About two weeks ago the Sacred Music Festival of Fez took place from June 8th through 16th right outside my window. I mean literally, right over the high Medina wall. Every night for a week, Sufi musicians would play until 2 or 3 in the morning. Everyone seems to stay up late, then get up late, work for a few hours, then take a long break in the middle of the day for a long lunch and siesta, work for a few more hours and then just walk around with family and friends at night. The streets are filled at night, and with the music festival, tourists were swarming.
This is a picture of the Sufi artists singing and playing their instruments in the small inclosed garden on the other side of the wall from my house in the old Medina. Many of the Moroccans knew some of the words, and the crowd was very interactive. This was only one venue of many. There were at least four different performances every night... two were free and two were more formal that you would have to buy tickets for in advance. This was one of the free venues, and one of the other ones was only a short walk from my house in a big square at Bab Bojloud. Both were a lot of fun, but housed very different performances. This one that you see here in the picture, usually always had Sufi musicians playing, while Bab Bojloud was usually more international Islamic music, meant for a younger crowd.
A little gathering with other students from my Arabic school at the top of a friend's riad (or Moroccan apartment) before heading out to some of the free performances.
I decided I would splurge for one night (about $20), and buy tickets for one of the more formal performances that the sacred music festival offered. My roommate and I bought a ticket for our host sister to come with us, and we all got dressed up for the event. My host sister did my hair and make-up, and we all headed out to Bab Makina to listen to the famous Lebanese singer, Wadih el Safi.
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| All ready for the concert! |
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| Bab Makina all lit up for the performance! |
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| My host sister and I at the concert! |
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| My host mom and family friend, after we got home! |
