Mariem Hassan Tirka (2005)
Between the 15th and 17th centuries, the Beni Ḥassān Bedouin tribes, originally from Yemen, extended their influence over much of Mauritania and Western Sahara. Since then, the Hassaniya Arabic dialect, spoken throughout the Maghreb and parts of West Africa, has become widespread in these regions.
One of the most notable poets and singers of this dialect is Mariem Hassan, often referred to as “the voice of the Sahara.” By the time she released her debut album Deseos (2005), which also features today’s song, she had already dedicated more than 30 years of her life to music. Her journey began with playing the Tebel drum at religious gatherings, and by 1975, she was using her voice at secret political meetings of the anti-colonial resistance at a time when Western Sahara was still under Spanish rule.
Ironically, it was Spain’s withdrawal that would disrupt Hassan’s life. After the colonial power left, Morocco claimed large parts of Western Sahara, sparking a resistance war that forced many Western Saharans, including Hassan, into exile. She spent much of her life in refugee camps in Algeria.
No other countries, aside from the United States and Israel, have ever recognized Morocco's annexation of Western Sahara. To this day, the United Nations considers Western Sahara a non-decolonized territory and lists it as a non-self-governing area, with Spain still regarded as the de jure governing state. Under international law, Western Sahara is not legally part of Morocco and remains subject to the regulations of military occupation.
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