oulad othmane and tinmasla /  by Carlos Perez Marin

The second stay was in Oulad Othmane Kasbah, another imposant place, where we had the occasion of talking to the owner, Abdel Majid, who told us the story of his family, the old cadi of the kasbah, with some interesting revelations about the slaves, the main research topic of Amado Alfadni.

 


tinmasla

The ksar of Tinmasla (with the zawya of the same name) is among the 5 most important spiritual centres in Zagora. This fact has a reflection in the architecture, because the number of marabouts and also the mosque with its minaret. There were only 5 minarets in the valley, today, only three left...

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tamnougalt /  by Carlos Perez Marin

The first stop of our study trip (in the framework of Beyond Qafila Thania and Qanat, organised by Marsad Drâa+CeRCCa+Le 18), was Tamnougalt, a ksar with a kasbah used by one of the most important caids of the region and a place where caravans payed taxes. Besides the Museum of Caid's Kasbah is quite impressive and an excellent place to stay as the researches and artists (Amado Alfadni, Pau Cara, Francesca Masoero, Leire Vergara and Heidi Vogels) could experience.

We also had the opportunity of visiting another ksar, Takatarte.

 

Tamnougalt

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Takatarte

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qanat /  by Carlos Perez Marin

Le 18 Marrakech scheduled a very interesting program related to WATER (in the framework of Kibrit). As we shared some topics and some artists participated also in Beyond Qafila Thania, we decided (with Platform Harakat) to match our agendas in order to visit the Drâa valley in Zagora (Morocco) and discover its heritage concerning water, architecture and caravans.

There was also a round table with artists and researches on the experience during Beyond Qafila Thania project.

beyond qafila thania /  by Carlos Perez Marin

We are thrilled to announce our new research: BEYOND QAFILA THANIA
 

Beyond Qafila Thania brings together researchers from Sudan, Morocco, Spain, Italy and the Netherlands ( Amado Alfadni, Olì Bonzanigo, M'barek Bouhchichi, Pau Cata, Laila Hida, Francesca Masoero, Carlos Perez Marin, Leire Vergara and Heidi Vogels) researching in architecture, sociology and the visual arts actively approaching the cultural, social and geopolitical space of the Sahara desert, tracing back the stories of the old caravans, learning about its influence in current day cultures and societies.


Beyond Qafila Thania facilitates an inspiring frame to research on topics such as contemporary nomad culture and architecture, current immigration routes, history of slave trade and knowledge exchange and mobility within the Mediterranean, Sahel and West Africa.


Beyond Qafila Thania will take place from the 22nd October to the 24th November in the provinces of Zagora, Tata and Guelmim in Morocco. It develops through different stages, including research and archiving, site visits, interviews, public events, a nomadic residency in the desert, round tables and a final exhibition.


Beyond Qafila Thania is a project develop by CeRCCa and Marsad Drâa through Platform Harakat, Project QAFILA and Qanat in the framework of Kibrit.
 

culture strategy for guelmim oases /  by Carlos Perez Marin

Last week we handed a proposal over to authorities on contemporary culture in the oasis of Guelmim (made through Marsad Drâa and Caravane Tighmert). A program that authorities asked us at a meeting last July . It will take a few more weeks to know if they accept the challenge of bringing contemporary culture to those little paradises that are still the oases.


A big thank you to all the artists for trusting us and for their engagement in this adventure.


This culture strategy has four aims:
- to provide access to multidisciplinary artistic training for the oasis population.
- to develop a cultural network in the province (which will allow a better social cohesion).
- to encourage contemporary creation, based on oasis cultures.
- to promote contemporary oasis cultures at regional, national and international levels.

imitation and tradition in contemporary art in morocco /  by Carlos Perez Marin

In July, I participated in the round table organised by Youmein Creative Media Festival that took place at the American Legation in Tangier. In this edition, the festival proposed visual and performing artists to think about Imitation and Tradition in contemporary art in Morocco (these two terms use the same word in Arabic, "taqlid" in singular is imitation and in plural, "taqalid", traditions). 

Thanks to the organisation for this opportunity.

 
 

planet sand and marsad drâa: the story behind /  by Carlos Perez Marin

In 2014 we participated in the filming of Planet Sand, a documentary series on desertification directed by Thierry Berrod and produced by Mona Lisa Production, ARTE France, HEILONGJIANG TV, UNIVERSCIENCE, CNRS images and IRD. The series has been aired in France (Arte TV) in May and in Spain (La 2 and www.rtve.es) in June, but it will shown in 100 channels all over the world.

Some people wanted to know how we contacted the filmmaker and how we convinced him to show our projects on this documentary series, in fact, we did nothing, he just contacted us...

This is the story behind our participation in Planet Sand (click on the image).

stratégie culturel oasis guelmim /  by Carlos Perez Marin

Pendant la 3ème édition de Caravane Tighmert en juillet denier, nous avons eu une réunion avec les autorités de la province de Guelmim. Ils ont exprimé leur besoin de développer des activités culturelles dans la province, spécialement dans les oasis car d'après eux, il n'y a pas vraiment une politique culturale, ni à Guelmim en particulier, ni au Maroc en général. Bien s'il y a des concerts en été dans toutes les villes, il s'agit, dans la plupart des cas, du divertissement et non pas de la promotion et de la création culturelle (au-delà de la musique). Pour ces raisons ils nous ont demandé de collaborer avec eux pour améliorer l’état de la culture dans la province, puisque selon eux, Tighmert est devenu la référence culturelle de Guelmim, les seuls à mener des activités de formation, de promotion et de création artistiques multidisciplinaires, traditionnelles et contemporaines, grâce notamment à Caravane Tighmert, sans oublier le Festival des Esclaves, les pionniers des festivals dans l’oasis. 

Avec Marsad Drâa nous travaillons dans une stratégie culturelle pour les oasis de Guelmim et nous nous posons pas mal de questions avant commencer à proposer des actions:

Plus d'information: ici

caravane tighmert 2015-2017 /  by Carlos Perez Marin

In two weeks we will have a new edition of Caravane Tighmert. This is a compilation of the activities we have done since 2015. Thanks to all the inhabitants of the oasis and the artist that have come during these years.

(Caravane Tighmert is parallel program we organise from Marsad Drâa with friends from Tighmert, Guelmim in the south of Morocco)

 

caravane tighmert 2017 /  by Carlos Perez Marin

In just six weeks we will be in the oasis of Tighmert, Guelmim (Morocco) for another artist gathering on contemporary oasian culture. This will be the third time we invite visual artists, musiciens, dancers... to a place that was considered as a Saharan port, with caravans heading to Mali and Mauritania. Nowadays, there is still a culture heritage that reminds the connections between the north and south shore of the Sahara desert. 

There is a call for visual artist (till the 18th June), you just need to send an email with a website, Facebook page or some images representative of your work (to caravanetighmert@gmail.com), and also a small text (two phrases) explaining why do you want to comme and what would you like to develop as research during the gathering.

You will find more information here:

Caravane Tighmert is organised by "Association des Amis du Festival Caravane Tighmert" and Marsad Drâa

heidi vogels / gilles aubry in Tighmert /  by Carlos Perez Marin

Last week I had the opportunity to share some, and new, amazing experiences with Dutch artist Heidi Vogels (www.heidivogels.nl www.gardensoffez.com) and Swiss artist Gilles Aubry (www.earpolitics.net), and of course with Ahmed Dabbah. 

Heidi Vogels

Gilles Aubrey

The artists came to make some researches on oasian way of life (inside and outside the oasis) and on traditional music. During our stay, we could better understand the importance of Tighmert in the Moroccan history as well as in the current natural ecosystem of the region, thanks to the spring near the oasis, a real crossroad in the Oued Noun region. 

 

However, non of these experiences can be compared with the encounter with nomads. We had the opportunity of sharing one night with a nomad family, talking, singing and sleeping with them, and another one with camel herders, learning more and more about this incredible animal. 

 

Moreover, Gilles could meet some descendants of ancient Guedra dancers that performed for Paul Bowles in the 50s, as well as women working and singing near the oasis.

It will be very interesting to see what artists will produce with all the materials they got during the week, maybe we will see a preview during the next Caravane Tighmert festival in July...

Thanks to both of you for trusting us when we proposed you the oasis of Tighmert as an artistic place for research and creation.

 

 

 

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