The history of Raï, the latest edition to the UN list of intangible cultural heritage

The United Nations cultural agency Unesco has recently added Raï music to its intangible cultural heritage list. Popular amongst Algerians, Raï is a style of folk music focused on themes of love, social justice, and freedom. The genre often addresses social taboos and is popular both within Algeria and amongst the North African diaspora. The genre originated in rural areas and developed from forms of spoken poetry that were performed at weddings and during special occasions. In the late 1990s, many Raï singers were murdered, including one of the most famous, Cheb Hasni, who was murdered in Oran in 1994 by Islamic fundamentalist extremists. After the killings, Raï slowed in popularity, but it has seen a resurgence in recent years. Middle East Eye looks back at the history of Raï.