Republic of Tunisia Music & Festivals

Republic of Tunisia Music & Festivals

At the beginning of the 20th century, musical activity was dominated by the liturgical repertoire associated with different religious brotherhoods and secular repertoire which consisted of instrumental pieces and songs in different Andalusian forms and styles of origins, essentially borrowing characteristics of musical language. In 1930 The Rachidia was founded, well known thanks to artists from the Jewish community. The founding in 1934 of a musical school helped revive Arab Andalusian music largely to a social and cultural revival led by the elite of the time who became aware of the risks of loss of the musical heritage and which they believed threatened the foundations of Tunisian national identity. The institution did not take long to assemble a group of musicians, poets, scholars. The creation of Radio Tunis in 1938 allowed musicians a greater opportunity to disseminate their works, with the station employing a policy of promoting Tunisian musicians exclusively.

Notable Tunisian musicians include Saber Rebaï, Dhafer Youssef, Belgacem Bouguenna, Sonia M'barek, Latifa, Salah El Mahdi, Anouar Brahem, Emel Mathlouthi and Lotfi Bouchnak.

Republic of Tunisia Festivals

Hundreds of international festivals, national, regional or local punctuate the calendar year. Music and theatrical festivals dominate the national cultural scene.

Several festivals take place annually in summer: the International Festival of Carthage in July, the International Festival of Arts of Mahr from late July to early August, and the International Festival of Hammamet in July and August.

The Carthage Film Festival is held in October and November of every other year, alternating with the Carthage Theatre Festival. It was created in 1966 by the Tunisian Minister of Culture to showcase films from the Maghreb, Africa and the Middle East. In order to be eligible for the competition, a film must have a director of African or Middle Eastern nationality, and have been produced at least two years before entry. The grand prize is the Tanit d'or, or "Golden Tanit", named for the lunar goddess of ancient Carthage, the award is in the shape of her symbol, a trapezium surmounted by a horizontal line and a circle.

The International Festival of the Sahara, celebrated annually at the end of December, honors the cultural traditions associated with the Tunisian desert. This attracts many tourists and musicians from all around the world, as well as horsemen who flaunt their saddles and local fabrics and skills.

There are also a number of musical festivals, some honor traditional Tunisian music, while others, including the Tabarka Jazz Festival, focus on other genres.

In the city of Sousse, the Carnival of Awussu is an annual festive and cultural event that unfolds each 24 July. It is a parade of symbolic chariots, fanfares and folk groups from Tunisia and elsewhere which takes place near the beach of Boujaafar, at the eve of the beginning of 'Awussu (The word designating the heat wave of the month of August according to the Berber calendar). Originally it was a Pagan feast (Neptunalia) celebrating the god of the seas, Neptune in the Roman province of Africa, and might even go back to Phoenician times : the appellation Awussu is a possible deformation of Oceanus.

Omek Tannou is an ancient Tunisian rainmaking festival which was inherited from Punic and Berber traditions involving invocations of the goddess Tanit. It features the ritual use of the sculpted head of a woman (somewhat resembling the head of a girl's doll), which is carried in procession between the houses of a village during periods of drought by children singing the refrain أمك طانقو يا نساء طلبت ربي عالشتاء (transliteration: amk ṭangu ya nsaʾ tlbt rbi ʿalshta'a), "Amek tango, o women, ask God to rain". This song varies according to the region because the term shta designates rain only in certain urban areas. Each housewife then pours a little water on the statuette, invoking rain.

Tunisia Overview

Tunisia Location: North Africa
Tunisia Capital and largest City: Tunis
Tunisia Co-Ordinates: 36°49′N 10°11′E
Tunisia Official Languages: Arabic
Tunisia Local Vernacular: Tunisian Arabic
Tunisia Foreign Languages: French
Tunisia Ethnic Groups (2021):
98% Arabs
1% Berbers
1% Jews and others
Tunisia Religion:
99% Sunni Islam
1% Others (inc. Christians, Jews, Shia Muslims, Baháʼís and irreligious)
Tunisia Demonym(s): Tunisian
Tunisia Government: Unitary presidential republic
Tunisia President: Kais Saied
Tunisia Prime Minister: Kamel Madouri
Tunisia Legislature: Parliament
Tunisia Upper House: National Council of Regions and Districts
Tunisia Lower House: Assembly of the Representatives of the People
Tunisia Establishment: Ancient Carthage 814 BC
Husainids: 15 July 1705
Kingdom: 20 March 1956
Republic: 25 July 1957
Tunisia Current Constitution: 25 July 2022
Tunisia Area Total: 163,610 km2 (63,170 sq mi) (91st)
Water (%): 5.04
Tunisia Population: 2020 estimate
11,708,370 (81st)
Tunisia Currency: Tunisian dinar (TND)
Tunisia Time Zone: UTC+1 (CET)
Tunisia ate Format: dd/mm/yyyy
Tunisia Driving Side: right
Tunisia Calling Code: +216
Tunisia ISO 3166 Code: TN
Tunisia Internet TLD:
.tn
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