(Everything before this is copied from the notebook – forgive the terseness. I’m not good when writing by hand.)
Today had some big moments, but not where they were expected. Early on I went to visit Said, who informed me that Hejji had tried to call yesterday and had arranged a meeting with his Gnawiyya friend. After fixing my phone, we sat with Claudine, who wants to introduce me to Fredric, who is with the Hamadcha Brotherhood. He is a French researcher who performs with the group regularly and has lived in Fez for the last 5 years. She is also a singer and is interested in electronic music (in Paris). My first trip back to that area. In the new city I got to see Annie again!
After pictures and lunch Annie made me talk to Thierry, a photographer at the café with the festival schedule at hand. He agreed to meet me tomorrow for coffee after we talked at some short length on his childhood in Algeria and his life here in Fez since. He returns frequently, but hasn’t found himself ready to try and head back home – a family of his name was recently killed on arrival.
Tonight dinner with the family and Hafid (uncle, brother of Ahmed) broke into song! Stories of the prophets, Allah, and muezzin-esque recitation by Si Ahmed himself! I learned that the family is Tijaniyya and was able to ask many questions on the group’s history and structure. According to Hafid, Tijani was not from Algeria (contrary to some popular beliefs), but from Saudi Arabia. And he scolded Algeria for using the man's legacy for political gains. And get this: their other uncle, the older one who was admonishing Mohammed’s friend yesterday, is the assistant Imam at the Zawia – quite the post, and a retired Arabic teacher. I now understand the significance of last night’s argument.
There’s a Tijaniyya performance with the Sufi Nights this week. I wonder what the family has to say.
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