Aḥwash (Ahwach / ⴰⵃⵡⴰⵛ / أحواش) is a diverse Amazigh tradition of chanted poetry in a form of collective dance-singing, typical for Moroccan Atlas Mountains and the surrounding areas. This practice, usually performed outdoors, is based on repetitions and polyrhythms, allowing participants to delve into the essence of community and the intrinsic connection between sound, movement, and the environment. The dance consists of delicate movements, always staying close to the body’s axis, embodying the moral ethos of Amazigh culture: everything should be balanced.

Ahwash is a practice that initiated our project with its incredible power of bringing people together. It’s a remarkable example of intercultural practice, fostering community building and resolving social tensions. This tradition, shared by both the Amazigh people and Moroccan Jews, has historically been practiced together in communities where both groups coexisted.

Since 2021 together with Hicham we’ve been organizing Ahwash workshops in his village Amazzer. In 2023 the workshop was conducted in the frames of a somatic research “CRY OF THE SOIL – AUDIO DANCES FOR CLIMATE GRIEVING” supported by the NEUSTART KULTUR program.

You can read about our workshops in the website of Berlin Frame Drum School, which is linked below. Write us if you’re interested to join!