September 23, 2010, Raoul WEEXSTEEN, Secretary General of the AFA, has officially handed over to Mr Slimane Hachi, Director of the National Research prehistoric anthropological and Historical (CNRPAH) Algiers, equipment necessary to play soundtrack to nearly 250 hours of traditional songs and music recorded at trips Pierre Augier, Algeria, between 1963 and 1975. Recordings made by Pierre Augier include examples of Ahellil Gourara, Tuareg Music World Intangible Heritage list of UNESCO.
Pierre Augier had chosen to entrust the delivery of equipment to the France-Algeria, represented by its Secretary General, Mr. Raoul WEEXSTEEN. The ceremony was attended by Mrs. Fatiha Akeb, Director of Cooperation and Trade, and Mr. Joel LASCAUX, Cultural Counsellor of the Embassy.
Statement by Mr. Raoul WEEXSTEEN
Secretary General of the Association France-Algeria
Secretary General of the Association France-Algeria
"Madam Minister of Culture Ms. Chef de Cabinet, Ms. Director of Cooperation and Trade, Cllr cultural, Cllr,
Dear Friends,
is a passionate music that we need to be together here today and my thanks go first to Peter AUGIER which I welcome.
This Professor attached to cooperating CRAPE ancestor of CNRPAH, has spent between 1963 and 1975 collection of songs and musical performances on traditional instruments.
His epic expeditions in the Deep South - I hope that he will discuss - in Gourara in the Hoggar and Tassili a little to collect these audio files, in often difficult conditions, with a guide, a few friends with Professor Mouloud Mammeri and the custodian of Ahellil, Moulay Slimane, Timimoune came today, have enriched the intangible heritage of Algeria in ethno-musical.
800 rolls around, recorded by Mr. Augier were gathered and were CNRPAH Department ethno-musical in which Ms. Maya SAIDANI now has responsibility. The fund had been the subject of considerable attention and quality of preservation was excellent. Unfortunately the consultation, related reading materials used and hard to find, had become impossible.
We must then always the scientific passion of Mr. Augier he discovered recently reading materials old but new, for having purchased his own money and having given to the Association France-Algeria to make them available to CNRPAH.
I thank Mr. Augier doubling for choosing the Association France-Algeria, but also for his choice of approach that reveals his great affection and great respect for Algeria and which is due to that country. His approach expresses how we are all committed to the existence of an Algerian heritage open to all who are passionate about research, knowledge, knowledge, collections of scientific wonder and capable of devotion to this cause.
But there is another reason for thanks. Many singers and performers are now deceased. Yet they are alive, not only by the magic of technology, but because these are ethnographic documents. They testify to the permanence of life in Algeria, a culture and how their expression is first deeply and simply human, regardless of the period and the environment. Find listening to these songs and this music is reconnect with the "Great Tradition" as would have said Jacques BERQUE, which companies structure their daily lives, their beliefs, their beliefs, their aspirations and that expresses the continuity through time.
I warmly thank the Director of CNPRAH Mr Slimane Hachi.
He welcomed this project with great sympathy and generosity that we are always among top scientists. By providing the link between quality of research known Prehistory and the Director of a Centre for Research in Anthropology and Ethnography, Mr Slimane Hachi takes a lot of control with the development and growth of both materials scientists who, in any society, have the components of both Identity and Imagination. Moreover, they melt and restore the historical continuity anytime, anywhere, I mean that produced "Man" always regenerated from its origins to its end.
This is perhaps not a coincidence that Algeria now has a remarkable generation of pre-historians committed to regain and reestablish the historical continuity of their country and at the same time an impressive generation of anthropologists and anthropologists engaged in the rediscovery and promotion of its extraordinary cultural diversity.
I extend my thanks finally to the Ambassador of France, Mr. Xavier and his team Driencourt Mr Joel LASCAUX, Cultural Counsellor and Mr. Louis-Xavier Thirode, second counselor. They mobilized the services of the Pouch and consistently showed high availability for a successful meeting today. It is all the more important point is that at any time found that their support "went home", which made us all very helpful and will help us to continue the project.
This contribution to the knowledge of ethno-musical heritage from the Algerian Desert, the Deep South, diverse in its culture as its center and its landscape, arrives in a timely manner and calls for a sequel, maybe in the realization of a filmed document of a pedagogical nature that will show how the documents were collected in their time and invaluable current value.
In conclusion, particularly when emerging and developed around the concept of intangible heritage, it is important to note that the anthropological approach to social issues, culture and mutual respect has developed a decisive role whatever the companies discussed and whatever their "History" in a temporal sense.
Finally let me remind you of the conclusion of Maurice Godelier, the great French anthropologist, in his speech to the recipient of the Gold Medal of CNRS in 2001:
"You will understand why I am convinced that anthropology today is not in crisis and is no longer inextricably linked to the West, his homeland.
"She became able to apply to the West invented methods to understand other cultures.
"An Anthropology of the State, enterprises, parties, churches, comes into existence and future in front of her. "
Thank you. "Raoul
WEEXSTEEN
