Aita (haita, rita or ghita) or vocal shikhat music is a traditional folk musical style that originates from the countryside of Morocco.[1][2] The term Aita عيطة in Moroccan Arabic means "call, cry or lament".

Origins

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It is sung in Moroccan Arabic dialects]][3] by mixed groups composed of musicians and singers and singers and dancers, these women are called shikhats.[note 1] In Morocco, the Aita Festival is organized in Safi.

Notable Aita singers

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Notes

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  1. ^ Shikha in singular feminine

References

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  1. ^ Magrini, Tullia, ed. (2003). Music and Gender Perspectives from the Mediterranean. University of Chicago Press. ISBN 9780226501659.
  2. ^ Plastino, Goffredo, ed. (2013). Mediterranean Mosaic: Popular Music and Global Sounds. Taylor & Francis. ISBN 9781136707698.
  3. ^ Fodor's Essential Morocco. Fodor's Travel. 28 June 2022. ISBN 9781640973930.