History of Rai Music
Rai, a genre of music, developed in Oran, a seaport off the coast of Western Algeria. Rai is known as the ‘rebel music of Algeria’ because it was created during the early 1900s when Algeria was experiencing social upheaval due to the French colonization. As such, this music opposes the values of a decent society and mainstream views. ‘Rai’ translates to ‘opinion’ or ‘choice’, emphasizing its use as a form of opposition.
Rai was used by the women in Algeria during the 1920s to survive their hostile surroundings. To shock their audiences, these women had individual styles where they spoke their minds freely and often opposed society’s views. They also used Oranian street slang in their songs with French mixed in. These women were called cheikhas and the one that claimed to be the root of modern rai is Cheikha Remitti.
Even though Rai was developed in the early 1900s, it only took off in the 1950s during the Algerian Revolution when many rai artists made their first records. This fervor died down in the post-revolutionary Algeria when more traditional music was promoted. However, rai continued to survive in small gatherings, and it continued to evolve as well.
.jpg) |
| Cheikha Remitti |
Kleber Design Ltd. "Algerian Raï - Rebel Music Of Algeria." World Music Network. October 14,
2010. https://www.worldmusic.net/guide/music-of-algeria/.
Using this form of music as a method of increasing independence sentiments and speaking out against social issues is very similar to how Tunisian authors utilized writing throughout their own independence and revolutionary movements. Media, music, etc can serve as extremely important political outlets during periods of reform and change, and I thought it was really interesting for you to look into this manner of expression. The women cheikhas were especially relevant to the gender aspects of this political expression. Overall, very relatable to the situation in Tunisia!
ReplyDeleteMusic has such intense power in any part of the world. Its the epitome of personal expression and the messages the singer or writer projects have the ability to topple any regime. In Afghanistan under the Taliban, everything was restricted to women. One of the rules instituted by the Taliban was that women were not allowed to laugh loudly because women were not to be heard. It made me think it went hand-in-hand with rules that women weren't allowed to wear heels because the clicking could supposedly lead the men to temptation. Women's ability to express themselves was restricted because those in control understood the power a voice has, whether singing, speaking, clicking, or merely laughing. A person's voice is the strongest thing they have. Using it to oppose society, like you mentioned with the women in Algeria, has the chance of backfiring for the worst but it is necessary to instill change and hope for the future of a country during times of peace or revolutions.
ReplyDeleteHonestly, this is one of the coolest things I've ever read. We LOVE a strong network of independent women. As we learned earlier in the year, gender studies is important because it evaluates the roles of both genders in history. Reading about women participating in a revolution in their own unique way is so inspiring, and it shows how women have had an integral part in history that is often ignored. This article demonstrates that women have always been involved in society even though they're role is rarely discussed in a significant context.
ReplyDelete