Prince Moulay Rachid inaugurates Desert Music Festival

Morocco's Prince Moulay Rachid (younger brother of king Mohammed VI) presided, here Thursday, the opening ceremony of the 2nd Desert Music Festival.

In an a cocktail of art and history, Prince Moulay Rachid unveiled the commemorative plaque of the "Desert museum" in Ksar El-Fida, which is the oldest and most important of Alaouite ksours (Palaces) in Tafilalet region.

The opening ceremony portrayed the artistic depth of the desert as the Saudi Arabia's Arda de Najd and Niger's Bororo dances fused with Moroccan dances to give homage to desert, cradle of humanity.

Moroccan desert, formerly merchants caravans venue, is regaining a page of legendary history as musicians from Niger, Mali, Algeria, Senegal, Saudi Arabia, Jordan and Morocco are meeting in Rissani-Erfoud region (South) to recount desert Arabian tales.

During the festival (May 26-29), the Sahara eternal silence is turning into a symphony as musical bands such as Algeria's Alla, Niger's Mahamane Barka and Etran Finatawa, Mali's Adaman Yaloma, Senegal's African ballets, Jordan's RUM and Mauritania's Mint Ely Warakane will interact in a wonderful miscegenation with Morocco's musical bands such as Lhamri, Dabdo and El Meskaoui.

Desert dunes will vibrate on Moroccan dances of El Khamlia, Guedra and Dabdo that portrait the desert life in sheer symbiosis with the elements.