الشيخة سكينة المغربية The Moroccan Sheikha Soukaina, 2022The performance was commissioned by Bozar, Brussels in the frame of Halaqat project.
with the participation of the belly dancer Coralie Dubois, the actress Réhab Mehal and the actor Ismail Alaoui.
The Moroccan Sheikha Soukaina is a narrative-based performance, following a story that can be either fictional or real. Through employing a variety of aesthetic forms—narration, performative reading, objects, soundtracks, and dancing—it weaves different social and personal events into one tapestry. From the island of Sidi Abderahman in Casablanca which is inhabited by clairvoyants, to the neighboured of Miami in Alexandria, and even a digital space, MBCodeTv. Central to the performance is how the artist tries to question the notions of witchcraft, superstition, traditional practices, media representations of women, the stereotypical gaze, and their ties to feminism.
“The Moroccan Sheikha Soukaina” is a performance that deals with notions and stereotypes tied to Joual’s national identity. Through this work, the artist is questioning the position and exact role of the figure of the witch; how is she perceived by society? what kind of knowledge is transmitted, preserved, and possibly transformed within communities that still practice witchcraft to date? Most importantly, what role and position may the cultural, religious, and magical rites play in establishing and sustaining cultural hegemony?
photos by Caroline Lessire
