The New Wave of Independent Musicians Performing in Moroccan Arabic · Global Voices
Indie rock band the Psychoacoustics in one of their shows in Casablanca. Source: the Psychoacoustics Facebook page. Used with permission.
In recent years, a growing number of indie rock bands have begun writing their songs in Darija, the dialect of Arabic used in everyday conversation in Morocco.
The result is music inspired by both contemporary art and local heritage. Unlike modern mainstream Moroccan art, which is under pressure to conform to certain standards, independent art in Darija pushes boundaries, using profanity and slang, touching on highly controversial themes, and experimenting with different styles.
The alternative musical scene began in Morocco in the early 2000s and was referred to as the Nayda movement (“nayda” being a neologism meaning “waking up”, used as an adjective to describe a festive atmosphere). The main showcase back then was the Boulevard Festival of Young Musicians (Festival du Boulevard des Jeunes Musiciens). First held in 1999 as a competition featuring local rappers, DJs and bands, this festival sought to establish an underground scene and present it to the public and mainstream media.
The acts during this early generation were limited and written mostly in English and French. Speaking to Global Voices, <PERSON>, co-author of the book “Jil L'Klam: Poètes Urbains” and former guitar player for Haoussa and Betweenatna, explains in part why:
The movement itself is inspired from idols. It began in the 1990s when TV stations like MTV, MCM and VIVA became accessible. This way, not only the music, but the entire culture was dispatched. And when we talk about Rock, most of the influences were English-speaking.
Back then, the Darija dialect was emblematic of traditional musical forms like Malhoun (meaning “the melodic poem”), which in turn is inspired by Andalusian music – not something with widespread appeal for young people, who sought foreign pop culture and art.
Aurora performing in Hardzazat Hardcore Fest. 926
Source: Aurora Facebook page. Used with permission.
Darija's status among Moroccans also didn't help. As <PERSON>, creator of the musical project The Missing String and lead singer of Riot Stones, tells Global Voices:
There is a commonly borne thought of how Darija does not go well with such musical genres where Darija is seen by many as a language associated with lack of education, and the acquisition of certain foreign languages is of added value.
But things began to change. According to some musicians, music has no official language, thus when the lyrics are written in English it is accessible to a global audience. Others, however, believed that the only way they can increase their local notoriety is by relying on their mother tongue.
So a new wave of independent artists eventually emerged in Morocco, bands with influences from electronic music, metal, and punk with lyrics in Darija. Nowadays, there are more venues and opportunities for these artists to showcase their work.
“It took us time to find identity in the rich cultural background that we have, and only recently have we succeeded in doing so” says <PERSON>, lead singer for Wana Mali (previously Aurora).
And that success has been significant for the dialect, says <PERSON>, professor emeritus of Maghrebian Arabic at Paris’ National Institute for Oriental Languages and Civilizations (INALCO) and co-author of <PERSON>: “The claiming use of Darija by the artists of the new scene has been very important in the valorization of this language in the Moroccan civil society for a decade.”
<PERSON>, stage director, actor, musician and staunch proponent of Darija, believes that Darija is closer to Moroccan identity than Arabic and therefore more accessible to local audiences:
Arabic, like French, is a language of occupation unlike Darija which borrows from different languages. [Darija] is a language of adaptation. In the early 2000s, classical Arabic was associated with the notion of ‘noble’ art. To me, theater, or art in general, was impossible if you can’t communicate with the audience. In this, Arabic was no different than French.
To many Moroccans, this new generation is reminiscent of the <PERSON> generation in the 1970s and 80s, pioneered by groups like <PERSON>, <PERSON> and <PERSON>.
Back then, literary Darija, the Darija used to write <PERSON> poems, was still present. 216