Mohamed Demsiri
Mohamed Demsiri محمد الدمسيري | |
|---|---|
| Birth name | Muhammed Ajahud |
| Also known as | Mohamed Albensir |
| Born | 1936 , Morocco |
| Died | November 11, 1989 (aged 52–53) |
| Genres | Tachelhit (Berber of Sous) |
| Occupation(s) | Singer, musician |
| Instruments | Voice, Rebab |
Mohamed Ajahud (full name: al-hajj Muhamad ibn Lahsen ad-Damsiri; 1936 – 11 November 1989), widely known as Mohamed Demsiri (in amazigh: Muḥmmad Albensir), was a Moroccan singer-poet (ṛṛays) and rebab player. He sang in Shilha.[1] He is considered to be the most representative modern classical singer of amarg ajdid "the new generation of singers".[2][3]
Biography[]
He was born in 1936 in Tamsoult in the Demsira region, but he lived most of his life in Casablanca. His father was a butcher. His last name was Ajaḥud. Thus, his artistic name Demsiri which means "from Demsira". However, his real name is Muḥammad Ajaḥud. He studied in a quranic school in order to teach the Qur'an in turn, but he didn't do it. He started to become famous in 1963.[2]
He had been the pupil of several masters, the least well known but nevertheless the most appreciated was the al-hajj Muḥammad Umarak. Demsiri's fame was perhaps only surpassed by that of Lhaj Belaid.[2]
In 1965, he successively traveled to Germany, Switzerland, France, Belgium and the Netherlands with the , all of which have large Moroccan communities. After his trip to Europe, he went to Algeria. After 1978, he formed his orchestra of 9 musicians, among them was his adopted son, .[2]
Because of his political songs, he was arrested in 1981 after he wrote the song "Aɡg°rn" (meaning flour in Shilha berber) which is criticizing the socio-economic conditions in Morocco at that time.[1][2]
Legacy[]
Mohamed Demsiri wrote more than 566 songs and poems treating several social, cultural and political topics. Some of his famous poems and songs are:[1]
- Aggurn (The Flour)
- Rwaḥ darneɣ (Come With Us)
- Ad daɣ nalla f rbbi
- Koullo Dwa Youjad Issaht
- Ah Ayatbire
- Ah Ayan Youi Wassif
- Aya Hbib Izougn
See also[]
References[]
- ^ Jump up to: a b c ""الرايس ألبنسير".. أسطورة الغناء الأمازيغي الذي انتقد الحسن الثاني". Hespress (in Arabic). Retrieved 2020-04-25.
- ^ Jump up to: a b c d e Stroomer, H. (1994). "Damsīrī". Encyclopédie berbère. 14 | Conseil – Danse. Aix-en-Provence: Edisud. pp. 2203–2204.
- ^ Stroomer, H. (1994-09-01). "Damsīrī . (ad-Damsiri)". Encyclopédie berbère (in French) (14): 2203–2204. ISSN 1015-7344.
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- 1936 births
- 1989 deaths
- 20th-century Moroccan musicians
- 20th-century Moroccan singers
- Berber musicians
- Berber poets
- Moroccan folk singers
- Moroccan songwriters
- Moroccan writers
- Shilha people
- African musician stubs
- Moroccan writer stubs