The concept of Sufism in Islam discusses the inner, mystical aspects of the religion according to scholars. Many argue that it is a philosophy that pre-dates religion but the essence of which blossomed within Islam. Although, some disagree with this notion, the core elements of Sufism remains the same regardless of the many different ideas of its origin. Sufi Sutra is a three day concert that takes place in the first weekend of February every year. The concert represents Sufi ideas on truth, harmony, peace and divinity. Folk performers from over sixteen countries have been sharing the stage with Indian rural artistes to create fusion of different streams of music for the last four years. This year, the concert is travelling to Dhaka brought in by Blues Communication. The show will take place at the Army Museum grounds starting on 27 January and ending on 29 January. The concert will also host an exhibition with the theme, Music for Peace. In the span of three days, artistes representing nine different countries will be performing.
Hailing from Gujarat, the troupe Sidi Goma will be presenting their native music styles, melodies, rhythmic structures, lyrics and instruments. The Sidis migrated from East Africa to Gujarat from the mid 17th century to late 20th century. Although the Sidis have not retained their African ways, they kept alive the exceptional East African music tradition. Resultantly, the sound they produce when playing music is a unique and symbolic representation of a fusion of Africa and India. As Sufis, Sidis consider music to be a means to become closer to God.
Hadarrattes Souiriyattes from Morocco is an all-women team of nine. The age old tradition of Hadarrattes has the singers practise chant music that induces a trance. Their music is that of spirituality. The team Hadarrattes Souiriyattes is attempting to revive the cultural and religious heritage of this tradition. Hadarrattes literally translates to ‘divine presence’.
Zik’r, the Spanish Flamenco project, will be joining forces with Karen Ruimy the Moroccan singer, Flamenco dancer and author to tell a story of exile, passion and survival. Their central theme will explore the mystical roots of Sufism while following the path of Flamenco from India to Spain. The most exciting thing about Zik’r is that they tend to fuse elements of electronica with traditional Flamenco to provide a more profound sound. These musicians explore multi-cultural roots of world music as they delve into Qawwali, Egyptian and Moroccan sounds, all the while keeping in tune with the Flamenco spirit.
Sufi music is big in Tunisia. As well as being their ethnic music, it is also their pop music. The School of Sufism there was established by a group of Muslims in order to eliminate anything that contradicts the teachings of Islam. Tunisian society celebrates spiritual and psychological well-being through Sufi music. Tunisian Sufi music reflects diversity in musical expressions and language. The musical ensemble Mechket will be representing Tunisia at the Sufi festival.
Debalina Bhowmick, along with her team East West Local, will be representing West Bengal. They’re known to perform TransBangla music, a form of Bengali traditional folk music with elements of world music performed using acoustic arrangements. The Egyptian Mawlawiyahh, known for attracting large audiences that are culturally diverse, will be presenting Egyptian Mawlawi art. Mawlawi heritage is a part of Sufi tradition that borders on an unwavering philosophy that looks to end the conflict between good and evil.
Other than the mentioned teams and troupes there will be representatives from Denmark, Brazil and Rajasthan. Each one of them will be paying tribute to Sufi cultures and ideologies through their own unique performances. The ambitious scope of such an event based on cross-cultural dialogue is not only unique for Bangladesh but also an important milestone in the music scene of this country.