Original subtitles

In memory of Brion Gysin

Jajouka is a village in the Rif, perpetuating for more than 2000 years

magic ceremonies, the rites of Pan, echo of ancient Roman Lupercalia.

There have also been miraculous healings

at the tomb of the village saint Sidi Ahmed Sheik.

These celebrations accompanied by the Master Musicians of Jajouka.

Bou Jeloud, "The Father of Skins", and his fiancée, Aïsha Kandisha,

seem to always have haunted these hills...

The Ploughman's Story

Day One

Day Two

Day Three

That evening, the plougman asked advice of Sidi Ahmed Sheikh...

A woman came to see me and I don't know what she wants. . . .

Next time she comes to see you, give her what she wants. . . .

Day Four

What do you want ? . .

God, glory to Him, the Most High, He alone knows what I desire. . . .

I want to eat the mouth of your cow. . .

Day Five

... and the ploughman told of his distress at killing his cow...

I slit my cow's throat. Now I have nothing to pull the plough. . . .

Don't be sad, the Lord, Glory to him, won't forget you. . . .

Go back to your field tomorrow and you'll find what you need to plough. . . .

The next day, a lion awaited him to replace the cow...

Jajouka

Something good comes to you

You know, the jinns are everywhere.

When the Attar play their music,

the jinns are watching and dancing . . .

and always have been... . . .

and nobody sees them.

Jajouka means: "Something good comes to you".

and Bou Jeloud came!

And after him, came saint Sidi Ahmed Sheikh, . . .

"the ploughman with the lion"

who said to our ancestor Attar:

"if you follow me, you'll never have to work again" . . .

and you'll fight bad genies with the blessing of your music." . . .

Praise God, Lord of the Universe.

The Gracious, the Merciful. Master of Judgement Day. . . .

It's You we adore, You whose help we implore. . . .

Guide us on the right path.

The path of those You have blessed, . . .

not of those Your wrath is upon, nor the sinners. . . .

The Father of Fear

One day, a long time ago,

my ancestor Attar, the shepherd,

fell asleep at the foot of the holy cave

and Bou Jeloud appeared to him in a dream.

You woke me up!

You woke me with your dreams!

With my dreams?

Yes, with your dreams!

With the music of your dreams!

I want to hear it again!

I can't!

Yes, you can!

Take that and play for me!

And Attar played a thousand days and nights for Bou Jeloud. . . .

Aïsha Kandisha, she-devil of rivers and hills listened to them. . . .

Tomorrow is the feast of Aïd el Kebir in Jajouka. . . .

I won't be able to come and play for you.

I'll never be back.

But he who wear my skins will become a part of me! . . .

Jajouka is near to the sky

People come from all over to visit saint Sidi Ahmed Sheikh's tomb. . . .

The musicians play this music

for madmen to recover their sanity.

Sometimes, they're violent, we tie them with chains to the holy tree. . . .

Great is the mercy of Sidi Ahmed Sheikh!

Let God's mercy be on Sidi Ahmed Sheikh! . . .

Sit down, calm down!

God is great!

On you and on us the patience! And Satan in hellfire! . . .

We'll sing and dance night and day!

God is great!

God is the opening and I'm attentive!

Let great Satan go away, he and his children

so they won't sow destruction!

God is great!

Praise be to God!

Give thanks to God!

God is great!

O God, my Beloved! O God, your beloved! . . .

The only God is God and Mohammed is his prophet! . . .

Say Allah and come to salvation!

May God heal you.

May God accept you.

May God heal you, my child.

May God accept you, may God heal you.

The Father of Skins

Who is Bou Jeloud? Who is he?

The shivering boy who was chosen to be stripped naked in a cave

and sewn into the bloody warm skins,

and masked with an old straw hat tied over his face.

He is Bou Jeloud.

When he dances and runs, he is not Ali, neither Mohammed. He is Bou Jeloud.

He will be somewhat taboo in his village for the rest of his life.

When he dances alone,

his musicians blow a sound like the earth sloughing its skin.

He is the Father of Fear.

He is too the Father of Flocks.

When you shiver like someone just walked on your grave,

that's him.

It's Pan, the Father of Skins.

She comes from the sea.

She is Aïsha, the moon dancing on the water.

The shameless one who gives herself to the goat under the sun.

She is silver,

he is gold.

Every year, we dress in skins, a young man in the cave. . . .

He'll become Bou Jeloud at the big celebration in Jajouka. . . .

Aïsha Kandisha, his fiancée the she-devil, . . .

will join him and we will play for them whole nights long. . . .

The woman whipped by Bou Jeloud

will welcome a child within the year.

The Three Hadjs

Pure silk on the thorn...

Sing and dance with us, Jajouka!

Sing and dance with you, Jajouka!

Tonight, stay with you...

Come to me, Bou Jeloud!