Connect with us

Hi, what are you looking for?

top
Tunisian perform the Internet craze, the "Harlem Shake", outside their school/AFP

World

‘Harlem Shake’ rattles Islamists in Tunisia

More and more people around the world are emulating the dance craze, which was sparked by a group of Australian teenagers who uploaded a 31-second clip “The Harlem Shake v1 (TSCS original)” onto YouTube in early February.

And two teachers at the Bourguiba Language Institute said these clashes between secular and Islamist youth reflect wider tensions in the country, where the economy has founded since the revolution and unemployment is high.

“This is a sample of what is going on in Tunisia,” said French professor Manoubia Ben Ghadahem. “A minority is prepared to resort to violence to impose its law.”

Colleague Imen Gamoudi said: “Dance is a means of expression, and these performances don’t hurt anyone. Quite the contrary, they’re great!”

The controversy comes as premier-designate Ali Larayedh, of the ruling Islamist party Ennahda, presses efforts to form a new coalition government aimed at pulling Tunisia out of the deep crisis sparked by Belaid’s murder.

Ben Ghadahem said the tough stand of Education Minister Abid, a secular figure, on the “Harlem Shake” was apparently a political gambit.

“He’s just jockeying for a job in the new cabinet,” she said. “He ought to be dealing with the real problems in our universities rather than wasting time with these superficial issues.”

And to make a point, youth activists have put out a call for a mega “Harlem Shake” to be staged on Friday — in front of the education ministry.

About The Author

Pages: 1 2

Comments
Advertisement

More on Capital News