Algeria: Music of Gourara - Ahellil Song: "Salamo" | Текст песни

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• Algeria: Music of Gourara
• Ahellil Song: "Salamo"

The origin of the term ahellil is uncertain. For Middle Atlas Berbers, a ahellel is "a relatively long poem, quite often religious or political in subject" while "for Touaregs, the same term is the name of a poetic rhythm". For Arabs, "ttehlil is the action of repeating the divine unicity formula (la ilaha illa Allah: God is the only God). And finally in Hebrew the hallel, which means praise, is used to designate the Psalms in general and especially some of them.

In the Zenete villages of Gourara "every festivity of any importance includes an evening of ahellil song. This is almos compulsory for any ceremony involving a certain pomp or a large attendance, particularly religious feasts. This is always a public occasion and anyone can attend even if it is held in the courtyard of a house. Men as well as women used to take part in it together.

The ahellil usually begins shortly before midnight and can go on till dawn. It may even spread over many nights. In an atmosphere of serenity and contemplation, the group of singers forms a circle round a soloist (abechniw), a flute player and a drummer. The group steps slowly from side to side, almost imperceptibly, while from time to time soloist and chanters exchange a kind of salutation, taking a few steps forward and discretely bending their knees.

There are three themes for the ahellil: religion, love and everyday life. The texts are mainly in the Zenete language but the also include some religious phrases borrowe from the Arabic.

Accompanied with a slanted reed flute with six holes (tamja) and a pottery drum covered with goatskn (quallal), the songs are performed responsorially, the choir accompanying the soloist with a drone or ostinato phrasing and responding with a refrain incorporating polyphonic elements. The refrain is developped into a coda suddenly interrupted by a high sharp note given by the soloist. Hand clapping accompanies the whole process.

"Salamo" is one of the songs that are heard most frequently in the ahellil repertoire. Many versions exist: in all, the name Salamo, which is strikingly similar to that of King Solomon, is regarded as a more or less mythical saviour, protector and intercessor invoked by everyone but about whom nothing is known.

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