Taragalt- M’hamid El Ghizlane

The Taragalte Festival is held near the Bivouac Le Petit Prince, in the desert 7km from the village of M'Hamid El Ghizlane. The bivouac is in the last oasis before entering the vast Sahara Desert.

About the Festival :

We like to welcome you to our festival. During the last 9 editions we have learned and grow together as a team and with the community. The Taragalte Festival was born in 2009, inspired from the Moussem and Its traditions, in order to contribute to the socio-economic development of the region and to promote the nomadic cultural heritage.

Taragalte, an Eco-friendly festival

The Taragalte Festival places sustainability and the protection of the environment at the heart of its project. Since 2009, the Festival is located in the oasis of M'hamid El Ghizlane, in the province of ZAGORA (southern Morocco), an oasis threatened by the advance of the desert. To cope with drought and desertification, Taragalte Festival recognizes the preservation of oasis and as models of resilience to climate change.

Caravan of Peace :

In the spirit of cultural cooperation, Taragalte welcomes the 6th ‘Cultural Caravan for Peace’ and dedicates a special night to peace and stability in the Sub Saharan region. The Cultural Caravan for Peace is a creative Trans-Saharan Sahel project, supporting dialogue, cultural exchanges and social cohesion in the Sahel and Sahara regions.

Music and dance :

Dance with us under the stars to the rhythms of the desert! Local traditional dance performances, world music are waiting for you. Taragalte Festival offers a musical repertory that draws its inspiration from traditional Saharawi songs and tales. In addition to the traditional rhythms, Blues, Jazz and rock are added.

Exhibitions :

For this 10th edition, Taragalte Festival will present three exhibitions celebrating the nomadic heritage of the Sahara and the World. These cultural events will make you live an experience full of history and art, under the stars of the Sahara. Exhibition Art & Crafts : In tribute to the Saharan crafts of the Sahara, Taragalte invites you to discover the local products of the craftsmen and the carpet of Carpet Of Life that are part of sustainable development and represent a historical heritage for the nomads of the Sahara.

+Exhibition Photography

+Exhibition Painting : We invite you to make an artistic trip and discover the works of the painter Mohamed Bennour around nomadism under the stars of M'hamid El Ghizlane.

Crafts Tour Carpet of Life :

Celebrate with us the nomadic lifestyle and get stunned by this rich cultural heritage. During the Taragalte Festival, we’ll take you on a journey of crafts, stories and cultural heritage. We invite you to visit on of the villages where the carpets are being created and to weave your own creation. You will have the opportunity to join the women ceremony and celebrate the cultural heritage of the women of M’Hamid.

Shows and Activities :

During Taragalte, attendees will have the opportunity to participate in workshops, activities and shows.

+Show "Draw me a sheep": Musical show made by the children of the region to pay tribute to the Little Prince by Antoine de St-Exupéry. From November 29 to November 3, children will learn a dozen songs by Jean-Noël Sarrail (author and composer of the show, pianist) for singing and Ali Alaoui (percussionist) for percussion and dance.

Conferences and Talks :

Education is the core of the 10th edition of the Taragalte Festival! In order to contribute to the social and economic development of the region of M'hamid ElGhizlane, several conferences and debates around sustainable development will take place the November 2nd in the Saharan dunes.

+“Nomadism and rapprochement of populations beyond borders” : For this 10th edition of Taragalte, the Cultural Caravan for Peace proposes a conference about Nomadism and rapprochement of population beyond borders.