Yesterday, Sunday, at the Paris City Palace, Moroccan anthropologist Omar Baum presented and signed his new publication, “The Last Dance,” which tells the story of a postman in southern Morocco, within the framework of the 30th session of the Maghreb Book Fair, the largest exhibition dedicated to Maghreb literature in France.
In this book published in Arabic, French and English, Omar Boum traces, in 24 chapters, the life of his late father, Fraji Ben Lahcen Ben Bourhim Ben Boum, who was most likely one of the last dancers in Morocco, postmen who carried letters on foot before the advent of… Postal service.
On the sidelines of presenting this work to a group of Maghreb and French intellectuals, the author said, in a press statement: “This project is a mixture of ethnography and history, through which I tried to tell the story of southern Morocco through ordinary people like my father.”
The member of the Kingdom of Morocco Academy added: “My father worked as a dancer in the 1930s and 1940s. So the book deals with World War II, famines, tribal conflicts, and my father’s participation in the Green March,” he said, noting that the story begins at the end of the twenties and ends in 1975.
Baum, who studies at the University of California, Los Angeles, continued, saying: “In addition to honoring my father and my home region of Tata in the south of the Kingdom, this historical novel aims to introduce young generations in the digital age to a profession that is unknown today, which is the profession of dancer,” noting that this book tells the story of It connects three generations, and connects her family history with the great history of Morocco, in addition to decorating it with drawings by his fourteen-year-old daughter, Magdoline.
On the other hand; The anthropological historian stressed that his participation this year in the Maghreb Book Fair is an opportunity to urge Moroccan researchers to engage in similar projects that would enhance the rich Moroccan heritage.
About 30 Moroccan writers, researchers, journalists, and artists participated in this session, which was distinguished by highlighting Moroccan literature, and was organized over two days by the Coup de Soleil Association, in partnership with the city of Paris and with special support from the Council of the Moroccan Community Abroad.
The participants contributed to stimulating discussions centered on various topics such as “popular cultures,” “culture and science,” “survival in exile,” “landing the African army (August 1944),” “women’s literature,” and “architecture.” For the Maghreb countries,” and “Women writers of Morocco.”
#Boom #signs #Dance #Paris
2024-06-05 20:32:38