Music of Western Sahara
Encyclopedia
Sahrawi music shares much in common with neighbouring musical traditions such as those of Mauritania
n and southern Moroccan
. The Tbal is the basic instrument of percussion
, though the traditional string instrument
called Tidinit
, has largely been replaced by electric guitar
.
The first Sahrawi music LP, entitled Polisario vencerá, was recorded live in Barcelona
, in 1982 by the band Shahid El Uali.
From 1998, Nubenegra (Spanish music label) marketed several Sahrawi music CDs in the United States
and Germany
, with a first release of a three-disc box set from 1998 entitled Sahrauis: The Music of the Western Sahara
(catalogue number INT 32552). Featured artists in the compilation were singer Mariem Hassan
, Leyoad, guitarist Nayim Alal
and singer Aziza Brahim
. Meanwhile, American label Rounder Records
released their own compilation Starry Nights in Western Sahara
in 2000.
In 2002 Mariem Hassan and Leyoad released a collaboration album, Mariem Hassan con Leyoad. Then, in 2005 Nubenegra edited Mariem Hassan first solo album, entitled Deseos (Wishes). Her last work is the album Shouka (Thorn), in 2009.
In 2003 Nubenegra edited the album Nar from guitarist Nayim Alal.
On November 8, 2007 Tiris released the album Sandtracks on British label Sandblast Records.
In 2007, the American label Sublime Frequencies
edited the album Guitar Music from Western Sahara, from the Dakhla
-based band Group Doueh. On June 2009, Group Doueh released the album Treeg Salaam (Streets of Peace).
In 2008, Aziza Brahim
self-released her first EP
, entitled Mi Canto (My Song).
Mauritania
Mauritania is a country in the Maghreb and West Africa. It is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean in the west, by Western Sahara in the north, by Algeria in the northeast, by Mali in the east and southeast, and by Senegal in the southwest...
n and southern Moroccan
Morocco
Morocco , officially the Kingdom of Morocco , is a country located in North Africa. It has a population of more than 32 million and an area of 710,850 km², and also primarily administers the disputed region of the Western Sahara...
. The Tbal is the basic instrument of percussion
Percussion instrument
A percussion instrument is any object which produces a sound when hit with an implement or when it is shaken, rubbed, scraped, or otherwise acted upon in a way that sets the object into vibration...
, though the traditional string instrument
String instrument
A string instrument is a musical instrument that produces sound by means of vibrating strings. In the Hornbostel-Sachs scheme of musical instrument classification, used in organology, they are called chordophones...
called Tidinit
Xalam
Xalam, also spelled khalam, is the Wolof name for a traditional stringed musical instrument from West Africa. The xalam is thought to have originated from modern-day Mali, but some believe that, in antiquity, the instrument may have originated from ancient Egypt...
, has largely been replaced by electric guitar
Electric guitar
An electric guitar is a guitar that uses the principle of direct electromagnetic induction to convert vibrations of its metal strings into electric audio signals. The signal generated by an electric guitar is too weak to drive a loudspeaker, so it is amplified before sending it to a loudspeaker...
.
The first Sahrawi music LP, entitled Polisario vencerá, was recorded live in Barcelona
Barcelona
Barcelona is the second largest city in Spain after Madrid, and the capital of Catalonia, with a population of 1,621,537 within its administrative limits on a land area of...
, in 1982 by the band Shahid El Uali.
From 1998, Nubenegra (Spanish music label) marketed several Sahrawi music CDs in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
and Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
, with a first release of a three-disc box set from 1998 entitled Sahrauis: The Music of the Western Sahara
Sahrauis: The Music of the Western Sahara
Sahrauis: The Music of the Western Sahara is a three-disc box set of Saharawi music. It was the first compilation of such songs released in America.The tracks on the 3 CDs are listed belowDisc: 1 Despite All Wounds 1. Dios Mío...
(catalogue number INT 32552). Featured artists in the compilation were singer Mariem Hassan
Mariem Hassan
-Life:She was born in 1958 in the Ued Tazua, 20 km. away from Smara . She was the third of a total of 10 siblings of a nomadic family. Although they weren't a Igaouen family, music and poetry was important in the family, as various relatives were singers, poets or dancers...
, Leyoad, guitarist Nayim Alal
Nayim Alal
Nayim Alal is a singer, guitarist and writer of lyrics in Spanish from Western Sahara.-Life:He was born in a nomadic family at the Ued Hawa, near Smara in 1966. All his brothers and sisters do poetry, and his brother Mohamed Lamin and Nayim were musicians...
and singer Aziza Brahim
Aziza Brahim
-Life:She was born in 1976 in the Sahrawi refugee camps, where her mother had settled in late 1975, fleeing from the Moroccan occupation of Western Sahara. Her father remained in El Aaiun, where he died, and due to the conflict, she had never seen him....
. Meanwhile, American label Rounder Records
Rounder Records
Rounder Records, originally of Cambridge, Massachusetts, but now based in Burlington, Massachusetts, is a record label founded in 1970 by Ken Irwin, Bill Nowlin and Marian Leighton-Levy, while all three were still university students...
released their own compilation Starry Nights in Western Sahara
Starry Nights in Western Sahara
Starry Nights in Western Sahara is an album compiled by filmmaker Danielle Smith, in the process of making one of her documentaries on Western Sahara. Starry Nights is the second compilation of Saharawi music released in America, after Sahrauis: The Music of the Western Sahara. The majority of the...
in 2000.
In 2002 Mariem Hassan and Leyoad released a collaboration album, Mariem Hassan con Leyoad. Then, in 2005 Nubenegra edited Mariem Hassan first solo album, entitled Deseos (Wishes). Her last work is the album Shouka (Thorn), in 2009.
In 2003 Nubenegra edited the album Nar from guitarist Nayim Alal.
On November 8, 2007 Tiris released the album Sandtracks on British label Sandblast Records.
In 2007, the American label Sublime Frequencies
Sublime Frequencies
Sublime Frequencies is a record label based in Seattle, Washington that focuses exclusively on "acquiring and exposing obscure sights and sounds from modern and traditional urban and rural frontiers," mostly from Southeast Asia, North Africa, and the Middle East...
edited the album Guitar Music from Western Sahara, from the Dakhla
Dakhla
Dakhla may refer to:*Dakhla Oasis, Egypt*Dakhla, Western Sahara*Dakhla Airport...
-based band Group Doueh. On June 2009, Group Doueh released the album Treeg Salaam (Streets of Peace).
In 2008, Aziza Brahim
Aziza Brahim
-Life:She was born in 1976 in the Sahrawi refugee camps, where her mother had settled in late 1975, fleeing from the Moroccan occupation of Western Sahara. Her father remained in El Aaiun, where he died, and due to the conflict, she had never seen him....
self-released her first EP
Extended play
An EP is a musical recording which contains more music than a single, but is too short to qualify as a full album or LP. The term EP originally referred only to specific types of vinyl records other than 78 rpm standard play records and LP records, but it is now applied to mid-length Compact...
, entitled Mi Canto (My Song).
External links
- Sample and download Sáhara, Tierra Mía
- Sample and download Mariem Hassan con Leyoad
- Info, Audio & video samples
- Mariem Hassan INTERVIEW
- Starry Nights in Western Sahara
- Listen to starry-celebration sample
- Listen to samples from Medej CD, Mariem Hassan, Nayim Alal et al at CDRoots.com
- Advance of the new CD of Mariem Hassan