Why Tunisian Reggae is a Symbol of Freedom
One year after the revolution in 2012, Tunisian street artist eL Seed painted a verse from the Quran onto the minaret of a local mosque. In a universal call for peace, it re-united the community.
Ibrahim Naim is an Arabian student and music researcher living in the Middle East. He’s on a quest to discover as many global genres as possible: from Brazilian Tropicalia through to Saharan rock. And just like me, he’s particularly interested in underground music communities with histories that are overlooked. So this week I’m proud to share his unique perspective on Tunisian reggae, and why it’s symbolic of freedom in North Africa today...
Hey Ibrahim! How long has Tunisian reggae been around for?
Back in the day before the Arab Spring, Tunisia had a president who was in charge from 1989 - 2011. Under his regime, music like reggae fusion was considered to be “politically incorrect”. This was because its lyrics had strong language. People were coming out for their rights - and very explicitly towards the government.
Gultrah Sound System in Tunisia
"But I really like it when art is rebellious. When it’s true to itself and has a sole purpose, which makes it a pure form of art”.
I think a lot of the best art comes out of a kind of rebellion.
In my opinion, jazz and blues are the most influential genres of all time. And yet at the time, they were considered to be music of the devil. So it was jazz and blues that led to the creation of rock and roll. Hip hop, now perhaps the most celebrated across the globe, sampled jazz and funk and R&B also. These genres are the basis of music as we know it today, and all of them were born from discrimination.
The people who created jazz and blues, a lot of them couldn’t afford to get a music education. They trained themselves by ear. So I believe that the blues and jazz basically are representative of creative freedom.
So tell me about jazz fusion in North Africa?
If you go to Northern Africa, you can see that pattern of that fusion jazz or blues. For example, the indigenous people, also known as the Amazigh or Barbers have their own blues, with their own twist on it. It created the saharan blues, which has a very mesmerising sound.
Gultrah Sound System playing in Tunisia
And what was the twist the Amazighs put on jazz and blues, how would you describe that?
Well when it comes to Northern Africa, it has a very diverse population. People have Arab roots, Western African roots... Amazigh roots.. basically they all have their own traditional music.
Northern Africa inherited the blues and rock and roll more recently, and they made this intersection of sounds with their own traditional music. And it’d have traditional Amazighian singing, and traditional instruments playing along with elements of rock, blues, and other influences. They use electric guitars, drums and bass that we all know. Yet at the same time, they actually get in their own drums, instruments.
An example of that would be the Tunisian reggae band Gultrah Sound System’s Gouloui.
“It starts an instrument called the garagab. It’s an instrument native to the Gnawa people, which then proceeds to Conga drums and Fusion jazz guitar riffs and bass. The garagab plays alongside an electric guitar, with a really groovy bass line”.
Listen to Gultrah Sound System or Barbaroots, it would give you an idea of Tunisian reggae/jazz fusion:
Why do you think reggae fusion is representative of freedom in Tunisia?
The first time I heard this kind of music was in high school, I was 16 at the time. I was shocked. For the first time I couldn’t identify with the music I’m listening to. It sounds like Arab or Northern African music, but it’s got jazz fusion.
Tunisian artists like Gultrah and Barbaroots are not willing to satisfy a record label, as their music was extremely off the beaten path. It’s not commercial music. They play it freely. It’s from the people to the people. It’s very outrageous: and in huge contrast to the mainstream music you’d here over there.
Gultrah Sound System
From doing my research it seems like there’s a big underground music scene in Tunisia right now! With techno, house, hip hop, heavy metal, street art…
Even though Tunis still has some social and political conflicts, like any other country in the region, it is now evolving drastically.
“There’s more political transparency to the public. Progressing social justice towards equality between men and women. And there are community groups that call out for LGBTQ rights. Which is amazing to see in an Arab country”.
So basically the Gultrah Sound System I just mentioned, there’s been a lot of trouble for their music. The same goes for Barbaroot. They both started in the early 2000s, but I think at a time they didn’t have legal qualifications.
They couldn’t actually be released. They don’t belong to a label. So their music was underground. Against the government. So they weren’t able to officially release on major platforms. Yet nowadays they received an official award from a government agency. From the Ministry of Cultural Affairs, I believe.
what makes tunisian underground different to other parts of northern africa?
Generally I’ve been looking into the Northern African music. Not only in Tunis but Northern Africa as a whole. I have Northern African music playlists. Musicians from all over the Maghreb region: Algeria, Morocco... But to me, Tunisia has the most intriguing scene, because of the revolution. Their underground scene is a part of the change that occurred. I think it lifted Tunis to be better.
Ibrahim Naim: Arabian underground selecta and art lover