The Moussem of Moulay Abdellah Amghar has always been an unmissable meeting place for the art of Halka, and a destination of choice for a wide audience of folklore lovers from all regions of the Kingdom. However, it seems that it will take more than a festival of this size to save a Moroccan heritage that has been in decline in recent years.
According to specialists, this decline is due to several reasons, including the disappearance of many pioneers of this intangible art without leaving any successors, the technological revolution and the advent of social networks that have become more accessible and available performance spaces.
For Haj Mustapha Hamid, a notable from the Doukkala region who has been attending the Moulay Abdellah Amghar Moussem for more than 50 years, this festival has begun to lose one of its star attractions, alongside the Tbourida, falconry and folk festivities that have brightened up the moussem for decades.
He pointed out that the moussem has seen over the years the participation of renowned storytellers among the pioneers of Halka, who have helped to expand the audience of this traditional festival through performances that lasted until the first light of morning .
Haj Hamid added that the role of the ‘Halkas’ has diminished considerably, because after “the death of many pioneers, no one is able to offer so much entertainment and spectacle to visitors”, noting that despite the emergence of some new talent, they have not been able to fill the void left by the previous generation.
In a similar statement, Abdellah Al Rakhami, an associative actor, noted that the reason for the loss of ground of the Halka in the moussem of Moulay Abdellah is due to the decline in the role of the Youth Centers, which contributed to educate, train and mentor young people.
He added that the issue is also linked to the decline in the role of humor and improvised entertainment in general due to social media offering a service of entertainment at home and without the need to travel, a trend that threatens the Halka with disappearance.
Despite this observation, visitors to the Moulay Abdellah Amghar moussem, organized until August 11 in El Jadida, can still enjoy a few Halkas, such as acrobatics and snake charmers.
2023-08-10 07:49:12
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