Modernity was significant in shaping societies, and deciding what is to be defined as knowledge: in this process indigenous and popular knowledge were often consistently destroyed. Yet, these erased narratives still influence the present, towards local and global contexts. Ayur is the first part in a trilogy focusing on the semantics and mythologies of the Imazighen, the indigenous people of North Africa. The whole trilogy centres on female figures, as guardians of the transmission of Amazigh knowledge. In Ayur, Radouan Mriziga honours the idea of transmission by creating a solo for Sondos Belhassen, who has been his dance teacher while he was living in Tunis. A work where the choreography emerges between the rhythm of the body and the one of the text, written with the poet Lilia Ben Romdhane and rapper Mahdi Chammen “Massi”. Ayur is the goddess associated in Punic Carthage with the moon. Presented in the space of KANAL, with the night of the city filtering through its glasses, it becomes a choreographic space to carve out a new paradigm of reflections regarding the past, and to arrive at a more inclusive future.
Radouan Mriziga was artist in residence at Moussem from 2014 to 2020.
Concept and choreography: Radouan Mriziga
By and with: Sondos Belhassen
Support to the Research on Amazigh: Hajar Ibnouthen
Texts: Lilia Ben Romdhane et Mehdi Chammem « Massi »
Music: Mehdi Chammem « Massi »
Costumes: Anissa Aida
Space: Radouan Mriziga in collaboration with Flayou
Architecte: Flayou
Video: Pragma Studio
Artistic assistant: Maïté Jeannolin
Translation: Marwa Manaï, Lilia Ben Romdhane and Mahdi Chammem
Image and editing: Nao Maltese
Production: Dream City (Tunis – TN)
In co-production with: L'Art Rue – الشارع فن (Tunis – TN), Moussem Nomadic Arts Centre (Brussels – BE), Festival de Marseille (Marseille – FR)
Management, Promotion and Distribution: Something Great (Berlin - DE)
Administration: A7TLA5 (Brussels - BE)
Production assistant: Synda Jebali
Supported by: Fondation DOEN, i-Portunus, Mairie de Tunis
Technical partner: SYBEL Light & Sound
Acknowledgments: DEBO, Cyrine Boujila, Nawal Laroui, Leila Sebai, Manel Mahdouani, Mohamed Khalfallah, Zoubeir Mouhli, Wajdi Borji, Mehdi Ben Temessek, Ghilen Agrebi
Modernity was significant in shaping societies, and deciding what is to be defined as knowledge: in this process indigenous and popular knowledge were often consistently destroyed. Yet, these erased narratives still influence the present, towards local and global contexts. Ayur is the first part in a trilogy focusing on the semantics and mythologies of the Imazighen, the indigenous people of North Africa. The whole trilogy centres on female figures, as guardians of the transmission of Amazigh knowledge. In Ayur, Radouan Mriziga honours the idea of transmission by creating a solo for Sondos Belhassen, who has been his dance teacher while he was living in Tunis. A work where the choreography emerges between the rhythm of the body and the one of the text, written with the poet Lilia Ben Romdhane and rapper Mahdi Chammen “Massi”. Ayur is the goddess associated in Punic Carthage with the moon. Presented in the space of KANAL, with the night of the city filtering through its glasses, it becomes a choreographic space to carve out a new paradigm of reflections regarding the past, and to arrive at a more inclusive future.
Radouan Mriziga was artist in residence at Moussem from 2014 to 2020.
