I've had the opportunity over the last 3 years to sit in lectures with Raïssa Leï, a Parisian Amazigh artist from Morocco specializing in traditional dances and Waacking. She's a fantastic resource for those of us interested in learning more about how we can be better stewards of our dance. Her company, Kif-Kif Bledi, is an artist group based in Paris with members from Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, Lebanon, and Senegal.
Around 11:11 p.m. on Friday, September 8th, an earthquake with a magnitude of at least 6.8 tore through the countryside near Marrakesh to devastating effect. The quake flattened homes in villages across the High Atlas Mountains, tore up roads, and shook Marrakesh’s ancient buildings, prompting residents to pour into the streets.
Raissa Lei and Kif-Kif Bledi have organized a Zoom event to raise funds for victims of the disaster, which has taken the lives of almost 3,000 people and injured around 5,530. Twenty minutes after the earthquake, a magnitude 4.9 aftershock struck the area.
This event will be a talk about Amazigh cultures and their experiences in the affected region, and the funds raised will be sent to Diaspo’Arts Marocaines.
Sunday, September 17
8-10PM (Paris time) / 1-3PM Central
Donations can be sent to https://www.kifkifbledi.com/help-morocco
In 1960, a similar tragedy occurred when a 5.9 magnitude earthquake struck Morocco’s coastal region. In records dating back to 1900, no earthquakes of magnitude 6 or larger have been recorded within 300 miles of the area.
Earthquakes of this size are rare in the area, according to the U.S. Geological Survey.
You can follow Kif-Kif Bledi on Facebook or on their website.