Chama Zaz: The Icon of the Aïta Jabliya

Chama El Hammoumi, better known under the name of Chama Zaz was born in 1953 in a poor rural family in a Taounate region. As with many women of her generation, she was unable to continue her studies, due to the great distance between her Douar and the school, but also because of the violent manner in which her teacher behaved. At the age of 14, her family decided to marry her to an old man who was the same age as her grandfather. After four years of marriage, her husband died and Chama found herself a young age widow with two children to feed, one of whom was disabled.

Following the example of many women in her region, Chama enjoyed humming while doing her daily chores outside or at home. She hummed songs that the women of her region passed on from generation to generation; songs that tell the stories of pain in daily life, poverty, suffering, and so on.

Thanks to the beauty and the exceptional quality of her voice, Chama Zaz became very popular as a wedding and family celebration entertainer. Thus, her artistic career began under many different nicknames in order to avoid the wrath of her conservative family, before the whole of Morocco discovered her under the name of Chama Zaz.

Her meeting with Mohammad Laaroussi, the undisputed master of the Taktouka al jabaliya allowed her to gain fame, especially in the northern region. She has collaborated with him in the hosting of a large number of events and televised concerts. She has also recorded more than 60 tapes and discs featuring her most important songs from the Aita Jabaliya, of which she has become the ultimate icon.

Despite the fame she achieved, Chama Zaz never left her douar, just as she never negotiated the price of her artistic performances. She was always content with a small amount of money, living a simple life with her cows, far from the chaos of the city.

Today, she is hospitalized in Taounate, after her health condition deteriorated. She is waiting for support so that she can cope with this harsh ordeal, which adds to the marginalization she has suffered in the era of YouTube stars and social networks.