Zahra El Fassia - Hak A Mamma

Today's Cultural Corner... Morocco!



Known by her pseudonym Zohra El Fassia , the Moroccan Jewish female
artist was born in 1905, in Sefrou, near Fez, Morocco. She is considered
as one of the emblematic and pioneer figures of Malhoun, a Moroccan
authentic genre of music.
Zohra inaugurated her career by performing the Moroccan Malhoun in the 1920’s. She spent her 1960’s lifetime in Casablanca,
exactly in a house located at Sarah Bernard Street, where a large
number of neighbours used to attend her performances.
After
fulfilling a huge success, Zohra El Fassia left her native country
Morocco, to settle in Ashkelon, Israel, where she spent the rest of her
life.
Just like the rest of the Moroccan Jewish artists, Zohra did
not only bring her contribution to the Moroccan culture on the level of
the musical interpretation, but she also sang in the Arabic dialect.

Zohra El Fassia died in 1994, in Ashkelon, to leave behind an
ever-lasting heritage. In 2009, and on the frame of “Warchane Slam
L’Malhoun”, many great artists sang in tribute to the deceased, yet
eternal artist.