today known in Morocco under the name of qassida or zajal. Combined with music, the Melhun quickly spread across the country where it acquired unequalled fame, particularly among artisans.Manuscripts of Arabic referring to Morocco do not mention the term Melhun. Ibn al Darraj (13th century) names mores than 31 musical instruments used or known in Morocco, but makes no mention of any folk musical form. Later, Al Wansharisi (died 1549), Al Ha'ik (18th century) or Ibn At-Tayyib Al-Alami do not make any reference to it either.This absence of the term Melhun in Moroccan musicological literature does not however contradict the existence of this musical form based on a qassida (poem) in which the vocabulary and turn of phrase blend vulgarised classical Arabic and the Moroccan dialect. Moreover, recent musicological and literary studies show in fact that the Melhun draws its source from folk songs, most probably in the zajal.At the time of the Almohades (1147-1269) and parallel to the muwashshahat, a new form appeared, the Moroccan zajal or lagriha, which does not take into account the rules of classical grammar. This form gradually became transformed by the addition of new rhythmic formulae and, at the time of the Merinides and the Wattassides (1269-1471-1554), Hammad Al Hamri (16th century) created the harba, a kind of refrain marking the end of each part of the qassida. In the 16th and 17th centuries under the Saadians, new forms ? mubayyat, maksur l-jnah, muchattab and s?si ? enriched the Melhun even further. It was also at this period that a movement of renewal and intense reaction grew up which was to mark the Moroccan zajal and the Melhun. This gave rise to the s?ruf, subsidiary procedures employed by singers to produce an even greater effect on the audience and above all to correct the rythm. Al-Maghr?wi (16th 17th centuries) created from d?n, a word that has no meaning, verses which were used as the basis for versewriting by Moroccan folk poets. For example :D?n d?ni y? d?ni d?n d?n y? d?n...In the same way, Al-Masmudi (17th century) used m?li, another word devoid of meaning, to fulfill this role: L?l? y? mawl?ti l?l? w-y? m?li m?li...Other words, equally meaningless, fulfil a purely rhythmic or versifying function (rada, sayyidna, l?l? mawl?ti..), thereby compensating for the lack of text in a musical phrase.Other elements were to enrich the Melh?n: the appearance of zajal s?fi with Ben Yajish At-Tazi and Ben Allal Al-Marrakchi from the 17th century onwards, and the migration of folk Algerian poets fleeing Turkish occupation.The first masters of the Melhun came from Tafilalt. Other famous places were also centres from which this poetico-musical form spread: the zawiya (a term designing a religious brotherhood and the place where they officiated) of Jaz?li in Marrakech; the private salon of Muhammad Ben Sliman in the 18th century, the zawiya of Sidi Qaddur al Alami in Meknes in the 18th century, the zawiya Al Harraqiyya in Rabat, the zawiya Al-Chaqquriyya in Chawen... The Qass?daThe qass?da (laqsida in Moroccan dialect) of the Melhun is based on two essential elements: the overtures preceding it and the parts of which it is composed.The overtures:An instrumental prelude (taqs?m) in free rhythm, played solo on the ?d or violin must be played before the entry of the orchestra which then plays a song belonging to one of the three recognised forms: the sarr?ba, the maww?l or the tamwila. Since most sarr?ba authors were unknown, it is often called sarr?ba hramiya.The sarr?ba is a short song performed in the same musical mode as the qassida. It consists of four parts: dkh?l, na��?ra, aby?t, radma. Parts of the Qassida: Al-Aqs?m: verses sung solo interrupted by the harba refrain. Al-harba, the origin of which goes back to the 16th century, is a refrain taken up between the verses by the shedd?da (group of singers and instrumentalist-singers). Al-dridka may be considered a simplified form, like the harba, taking off from an accelerated rhythm to announce the end of a qassida. Musical ModesThe Melhun has greatly benefited from al-?la andalusi music, adopting several of its modes. Two categories may be distinguished: the six basic modes: Isthl?l, Ramal al-m?ya, Hij?z, S?kah, ��Ir?q ��ajjam, Isbih?n, and the secondary modes: Hs?n, Inqil?b ramal, Hamd?n, Rasd, Mcharqi which appear from time to time during a qass?da. To these should be added some other modes in use in the Middle East: Rast, Bay?ti, S?g?h. RhythmsThere are three main Melh?n rhythms: gubb?hi, hadd?ri and dr?dka.Masters of the Melhun use two methods for keeping time during a song: beating or clapping hands, ar-rash, and the range of percussion instruments, notably the ta��r?ja (small goblet drum made of clay), which is the instrument most commonly used in the Melhun as in other forms of folk music. Tradition has it that two groups of instrumentalists play the ta��r?ja; one of them playing on the centre of the skin, which produces a full, resonant sound (al-yam), the other using the edges of the ta��r?ja, to give a dry, clear sound (al-h?shia). These two groups contrast with one another above all in the instrumental responses (jawab). The al-hadd?r? rythm used in the central part of the qass?da : The dridka rythm brings to an end most of the qass?da : The al-gubb?hi, rythm used in the introductory sarr?ba and at the end of certain qass?da, in place of the dridka : The Melhun orchestra The Melhum orchestra, which has no wind instruments, is divided up into two groups: stringed instruments and percussion instruments.Stringed Instruments: Al-��?d (the lute), has six strings, five of which are double and one (the lowest in pitch) simple. The violon, al-kam?n, played in the same way as in the al-?la andalusi orchestra, that is to say placed vertically on the knee. As-sw?sd? or swisen, small folk lute, with a high, dry sound, forms parts of the family of gambr? instruments, whose three strings are tuned as follows: Al-hajh?j, with its low-pitched sound, is the biggest of three instruments of the gambr? family (the medium-sized al farkh being another member) is tuned thus: Percussion instruments (ta��r?ja) are held by the munshid (solo singers) and by the redd?da (choir) who, at the same time, act as shedd?da (percussionists) performing on the ta��r?ja, darb?ka and handqa, small brass cymbals. The Qass?'id (astracts) Among the large array of qass?'id which gained world renown through the singers of the Melh?n, the first that come to mind are the qass?'id sung by Haj Houcine TOULALI (1924-1998) : Fatma, Nkar El Hssane, Al Haraz, Echem��?, ... Al-��Arsa, (The Garden of Delights) by Th?mi Lamdaghri (died 1856) sung by Abdelkrim Guennoun from Fes. First verse:"Open your eyesTaste the delights and generous natureOf this heavenly garden.The branches of wonderful trees intertwineLike two lovers meeting againAnd totter about, heady with happiness.The smile of flowers, mingled with the tears of the dewRecall the melancholic exchangeOf a sad lover and his joyous beloved.Birds sing in the branchesLike as many lutes and rebabs." Refrain: "Oh garden be blessedTiba's (Mecca) finest inhabitant lives in you. 2 - Al Harr?z (the jailer) by Ali Al-Baghd?di (died 1786), sung by Haj Houcine Toulali of Meknes. First verse: "I presented myself with all the trappingsof a great lord,Drums, flags and standards went before me,My entourage followed bearing sumptuous gifts.By the end of that day, such was the respect due to me,That Al-Harr?z could not refuse to receive me.And yet, he shuts himself in, shirking his duties as a host. Refrain: "Why does Al-Harr?z no longer have confidence in meHe is always on the watch,Making it impossible for me to get near him." The rest of the story describes the cunnings used by the two lovers to get around Al-Harraz's severity so that love can triumph. Haj Houcine TOULALI 1924-1998 The senior of the Melh?n music, Haj Houcine Toulali, died on December 7, 1998 in Meknes at the age of 74, after a long period of illness. The late Haj Houcine Toulali died of a tumour of the liver which did not spare him in spite of the intensive care he received. The art of Melhun is narrowly related to Haj Houcine Toulali who has enriched the repertory of this form of musical expression with his unequalled interpretation of more than one hundred "Qassa'id" of " Madh " (praise of the merits of the Prophet) as well as different other topics. In order to ensure the perenniality of this art, Haj Houcine Toulali created a school of Melhoun which contributed to the safeguarding of this typical musical expression reflecting the various aspects of everyday life. A?ssaoua Founded in the 16th century by Sidi Mohamed Ben A?ssa, this religious brotherhood is attached to the Sufism. Its main spiritual center (zaouia) is in Mekn��s where its founder is buried. They are present in all Morocco through secondary zouias but also in all the Maghreb countries. The followers of this brotherhood devote themselves, after initiation near a Master, to the individual practice of the asceticism and ritual collectives animated by musical instruments. The ritual of A?ssaoua comprises litanies and poems sung, in particular the dikr and hadra which give place to dances and extatic transe. The instruments which accompany the ritual by A?ssaoua are: cylindrical tambourines with only one membrane (bendir), drums with double membrane (t'bal) and oboes (gha?ta). Gnaoua They are generally the descendants of former slaves originating from Black Africa. Gnaoua, who constituted themselves as brotherhoods through Morocco, are Masters musicians, players of crotales, conspicuous women, mediums and followers. They practise a syncretic rite of possession, where interfere at the same time African and arabo-Berber contributions, during which followers devote themselves to the practice of the dances of possession and trance. This rite of possession, that they indicate by the term of " derdeba ", proceeds during the night. It is animated by a Master musician accompanied by his troop, by a conspicuous affiliated with the brotherhood of the gnaoua and her assistants. This night ceremony comprises a profane part intended for the entertainment during which there is no trance and a sacred part during which saints and supernatural entities are called upon (mlouk). The instruments used during these ritual ceremonies are a lute drum with low register (guembri) and crotales (qraqech). The drums are used, at Gnaoua townsmen, only during the procession which precedes the rite of possession. The Gnaoua term is a generic term which includes the stimulating members of the brotherhood like the Masters musicians (ma?lem), the players of crotales (qraqeb), the conspicuous-therapeutists (talla?te and chouwafate) and the followers affiliated to the brotherhood. The activities of Gnaoua, which are at the same time musical, ritual, initiatory and therapeutic, link the cultural contributions of the Black Africa and Islam in a specific and harmonious unit. The rite of possession that Gnaoua celebrate is in the heart of their multiple activities. It is called derdeba and is held the night (lila), hence its name lila of derdeba. It is jointly animated by a Master musician at the lead of his troop and by woman-conspicuous who gets in charge of the accessories and clothing necessary to the ritual. During the celebration, the Master musician, using a lute-drum with three cords (guenbri) calls, via sung currencies and by burning incenses, the saints and the supernatural entities (mlouk) to come in order to take possession of the followers. These latter, once " inhabited " by these same entities, are devoted then to trance.