Aita mellalia, the beautiful singing of Appeals for the Middle Atlas
The art of Aita is a cultural and historical heritage that has changed over the years. Today, few folk groups who manage to preserve this art is endangered.
When we talk about the art of Aita, we think of regions Chaouia, and Abda Doukkala through the surrounding areas like El Haouz especially Zaer. The art of Aita means, in its traditional sense, the call is to say the call of the tribe and the return to the ancestors to spread the will in the human heart and invite the Muse of poetry and song. There are several kinds of Aita: Aita El Hasbaouia, Azzaaria; Haouzia Al, Al Jablia, Gharbaouia Al, Al and Al Marsaouia Mallalia. The art of Aita inspired by the social life of the Moroccan man and often it is based on love, pleasure and the beauty of nature. Note that this art had its onset in regions such as Safi, Casablanca, El Jadida, Beni Mellal, Khouribga, Marrakech Kalaât Sraghna, Kenitra, and Khénifra Taounat. For Abdeslam Ghayour, researcher in the field of Aita, music is a great way of language produced by the rural man And that's what he emphasizes in his study on the Art in the soap Aita Morocco
"Ouja Trabe" with directors and Shimi Radouane Kassimi. Nejmi Hassan in "Study of oral poetry and traditional music from Aita," Aita defined as a poetic and musical art which has its own specificities.
In the region of Beni Mellal, and specifically Fquih Ben Salah, the group Sasta is known for his love and his research in the area of Aita in general. ALM went to meet the man who still retains such an art (IATA), which is endangered. His name is Mohamed Lakhlil, Sasta is an artistic name.
He started playing with a little violin since the age of 14. At that time there were only a few traditional groups such as Khalifa Ould Chato in Beni Mellal, Haj Zarouali and Hajja Ghalia at Oued Zem. According to witnesses of his time, was called Sasta because he had a bicycle 700 on which he moved with his violin. Sasta says about
Aita, "The real Aita no longer exists and there are few groups that perpetuate it. I worked with Fatna Bent Lhoucine for 7 years and is around 1975/1976. For each region, there is a kind of Aita ".
The folk group Sasta always opts for the preservation of traditional music because for Sasta Aita, Aita Mellalia stands for bravery, was to encourage men to more courage ... "Aita Marsaouia, says he has pace and is composed of 14 Aytas and it's not like Ayta Mellalia where we are freer. Forward to the year 67/68, the heyday of Aita, there were groups as worthy of the name bnat Bikar, Aisha Bent Al Karem, Mouloud ... and recording the songs was done on the disks. In addition, the photos were in black and white. "When we speak of Aita and groups who perpetuate it, we think of Ouled Ben Aguida, Ouled Bouazzaoui, Fatna Lhoucine Bent, Bent Sasta ... Fatna Lhoucine Sasta whom worked for seven years, was a kind of character in the picaresque as she moved between Sidi Bennour, Youssoufia and Safi and Casa. His movement was also that of Aita has inspired different social where she lived. Aita, over the time spread but each region had its own characteristics and identity that is why we find Layata Bidaouia, Mellalia, Jablia, Houzia ... A Fquih Ben Salah, and in order to preserve and organize the wealth of Aita, the folk group Sasta gave birth in 2001 to an association called "Association Lâmiria Heritage People". About the objectives of this Association, Sasta says: "Our goal is to protect what remains of Aita. Our Association consists of 17 folk groups. There is a lack of material resources, encouragement. Every year we organize a celebration of Aita and attended by many of those interested in the type of Moroccan heritage.
Aita is now dying. Only about 5 or 6 groups (Ouled Ben Aguida, Ouled Al Bouazzaoui, Sasta, Ould Soubba, Khadija Safi Margoum) that still preserve this cultural treasure. " Aita is an art that reflects the image of an entire era of Moroccan society. This obliges us to preserve it, it's a cultural heritage and identity.
Source: aujourdhui.ma
