Cheikha Tetma

Born in Tlemcen, vocalist Cheikha Tetma—originally named Tetma Thabet—ranked among Hawfi’s most accomplished exponents, a genre women historically performed while gently rocking infants in swings. Her phrasing remained exceptional across partnerships with ensembles fronted by Omar El-Bekchi or Abdelkrim Dali and in settings alongside pianist Djillali Zerrouki, her voice rising with unrestrained fervor. Later she gravitated toward Andalusian classical repertoire. She settled in Algeria’s capital, Algiers, in 1950 and sustained her career there until her death twelve years afterward.