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B'Net Houariyat

dr, MA, Marrakesh-Tensift-El Haouz
Musician of World
A.k.a. B'net Houariyat

B'net Houariyat is formed by five women from the region of Marrakech, singing and dancing to the rhythm of their drums, performing traditional music of the Houara (the region between Taroudant and Tiznit), of the Hammada (plain of the Dra'a), together with Berber dances and urban styles like the Aitci (female seductive appeal) and the Chaabi, popular style that originated Rai music. The image of women as represented by the music of B'net Houariyat reflects the multiple facets of Islam on a daily life and the female condition, above and beyond the stereotypes, with emotion, humor and energy. Among the themes of their songs: the exaltation of love and beautythe cry of the young woman that refuses the combined marriage with a rich old manthe derision of the man that has more wives and that works to maintain themthe ritual dance of the woman possessed by her spiritsthe incitement to the Moroccan football team in occasion of the World Cup 1998the criticism of Bob Marley and pop's fanaticism. The group played for the first time out of their traditional context in July 1995, in Milan, at the Festival Notti di San Lorenzo. Since then, B'net Houariyat has numerous international festivals and concert halls. At the end of the 1990s, there were some changes made to the group by a French promoter that led to conflicts. Two groups ended up touring under similar names: B'net Houariyat and Binet Houariyat. The professional musicians formed a new band called Bnet Marrakech and B'net Houariyat remained with its traditional focus.

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