In Arabic, “Washma” means tattoo. Beyond the literal meaning, it symbolizes rootedness and identity. “Washma” is an award-winning project that draws upon the rich tradition of Berber music and presents rhythms and musical forms from Morocco and Tunisia in western arrangements. The project was initiated by the Morrocan Oud virtuoso and composer Faleh Khaless, whose idea was to go beyond geographical and cultural boundaries and to express his unique, multilayered musical identity.

Faleh Khaless plays the oud, the loutar, and the banjo in combination with other instruments. Together with the musicians Johannes Treml (guitar) and Sebastian Flaig (percussion), he created a musical language that stays true to the roots of Arabic music and gently enriches it with new, fresh ingredients.  

The project was selected out of 371 projects from the Arab region by the Culture Resource. For further info can be found at Culture Resource (www.mawred.org)