Festival of Agadir signs and Timitar culture; keys of a musical success
July 18, 2004
Posted to the Web July 19, 2004
Me bark Chbani
During five days, the town of Agadir vibrated at the rhythm of its festival "Signs and organized Timitar Culture", from the 07 to July 11, 2004, by the Agadir and the Souss Area Massed-Draâ.
This new experiment intervenes after several attempts without a future (Festival of Orange, Foire of Agadir, Festival of Popular Arts, etc.) or quite simply abandoned after a few years of organization (Festival of African popular arts).
After the Festival of the popular and wandering musics of which the concept did not convince last year at all, the area adopted a new approach this year with the arrival of the new president, Mr. Aziz Akhennouch. Immediate consequence: adoption of a new concept for the new-born baby who is called from now on: "Festival of Agadir Signs and Timitar Culture"; the topic chosen for the first edition being: "the artists amazighs accomodate the musics of the world". It is what explains at the same time local programming, national and international.
On the three sites of the festival: place Al Amal, Open-air theatre and ground Bijaouane (old municipal stage of the sea front), one saw ravelling during five evenings, international artists amazighs and artists. Idir and Izenzaren Iggut Abdelhadi gave to the tone at the time of one evening unforgettable opening chaired by HRH Prince Moulay Rachid. Consequently, it was known that this time was going to be the maid, more especially as the organizers had put all the chances on their side.
While placing a child of the city to the head of the artistic direction, in fact, Mr. Brahim El Mazned, an impassioned young person of the musics of Morocco and world, which does not speak much, but which acquired during fifteen years of practice of the trade, a great experiment as regards organization in concerts and others, here and elsewhere, thing that many is unaware of.
It is thus "this rare bird" and which was however with range of the hand that the organizers of the festival finished by dénicher.Il is quite simply enough to leave them anonymity all in their offering the same chances to success offered to their pars come besides. Moreover, in answer to a question on this subject at the time of the press conference which preceded the opening ceremony by the festival, Mr. Aziz Akhennouch, president of the regional Council were one cannot more clearly on top while saying: "We chose Mr. El Mazned for his competence". And those which ignored this professional of the spectacle finished by it discovering at the time of this different What festival proof can one provide, if they are not that all the programmed artists were with go, the schedules were respected, quality was there and the public too? What could - one to hope moreover?
As for the technique, the steering committee entrusted work to professionals who know their trade perfectly and who have all the material necessary. And as it had promised it to us before the festival, the artistic director held word by offering to everyone the same technical conditions granted to the artists elsewhere.
Therefore, it is for the first time, that it was really smelled that Agadir had finally its festival. Each evening, Gadiris left in family to go to see the spectacles.La place Al Amal accomodated all publics.Au Open-air theatre, environment was rather family Tout the world came there in family even the organizers because one could do it under good conditions. As for the Bijaouane ground, it accomodated each evening its especially young public. One lived moments of immense joy in an excellent environment.
Moreover, the public gadiri in particular and soussi in general, as a true expert, had not been mistaken there. Indeed, the three sites of the festival were every evening archi-roofs. And in spite of that, all that occurred in calms and disciplines it. At the end of the evening of opening, foreign tourists were surprised to see the 15 000 witnesses who had gathered on place Al Amal for the concert of Idir and Izenzaren Iggut Abdelhadi, leaving this one with in less than one fifteen minutes in calms and without scuffle to go to the Open-air theatre where Batoul Al Marouani, Nahawa Doumbia and Rayssa Fatima Tabâmrant occurred, before finishing the evening with the Bijaouane ground by the concerts of the brothers Akkaf, Inerzaf and Ojos de Brujo.
And it was thus throughout all En festival massively attending the festival, the public gadiri largely contributed to the success of this first édition.Son contribution will have been thus déterminant.Et the artists who one immediately noticed did not fail to thank it for his very cordial reception.
Another pledge of success of the Festival Timitar, the quasi permanent presence of the organizers and particularly the wali, Mr. Mohamed Ali Ghannam and the president of the Regional Council, Mr. Aziz Akhennouch A to see them with work together, one can only congratulate them to have known to create such an amount of synergy around this event cultural, artistic and economic regional which marked the beginning of the estival season in Agadir.
M.Jalal Bernoussi, the director of the Festival, as for him, should have pushed a sigh of relief only at the end in the last concert of the festival given to the Bijaouane ground by the Oudaden group which made sing and dance the public up to two hours of the morning. Mr. Bernoussi had the eye with all, and the discretion of his interventions and their effectiveness, had equal only his simplicity, his humility and his kindness.
The success of an event of this dimension could not be the business of only one person. There are always soldiers who work in the shade far from fires of the projectors. To these, we would like to pay a vibrating homage in particular, with the young artists and local technicians of the control plate and with other young people gadiris who took part in this beautiful adventure.
One should not also forget the contribution of the urban District of Agadir, the CRT, the A.I.H.A., the ONMT and the various sponsors.
The police force, civil protection, Public health and Moroccan Red Crescent was also on-site for all the duration of the festival.
Admittedly, the Festival of Agadir Signs and Timitar Culture gained discounted success. And in spite of this success, it remains nevertheless perfectible of the opinion even organisateurs. Also, and following the example other festivals, it is a question of creating a permanent structure to manage this annual event whose second edition is envisaged from the 02 to July 07, 2005.
This year, the first persons in charge for the wilaya and the Area were in first line to ensure success awaited L' next year, it will belong to the new structure which could be an association or a foundation of the Festival of Agadir to always ensure the relay with the support, of course, of the wilaya and of the Area Souss Massa Drâa and all the other partners.
In addition, of aucuns would wish that there be also a cultural program in addition to the Festival Off, very succeeded besides, which made it possible local associations to organize several activities (exposure of painting, photography, fair exposure, sport, poetry, creation, theatre amazigh, cinema, music, humour, etc).
So technically light and its were perfect, one would have liked that the control is not placed just opposite the scène.Si this one did not obstruct with the Open-air theatre, it was not in the same way with the ground Bijaouane and especially place Al Amal.En releasing the front of the scene, one would allow the public to approach more the latter and of thus being able communier with the artistes.Cette proximity is absolutely necessary at the time of the concerts. In addition, at the Open-air theatre the artists were placed almost at the bottom of the scène.Là still, one should have more brought them closer the public, more especially as the steps are far from the scene.
One also missed a gold occasion by promotion of the product "Agadir" and festival En effect, the black dominated over all the plates, whereas one should have envisaged at least a basic decoration which appears on all the images of television and the photographs of press instead of these black curtains which rather gave a sad air to scène.Heureusement that the majority of the artists had not chosen behaviours of scene in black.
Au plan de la communication, on déplore l'absence de rencontres avec les artistes et de communiqués comme promis lors de la conférence de presse.De plus, le centre de presse disposait d'un nombre très limité de PC (trois en tout, dont deux seulement connectés à Internet ) et pas de scanner.
Agadir a donc réussi son premier Festival Timitar 2004 .Vive le Festival Timitar 2005.