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Break-dancing for social justice in Tunisia

The Mafia Wallitili Festival offered a platform to showcase the frustrations of the country’s disillusioned youth.

Young people from the local hip-hop community await the opening of the festival. [Emeric Fohlen/Al Jazeera]
Young people from the local hip-hop community await the opening of the festival. [Emeric Fohlen/Al Jazeera]
By 
Emeric Fohlen
18 Feb 2017
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Tunis – In Tunisia, a country gripped by economic uncertainty and still in the midst of rebuilding its identity after the Arab Spring, hip-hop culture is viewed as part of an ongoing dissident movement.

Just a few events, such as the recent Mafia Wallitili Festival in the heart of downtown Tunis, offer the local hip-hop community an opportunity to share their values with the broader population.

This year, the three-day event focused on Tunisia’s youth, offering free workshops and performance events. Crowds packed the whole block, saying they were determined to keep practising the arts of dance, graffiti and music.

“It gives a lot of hope to the youth,” festival host Chouaib Cheu told Al Jazeera. His association, Art Solution, has also served as an important bridge between people from Tunisia’s roughest neighbourhoods and the established hip-hop community.

Shaking up cultural norms, Tunisia’s hip-hop culture stems from the frustrations of the country’s disillusioned youth, who have sought to paint a picture of a society torn up by social injustices.

Free workshops drew throngs of participants. [Emeric Fohlen/Al Jazeera]
Free workshops drew throngs of participants. [Emeric Fohlen/Al Jazeera]
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Young people from the local hip-hop community participate in a graffiti workshop. [Emeric Fohlen/Al Jazeera]
Young people from the local hip-hop community participate in a graffiti workshop. [Emeric Fohlen/Al Jazeera]
The festival celebrated Tunisia's hip-hop culture. [Emeric Fohlen/Al Jazeera]
The festival celebrated Tunisia's hip-hop culture. [Emeric Fohlen/Al Jazeera]
The three-day event focused on Tunisia's youth and the problems they are facing. [Emeric Fohlen/Al Jazeera]
The three-day event focused on Tunisia's youth and the problems they are facing. [Emeric Fohlen/Al Jazeera]
Dance workshops were also held during the festival. [Emeric Fohlen/Al Jazeera]
Dance workshops were also held during the festival. [Emeric Fohlen/Al Jazeera]
The festival was a way to give 'hope' to the country's youth, according to an organiser. [Emeric Fohlen/Al Jazeera]
The festival was a way to give 'hope' to the country's youth, according to an organiser. [Emeric Fohlen/Al Jazeera]
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Some of those who participated aimed to highlight social injustices in Tunisia. [Emeric Fohlen/Al Jazeera]
Some of those who participated aimed to highlight social injustices in Tunisia. [Emeric Fohlen/Al Jazeera]
The Mafia Wallitili Festival drew crowds to the heart of downtown Tunis. [Emeric Fohlen/Al Jazeera]
The Mafia Wallitili Festival drew crowds to the heart of downtown Tunis. [Emeric Fohlen/Al Jazeera]
A group of internationally recognised dancers chat together at the end of the festival's first day. [Emeric Fohlen/Al Jazeera]
A group of internationally recognised dancers chat together at the end of the festival's first day. [Emeric Fohlen/Al Jazeera]
The master of ceremonies speaks with one of the competitors in a break-dance battle that concluded the festival. [Emeric Fohlen/Al Jazeera]
The master of ceremonies speaks with one of the competitors in a break-dance battle that concluded the festival. [Emeric Fohlen/Al Jazeera]
Competitors perform in the break-dance battle. [Emeric Fohlen/Al Jazeera]
Competitors perform in the break-dance battle. [Emeric Fohlen/Al Jazeera]
The audience enthusiastically looked on as competitors break-danced. [Emeric Fohlen/Al Jazeera]
The audience enthusiastically looked on as competitors break-danced. [Emeric Fohlen/Al Jazeera]
Tunisia's hip-hop culture stems from the frustrations of the country's disillusioned youth. [Emeric Fohlen/Al Jazeera]
Tunisia's hip-hop culture stems from the frustrations of the country's disillusioned youth. [Emeric Fohlen/Al Jazeera]
The winner of the break-dance battle was hoisted in victory at the end of the show. [Emeric Fohlen/Al Jazeera]
The winner of the break-dance battle was hoisted in victory at the end of the show. [Emeric Fohlen/Al Jazeera]

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