Omar Wahrouch

Omar Wahrouch (1926 – 1994) was a Moroccan singer-poet (ṛṛays) and songwriter. He wrote and sang in Tashelhit.[1][2]

Omar Wahrouch عمر واهروش
Background information
Born	1926 Imintanoute, Morocco
Died	27 October 1994 Marrakesh, Morocco
Occupation(s)	poet, singer and songwriter

Biography

Omar Wahrouch was born in a small town near Imintanoute in the region of Marrakesh, Morocco. The date of his birth is contested between 1926[3] and 1933[4] due to the uncommon recording of births in that period. He was influenced by his father who was also a musician (rayss)[5] and taught him the skills of playing Rebab and poetry.[6]

His official start was in 1952 when he performed in public with the song "The Officer" about French colonialism which led him to prison for three months.[7]

After Moroccan Independence, he continued performing in national and international festivals and concerts. He performed in France in 1963 and Belgium in 1964 before going for pilgrimage in 1968. He became famous in the 1970s for his songs about nationalism, colonialism, poverty, oppression, and social problems.[8]

Omar's last known recording was in 1987 before his mental illness that led him to a psychiatric hospital in 1991. He stayed there for one year and came back home in his village where he died on 27 October 1994.

Legacy

Omar Wahrouch wrote several poems and songs about social, cultural, and political topics. Some of his famous poems and songs are:[9]

• Titbirine (Doves)[10]
• The Officer
• Imehssaden (The Jealous)
• Ifarkhane N Ait Omarg (Children of musicians)

See also

• Mohamed Demsiri
• Said Achtouk

References

1. Kratochwil, Gabi (2002). Die Berberbewegung in Marokko: zur Geschichte der Konstruktion einer ethnischen Identität, (1912–1997) (in German). K. Schwarz. ISBN 978-3-87997-301-9.
2. Rédaction (3 August 2005). "Les Amazighs se ruent sur Internet". Afrik.com (in French). Retrieved 1 July 2020.
3. "نبدة عن حياة الرايس عمر عمر واهروش". www.khbarbladi.com (in Arabic). Retrieved 1 July 2020.
4. "عمر و اهروش ... الفنان الذي حمل مشعل الأغنية السوسية". مغرس. Retrieved 1 July 2020.
5. Mediterranean peoples (in French). Éditions Anthropos. 1985.
6. Revue de L'Occident Musulman Et de la Méditerranée (in French). 1987.
7. "حتى لاننساهم : الرايس عمر واهروش". مغرس. Retrieved 1 July 2020.
8. Kratochwil, Gabi (2002). Die Berberbewegung in Marokko: zur Geschichte der Konstruktion einer ethnischen Identität, (1912–1997) (in German). K. Schwarz. ISBN 978-3-87997-301-9.
9. "عمر واهروش | Discography & Songs | Discogs". 3 August 2019. Archived from the original on 31 August 2019. Retrieved 1 July 2020.
10. Tkassit, Abdellah Aït (2 November 2012). Sous rires (in French). Mon Petit Éditeur. ISBN 978-2-7483-9747-5.