North Africa People and Dances
North Africa and Mediterranean
El Maghrib (The Islamic West)
Ancient History Settlement by Phoenicians from the 10 th century BCE : Carthage (Gades in Spain) Greek presence from 6 th century BCE; intermarriage with local “Libyans” but distinct culture Roman domination from 2 nd century BCE onward Invasion by Visigoths and other late Roman presences in 5 th century BCE Longstanding distinct Jewish presence Islamicized in 7 th century BCE Berber population only nominally Islamic
Berbers Ancient origins Not Arabic speakers Culturally distinct from Arab world but must fit in with it Both nomads and farmers
Focus on: Morocco Algeria Tunisia Libya French influence French colonial domination in 19 th and early 20 th centuries Sahara desert and desert nomads: Tuareg and Berber Kabyle peoples – from the mountains
Morocco’s Atlas Mountains
Sahara Desert
Morocco’s Coast
Urban produce markets
Orientalizing... or not...
Presentation of women as exotic others in Western travel images Malik Alloula, The Colonial Harem
Many images showed women minus key elements of their clothing, and had a frankly sexual quality Eastern women as “owned” by the Western, male gaze
La Danse du Ventre
Ouled Nail Dancers
Tribal site Depiction of Ouled Nail in Art
Etienne Dinet
More Dinet