|
1
Festival of Desert
Music
First Edition -
Arfoud (Southern Morocco)
1
Cheikh, a singer
from Mali, is very excited to participate in his first
festival of desert music. He speaks about the links between
Moroccan music (Gnaoua) and other forms of music from
elsewhere in Africa: there are deep historical connections,
and, as Cheikh points out, many of these bonds can be traced
back to the painful legacy of slavery.
1
Ismail, a singer from
Senegal, has scars on his face that he received as a result
of traditional rituals during his childhood. He explains
that many Gnaoua singers in Essaouira (Morocco) bear the
same scars; this is physical evidence of the connections
that link Moroccan gnaoua music to its historical
sub-Saharan roots.
1
Pascal Harter (BBC journalist) politely
asks the singers to stop speaking and let the music play.
Around the table all of Africa is represented: Morocco,
Mali, Senegal, Algeria, Niger, and others. All of them
musicians, playing together for the first time in a unique,
multicultural collaboration that has not been heard before
and perhaps will never be heard again.
1
|
 |
|
About "AFRICA DIRECT"
BBC World's Africa Direct is a current affairs series
following social, cultural and political issues facing
African countries. The program features a comprehensive
selection of insights and interviews from across the region.
launched January 30th.2002
1 |
|
This Episode
2004 - Reporting -
13 minutes
BBC
Correspondent:
Pascal HARTER
1
|
|
MPN Crew:
Patrick Bernard - Cinematographer
Khalid Fakhar - Line Producer
and Editor
Said Benomar - Camera Assistant
Mohamed Bencheikh - PA
1 |
| |
|
Brahim is a
handicapped Moroccan boy. What’s more, he’s not the only one
in his family—his two sisters are also handicapped. It is
very difficult for Brahim’s parents to take care of their
three handicapped children, and eventually they realize that
something has to change. 
CREDITS