Increased religious freedom in Tunisia is bad news for this unique musical tradition

[rug]

August 09, 2016 · 5:30 PM EDT
By Matthew Bell

Since the political upheaval that began in 2011, Tunisians have enjoyed greater political, social and religious freedoms.

That’s good news, of course. But it’s also been bad news for a unique style of religious music in Tunisia called stambeli.

Some call it Tunisian jazz. But that’s probably misleading. Stambeli is religious healing music played by Muslims and it has roots in the pre-Islamic history of the African slave trade.

'Tunisia's Dying Jazz'

Read Fadil Aliriza's piece about stambeli at Foreign Policy magazine. http://foreignpolicy.com/2016/08/07/tunisias-dying-jazz-stambeli-chedli-bidali/

http://www.pri.org/stories/2016-08-09/increased-religious-freedom-tunisia-bad-news-unique-musical-tradition

3:59 audio at link.