Reggada

Reggada is a musical genre and a traditional Amazigh dance from north-east Morocco. It is very similar to the Allaoui musical genre native to eastern Morocco, that arose around the same time as Reggada.[1]

Reggada Arabic: الرڭادة‎ Berber languages: ⴰⵕⴻⴳⴰⴷⴰ
Reggada dance in Aknoul
Stylistic origins	Berber music, Moroccan music
Cultural origins	Béni-Snassen, Morocco
Typical instruments	Traditional instruments Adjounn, Tamja, Galal, Ghaita, Zamar and modern: synthesizer
Fusion genres
Reggada
Other topics
Moroccan music

History

Origins

Both the music and the dance originate from an ancient war dance of Amazigh fighters.

Etymology

Reggada is named after the Moroccan villages of Ain Erreggada and Tala-n-Areggada near Berkane.

These Zenati tribes are also called Beni Snassen and have traditional war dance and music after victory over the enemy, and thus the use of weapons and foot strikes in the rhythm of music.[2]

Location

Reggada music is published in the vicinity of the north east regions of Morocco, especially in the city of Aïn Regadda in Berkane Province . It is popular in provinces such as : Oujda, Berkane, Taourirt, Nador, Al Hoceima, Taza, Ben Taieb etc.

Dance and music

The dance is characterised with the masters (locally called sheikhs). These masters play music and dance using several traditional instruments such as Bendri, Ghaita and Zmmar which is a kind of flute with two horns typically found in Africa. The dancers move their shoulders, a rifle or a stick and strike the groin against the floor to the rhythm of drums.

The music often tells stories about topics such as love, emotions of sadness and happiness. From the late 1980s, music synthesizer are increasingly widely used.

References

1. Nielsen, Jorgen; Akgönül, Samim; Alibašic, Ahmet; Maréchal, Brigitte; Moe, Christian (2009-09-24). Yearbook of Muslims in Europe, Volume 1. BRILL. ISBN 978-90-474-2850-3.
2. "Page non trouvée - Aujourd'hui le Maroc".