Amina El Mestari
Hajj Belaid… the spiritual father of the art of “Al-Ruwais”, who laid the first building block for “Letterer”, and managed to become one of the Moroccan creators in the world of art, and some considered him a “failure of history” that time will not be kind to him.
Hajj Belaid was influenced by two cultures: Amazigh and Islamic. The jurisprudential, literary and poetic heritage played an important role in refining his talent and its influence on Belaid’s personality. He excelled in many religious poems. He was a contemporary of Berber poets Kabihi bin Bouazza, Muhammad Boudraa Al-Tazer, which…but he surpassed them and surpassed them due to his distinction, whether In terms of playing, sound, and good performance, so hardly a house in Bsous is devoid of his image, which the young know before the old.
President El Hadj Belaid was born in the “Ano n Idou” district in the commune of “Wigane”, located east of the province of “Tiznit” in the Souss region, in a poor family. It is likely that he was born between 1870 and 1875.
Belaid was orphaned before reaching the age of discrimination, and grew up poor and destitute. His mother, “Al-Masid”, entered him to study, but the financial conditions made him drop out of school, and his mother preferred to push him to graze with others to support his younger brothers, so he went to “Idao Baaqil” as a hired shepherd.
This work gave him an opportunity to sing his flute in the bosom of nature that inspired him so much, and to preserve his love for his tender mother who calls for him at all times and times, as he is her patient son, until the honorable Sidi Mohamed Ousaleh assigned him to work with him for a fee, and with him the young child was introduced to the principles of playing and singing and its methods Although he was fond of the “luter” and some simple musical instruments, in addition to that he was known among the people of Madashir for his gentleness, nobility, and good morals…
Although he lived in a conservative environment that considered singing something unacceptable, he was considered a creative artist with artistic skill, so he became part of the first “Al-Ruwais” group and left for the first time “Tezrwalt”, before separating from it and forming his own group.
Hajj Belaid lived the political conditions in which Morocco lived, and through his poetry he kept pace with the events he lived through and the economic and social developments as well. “Second Souss”, which was considered a model of high art…. and served as a chronicler of those events and facts and of the Sousse resistance to the French.
Belaid caused anxiety among the French colonialists during a period when the latter was monitoring everything and leaving no room for freedom of expression, but Belaid was able to communicate his messages with symbols instead of direct speech, until he prompted the colonizer to prevent the circulation and distribution of two musical compositions by President Belaid, which are “Souss Poem”. And “The Poem of Ait Ba Imran”, which Hamas fueled the resistance fighters led by the resistance fighter Abdullah Zakour.
The poet Belaid became famous for his special mark in the Amazigh song, and he was able to establish relations with different groups of society and spread his reputation among politicians, artists and notables. He is a talented artist who is appreciated for his good morals and sobriety.
Hajj Belaid had a melodious voice and a talented, accomplished musician with a strong personality. He combined the characteristics of a gallant boy with delicate feelings, educated, wise, and a harsh critic of the colonizers and the disadvantages of society. He was well versed in reciting poetry, and he was distinguished in his spinning. “Tairi,” as he is called in Amazigh, used to resort to symbolism instead of direct language, which makes his songs not embarrassing when listening to them during a family meeting.
His giving continued for more than half a century, and after his death, his son Muhammad bin Belaid took over the torch, to complete his father’s path, and Belaid left immortal works of art from Amazigh songs and poems, bearing witness to the genius and creativity of Belaid, sung by eminent artists in the world of “Taraist” …
