La 12ème édition de HIKAYAT (compétition de storytelling) était un franc succès.
Félicitations aux 18 participants qui ont racontés leurs histoires devant un public de plus de 50 personnes et bravo aux deux gagnantes par vote du public, Maryem Gamar et Asma Achmahou !
Voici ce qu’en a pensé Alaicha notre invitée venue de MIT :
Saturday was metaphors rattled off in mixes of French, English, and Moroccan Arabic. It was a flurry of true stories and imagined ones with the underlying tones of humor, societal observations, concerns, and hopes for the future. It was inspiring and eye-opening. Saturday was HIKAYAT at the Connect Institute. HIKAYAT is Connect Institute’s annual storytelling competition where participants (and guests) can tell a story of any significance in the language of their choice to a welcoming audience.
To be honest, I was incredibly nervous about even attending at first. The Connect Institute has demonstrated time and time again its significance as a safe and welcoming space for each of its participants. To be present, I felt, was to be invited to this very intimate space for a lot of participants I still haven’t even met. Through a lot of coaxing, I eventually even agreed to participate, not a story prepared to tell.
By 15:30, most of the participants had arrived and the stories began. Luckily for me, most of the stories and poems were in English so I was able to fully understand them. The stories tackled questions of success and how to place value in themselves and their priorities. They acknowledged sexism and sexual harassment in Morocco and the perspectives of girls as they grew to become women. These stories reflected personal challenges and inspired me with their conviction in pushing through and surviving Some of them were silly and funny and others a bit more heavy but I felt necessary to share in such a welcoming space. Every teller was met with applause and an audience of smiling peers to embrace them if needed.
While voting ensued, three participants played guitar and sang. It was obvious they had each put a lot of work into their pieces as their voices pulled every eye in the room towards them. It wasn’t long before everyone was singing along to the words they knew both in English and Arabic. It even inspired a surprise beatboxing performance immediately after.
All in all, the event seemed a success. I talked with the storytellers of the stories I couldn’t understand (the ones in French and Arabic) and just with some of the lingering participants. I felt that I had learned so much more about their experiences but also about their vision for a better Morocco. I imagine that there would be a lot more innovation and growth in their communities if they can effectively share what they do and think here at Connect Institute.
