Haja Hamounia

Fatema El Kout was born in 1937 to a family of Sufis in Douar Hammoun, a village in the Essaouira region of Morocco.

In demand to perform at ceremonies of the Moroccan social elites, she was also invited to sing at the wedding of King Hassan II's daughter, Lalla Hasna, in 1994 at Fez.

[3] Hamounia was a great exponent of the Hasbaouia mode of Aita, which is in danger of extinction as the number of singers capable of interpreting it falls.

[5] Under her tutelage, several talented musicians have emerged, such as Khadija Margoum, another doyenne of Aita, Hajib, a chaâbi performer, and Cheikha Tsunami.

[1] Hamounia died on 2 July 2013 from respiratory illness, and was interred at the Saada cemetery in Safi.