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The Cultural Frontline: Archiving Tunisia

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Archiving Tunisia

09/02/2019 GMT

BBC World Service - The Cultural Frontline, Archiving Tunisia

The clash between Tunisian artists preserving cultural heritage and those rewriting it

The clash between Tunisian artists preserving cultural heritage and those rewriting it.

Under the dictatorship of Ben Ali, much of Tunisia’s rich cultural heritage was left to deteriorate or simply disappear from national memory. But the Arab Spring has brought a new lease of life to Tunisia and a new freedom of expression. As a result, artists from older generations have commenced new work in preserving the country’s ancient art. 

Tunisian reporter Lilia Blaise reports on this culture clash. First, she meets entrepreneur Leila Ben Ghacem who has restored historic buildings and digitised Tunisia’s traditional Malouf music. Lilia also meets Mohamed Ben Sassi, the country’s last known book binder who is afraid the craft will die with him.
 
However, not every Tunisian artist is going along with this way of thinking. There is a wave of angry, spirited young creators who do not believe Tunisia's existing culture needs protecting. Instead, they want to rewrite it entirely. From this group, Lilia meets young rapper Vipa of the DEBO collective, musician Badiaa Bouhrizi, and visual artist Hela Lamine.
 
Lilia's mission throughout this documentary is to gauge what Tunisia's artistic future might look like and which team of creative soldiers will win the battle and shape Tunisia's cultural legacy.

Produced by Whistledown Productions

(Photo: Mohamed Ben Sassi, Tunisia’s last known book binder. Credit: Whistledown)

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