Morocco and Tunisia, Maghreb similarities

A Moroccan cultural week organised by Tunisia's Ministry of Culture kicked off in the Tunisian capital last week. A number of Moroccan artists and artisan gathered to highlight the cultural similarities between the two countries

By Mona Yahia for Magharebia in Tunis – 23/03/2008

Tunisians brought their Moroccan Cultural Week to an end Saturday (March 22nd) in Tunis, with craft exhibitions, film showings and musical nights. The event, which welcomed major artists like the Tamsamani Band for Andalusian Music, Jil Jilala and singers Ihsan Rmiki, Najat Aatabou and Karima Sakli, offered Tunisians and other Arab visitors an opportunity for cultural exchange.

In a promotional flyer for the event, Moroccan Minister of Culture Touriya Jabrane wrote that the event provided an opportunity for Moroccans and Tunisians to "exchange views and create linkages for common action for the purpose of creating a new and advanced cultural vision."

The work of well known Moroccan visual artists such as Ahlam Lemssafer and Bouchti Hilani was also on display throughout the week and a number of workshops in copperwork, silverwork jewellery-making and caftan design were organised for craftsmen.

"We have to intensify these Maghreb meetings, whether with Morocco, Algeria or Libya," said university professor Mohammed Habib Kamoun. "Through my visit to the exhibition, I found out that there are many shared points between Morocco and Tunisia, especially in the field of traditional industries."

Cinema student Moez said, "I watched the Moroccan film "Al Helm" (The Dream) by director Jamel Ben Majdoub. I think Moroccan cinema is much more advanced than Tunisian cinema. This may be due to the policy adopted by Morocco for promoting this sector."

Moroccan museum curator Mohammed Abd illa Ben Gazzi told Magharebia, "The meeting was good. I'm happy with the exhibition we organised, in which we amassed a collection of clothing from Moroccan tradition, including garments dating back to the 17th century."

The exhibition received a large number of visitors, academics and officials from Tunisia and other Arab countries.

Visual arts student Amal Abida considered the event a good initiative, saying "this is the first time ever that Tunisia hosts a special week dedicated to Moroccan heritage and culture. We have been accustomed to Western or Gulf weeks. As for Maghreb weeks, they are [typically] very rare or very small."

The upper floor of the Belvédère Gallery hosted a book show featuring titles from different fields of philosophy, science and academia.

Speaking at the opening of the exposition, Tunisian Minister of Culture Mohammed Azziz ben Achour voiced his hope that the event would help in enhancing artistic exchange and partnership between the two countries.

The municipal theatre in Tunis hosted the second part of the opening ceremony, with a traditional musical party that featured performances by Tamsamani Band for Andalusian Music, with singer Ihsan Rmiki and Morocco's Zaman Al Wasl band.

"I think that culture is the only way to bring the peoples together and to strengthen the links of unity among the Maghreb peoples," said Tamsamani Band for Andalusian Music leader Mohammed Amine al-Akrami. "Malouf music, for example, is found everywhere in the Maghreb region. This is a piece of evidence that we, in the Great Maghreb, share a rich, unified musical traditions."