From Mashteuiatsh to Rabat / From Rabat to Mashteuiatsh / From Maliotenam to Kénitra

With its deep appreciation of Moroccan culture, Indigenous artists, and with its mission to build bridges between different cultures, La Boîte interculturelle presented in 2016 to Pasa Musik, the unique idea of creating a musical residency between Shauit, a singer-songwriter from the Innu Nation of Maliotenam in northern Quebec, and musicians from the Sahara in Morocco. Due to conflicting schedules, this collaboration did not materialize,

La Boîte nevertheless moved forward by establishing two intercultural musical exchange projects between Canada and Morocco (see the 2017 and 2018 projects), creating momentum for future collaborations.

In spring 2019, during Ramadan and with Reggae as a starting point, the improbable meeting between Wachmn’hit from Kénitra, Morocco, and Shauit took place.

La Boîte’s role in this project manifested in several ways:

Research and interviewing of the Moroccan group with the help of 3ZEM
Drafting of the funding application
Development and strengthening of partnerships in Morocco
Planning meetings with representatives of the Moroccan government
Production of a variety of marketing and media documents, including press releases, newsletters, etc., for the Web, social media, and general media.
Event planning and media relations: execution of a press conference and interviews, responding to media inquiries, cultivation and development of media relationships.

Projects carried out by Pasa Musik in partnership with La Boîte interculturelle and 3ZEM :

From Mashteuiatsh to Rabat (May 2019) – Musical residency between Shauit and his musicians, and the Moroccan group Wachmn’hit in Morocco.
From Rabat to Mashteuiatsh (July 2019) – Musical residency between Shauit and his musicians, and the Moroccan group Wachmn’hit in Quebec.
From Maliotenam to Kénitra (November 2019) – Visit the Facebook page From Maliotenam to Kénitra to learn more.

Quotes

From Mashteuiatsh to Rabat is a fine example of collaboration between Quebecois and Moroccan musicians who, together, were able to create an artistic work combining 3 cultures: Indigenous, Arab, and Amazigh. We hope to multiply this type of encounter that strengthens cultural ties between Quebec and Morocco.
Alain Olivier, Director of the Quebec Office in Rabat