Musicians perform Jewish and Muslim traditions at Moroccan music festival

Musicians Nouhaila El Kalai, Anas Belhachemi, and Hicham Dinar performed at the 21st Atlantic Andalusias Festival in Essaouira, Morocco.

The event took place at Dar Souiri near Bab El Sbaa to celebrate the city's musical heritage and Moroccan Jewish history. The performers showcased Chgouri repertoire, a musical tradition shared by both Moroccan Jews and Muslims. They utilized a style called Matrouz, where a single composition features lyrics in both Hebrew and Moroccan Darija.

Hicham Dinar explained that the musicians perform side by side with Moroccan Jews, alternating between the two languages to create a blend of cultures. The festival also drew visitors from Israel who are of Moroccan descent. These attendees traveled to the event to reconnect with their ancestral heritage through Andalusian music. One visitor noted that the festival provides a space for those born outside Morocco to experience the spirit of Moroccan identity and the bond between the two religious communities.