When I arrived with my taxi in front of the café ‘Le Journal’, I already saw Haythem sitting in the sun on the terrace. A few days before I had met him at his fancy and also cozy restaurant-bar called Le Tutu in La Goulette, a suburb of Tunisia’s capital. But Haythem Achour is actually a musician and cineast who ended up being an entrepreneur.
His story has been influenced a lot by the Tunisian Revolution of 2011 and still today the rest of a system of more than 20 years of dictatorship is influencing on his daily business. Despite his struggles and sufferings, he welcomes me with a big smile for a short but very intense interview.
Part 1 Each person in unique – Haythem’s struggle to follow his passion for music
Before being the owner of the Tutu, Haythem studied cinema for three years and worked some time in Tunisia’s cinema industry. Nevertheless, his passion for music was stronger and while he was looking for a legal way out of Tunisia, he decided to go to Paris to study contemporary music. This choice and the music school were excellent allowing him to discover the universe of contemporary music and to do lots of things linked to music. After five years in France and just before the Tunisian revolution started, he returned to his country with plans to open a center for contemporary music.
The Tunisian revolution changed my plans
Sometimes politics and economics just get in your way and your life. Haythem was already doing his business plan, market research and trying to find funds etc. when the revolution broke out. From one day to the next, the finance system stopped giving credits and people had different priorities and urgencies. “So we were out”, he says with melancholy in his voice. Fortunately, in the meantime, he had already set up a collective of people gathered around electronic music. The idea behind this collective was to “start injecting the music that I like a little bit everywhere in the night bars and clubs” Haythem says. Before you could only listen to electronic music in the universities or cultural houses. He tells me that “once I was in Hammamet in a hyper hyper-chic bling thing with techno and experimental music with my friend Ghazi who works on the video. But all that was a short experience. After the revolution broke out everything changed and the music project on contemporary music was on standby too.”
Sometime later he tells me with a big smile, he and Ghazi went to play at a party close to Kobet Lahwe. It was a young Tunisian public and a great evening with a lot of fun. “Two days after this, I received a phone call from the guy who took care of the place. He offered us to regularly organize parties there. We had nothing else to do so we started. In the beginning, there were 20 people and from this moment on things started to change for me.” He takes a big breath and continues, “because in fact, these little parties of 20 people had so much success that we got another floor and it became the place, let’s say, the temple of electronic music in Tunisia. It’s called the Plug. At the time, next to electronic music the place also offered sessions for contemporary dance, for video and we even could go out on the streets to do things.”
Art vs. Money
For a moment Haythem seems to live again these euphoric and happy moments, then he kind of comes back to reality. He tells me “It was a big movement. ‘The Plug’ was really something that welcomed a lot of people. Inevitably, there was a lot of money, so the managers and everybody involved or not, wanted to take a share that! All without exception”, he concludes with deception. “It was chaotic. I asked myself what I was doing there. I started to get bored especially because I couldn’t identify me with it anymore. In the beginning, we just did it to have fun. We were a collective of filmmakers, graphic artists, musicians and money was not an issue at all in the beginning.. and then I decided to leave from there.”
Founding the TUTU – a personal revolution
Fortunately, Haythem already came up with a new idea. He worked on the idea of the TUTU, his own place that he still runs today. The original idea was “to listen to music differently, to eat differently, and drink differently”, he reveals with a smile. He also had the idea to work on more cultural aspects but “unfortunately I couldn’t do this until today because everything is blurry and forbidden in Tunisia. Once, I remember very well, I just bought with a credit a stereo to play music and the police came and removed it saying I need the authorization to do animation. I said it’s something different from animation but they removed it anyway.” I look a bit rattled because in Germany or any other place this would be classified as arbitrariness and unjustified abusive police violence… apparently and unfortunately this can happen in Tunisia so I ask why.
The Tunisian police cut my wings
Haythem explains to me that “everything which is amplified is forbidden. There are so many contradictions in this country. The TUTU works, it’s great, it’s in La Goulette and everything, but I really feel that a part of myself is deeply frustrated because the cultural aspect is missing. Like this, I suddenly became a restaurant guy, with a kitchen, a bar, and all these team management tasks and everything.”
“After two years of the TUTU, I was really fed up and tired. Politically Tunisia was a mess, there were absurd interdictions by the police that are just unbelievable to me!” He continues with sadness in his voice, “that’s what’s holding back a lot of things here for young entrepreneurs. It even made me sick, it really hit me hard, the police really managed to ‘cut my wings’ with this unnecessary pressure. It’s just pressure for the pressure. It’s just mechanisms that are still existing from the time of dictatorship. If now they will come and ask me why I did talk to you about this, it’s because I am really fed up. I have a Spanish partner, fed up as well. There was not a way to consolidate a project in terms of legislation, police, mafia etc. It was just a big mess and then you ask yourself why you are actually doing all this..”, he concludes and I feel sorry for him and at the same time angry against the system and the people that still function this way.
Life between Berlin and Tunis
With all this happening before I could more than understand why he left Tunisia again. This time Haythem left with his family to Berlin and luckily found himself quickly engaged with a contemporary dance company. Happy to start the music again, Haythem spent his time doing back and forth between Berlin-Tunis. He tells me that in the meantime, “even if you don’t want it, distance allowed me to see things differently compared to Tunis. Politically, there are still things that happen now, even if it’s not enough. But, here we are – in Tunisia – in a country on the Arab-Muslim continent where individual liberties gradually begin to emerge and to become reality.”
Tunisia – why people leave
Haythem brings the example of homosexuality, even if it’s a complex topic you can’t talk about it. Today, there is an association that defends the rights of homosexual minorities. There is a law that is about to abolish an old law called “fahs el charaj” in Arabic. This law basically says, if the police has a doubt about someone, especially men and passive ones, they will do an anal test. This is inhuman and is about to change. Nevertheless, there are still people who are tortured by either the police or the population, but I see and feel that things are changing.”
He continues enlisting things that are changing slowly. “There are efforts to fight corruption and that’s great already because that’s freeing the country somewhat from the mafia even if there are still many other things that are awaiting new laws and structures like the police, the ministries, the administration. All the things that are actually holding back young entrepreneurs and that made and still make a lot of people run away from the country. It’s what made me run away at some point. Today I’m coming back. This is what makes foreign investors run away as well. There are plenty of things like that.”
Haythem smiles and says “so that’s a little summary of my journey, and now I’m back here with another kind of energy. I restart with my idea to do something linked to contemporary music that has dragged since my 27 birthday. I’m back here and it’s going to be a new adventure. It will be a place to disseminate music, rehearse, invite artists for a residence, give new projects the support they need… voilà”, Haythem seems optimistic, but I still can feel that he wants to believe himself and see his project come to life, not that he is sure about it.
Every Tunisian is on hold 24h / 7
When I ask him about how he did overcome all these difficulties, Haythem says “frankly speaking with a lot of pills, a lot of meds, anxiolytics. It was very very hard and until today I don’t know how and by what miracle, I was able to overcome them. Just to talk about it makes me turn my head.” He tells me how in Tunisia you have to juggle and to follow the flow of the wind and the ever-changing interpretation of laws.
He reveals to me “to not hide you anything, that made me sick! There is not one day where you have no worries – until today.” He underlines, “I’m lucky enough to be really surrounded by people who are competent, who trust me and who help me. I think that’s what saves you, in any case, it saved me so far, the trust and love of others. Everything else is juggling, blurry, there is no law that is really clear. Anyway, every Tunisian is on hold 24h / 7, it’s ridiculous, but that’s how it is. We are educated like this and if you want everything to be perfect, you become sick so you have to .. you juggle what.” In general, I already feel a great respect for anyone trying to create and build something. I think you have to be even stronger in this kind of conditions.
These little moments and great people
To turn our conversation into more positive things I ask what surprised him. Haythem answers with a smile “What surprised me was that these little things that I did could take so much extent. Also and especially, it’s the people who surprised me. There are a desire and a need, and you feel that something is happening.”
The Arab world is a little fashionable right now
He stops a moment before he retakes, “yes, in Tunisia there is something happening, I think in the whole region too because you see in Europe how things are moving towards the Arab world.” He smiles and adds “we are a little fashionable right now. You also see it at the artistic level and at the level of ideas, at the level of entrepreneurs, and then there are plenty of young people who really want to make a difference here. A lot of my friends have this desire to change things and to commit to change.”
He explains to me that this evolution passed several stages. “At the beginning just after the revolution, everyone wanted to eat and it took a time that everyone finds their place. Inevitably some people got frustrated, there were the disgust and the desire to leave the country. Now, there is the desire to come back and to re-engage. I think it’s great what, it makes me feel good because you can’t do things alone. In Tunisian we say “zadem aale jbal b Kadouma” – you can’t demolish a mountain with a spoon.”
Tunisia is changing
Haythem then mentions the slow change of mentalities but also points out “here we are at La Marsa and Gammarth etc., it’s a bit of a bourgeois ghetto, but things are happening. Things are really happening also in the regions where there are a lot of associations that move. Civil society is moving, it’s not perfect but things are really good! This gives me hope again. When I left, I felt just a total disgust. I lost all patriotism at that time. What I miss today is that the state trusts his children. They should let young people do their stuff and remove all barriers like the cops, the law, the administration, all that..”. He stops then admits “okay it’s the order, but I am really tired of the corruption here!” he concludes.
I wish I could stay in Tunisia
Where does Haythem see his future? He smiles and tells me “when I left Tunis, my idea was not to come back. I lived in Berlin and Portugal. Now everything has changed. Now I believe that, frankly, between us, I wish I could stay here, build things here and make my life here without feeling this frustration. But unfortunately, I don’t really know, because everything is unstable. The region is unstable. I don’t even speak about the country or about individuals. I don’t even speak about me. So I don’t know, but what I would like to – yeah! I would like to be here, to keep trying to do things already for me and then of course to contribute and to help to change things.”
We have to do everything sincerely
With this positive spirit, I am curious to know more about Haythem’s philosophy of life. He says, “frankly, we have to do everything sincerely. At this moment this is my motto even if it’s hard because there are a lot of impostor people around. We are in the era of impostors right now with digital communication and all that. For me it’s not normal, I can see them miles away, but after the revolution, it was quite normal. People who wanted to have their places and do things were almost forced to associate themselves with imposters. Fortunately, now people know about each other. I want to continue to believe in this sincerity. To do things with sincerity, even if you say that you’re just doing it for the money or for development etc.”
My job is to solve problems
When I asked him about a typical day, he thinks a moment and replies “Before I have just been a musician and I always got support, so it was great. Today and especially in the last few months, my job is really to solve problems. At one point I had to leave the places I created to deal with the external administrative problems.” He leans back and retakes his phrase, “so yeah, it’s emails, phone calls, it’s running everywhere, even behind taxis that don’t want to stop, all the time new ideas and meetings… et voilà.”
You have to do with all these disadvantages that exist
I ask Haythem about tips for those interested in becoming an entrepreneur. He says, “here in Tunisia we are lucky because everything is still to be done! It’s a chance and a chance for everyone, even for young people from abroad who want to come to Tunisia – from Europe or elsewhere. Everything is still to be done here, you just have to endure, be patient and do with all these disadvantages that exist”, he smiles.
“The general public receives all the initiatives well and that’s great! Besides endurance, I can’t say anything else because it’s still pretty hardcore to do things here! Especially, administration in Tunisia still works like in the 60s, 70s or 80s.” After telling me a little anecdote from the TUTU, the expression on his face becomes optimistic again. With a light in his eyes, he says “today, it’s really full of young entrepreneurs who have ideas and who share tips and tricks how to get around this or that law, or this or that administration and that’s it.”
One day I could go back doing only music
Remembering his hardships some time ago, his answer about his greatest hope doesn’t surprise me. “To stay in good health, that my daughter is healthy too, to continue to do what I do but without barriers that would be great! Instead of doing one small step, I could do 10, and then one day I could go back to doing only music!”.
And your greatest fear I ask. “That everything just gets messed up again. I’m afraid that the dictatorship comes back. I’m afraid of Islamists. I’m afraid of what others can decide for the region.. Yes, these are my fears today”, he concludes.
Part 2 How is it to live in… ? – Haythem’s vision on Tunisia
After having talked a lot about the diverse difficulties Haythem encountered along his way and that were ad are actually linked to his experience of living in the country, I timidly ask for opportunities. To my surprise, he enthusiastically says, “they are everywhere, everywhere, everywhere, I swear to you! I see them! I see them everywhere, in every corner of the street! I see them everywhere! You walk and you see all this dirt and rubbish here, well it’s money that is in the street! Already only this and I don’t talk to you about the rest. Here the opportunities they are everywhere. You just have to be awake and alert on everything that happens around you. I see opportunities everywhere. The challenges today are to use and to be allowed to use them.”
Part 3 What’s the Mediterranean for you? – Haythem’s message for the Mediterranean
What’s the Mediterranean for you?
“It’s happiness, the sun, the sea, the food, the fat, the olive oil, the beach – all this is the Mediterranean! Finally, the Mediterranean it’s the chances, it’s human warmth and also and especially the exchange necessarily, so that’s it!”
Haythem’s message for the Mediterranean
“Let’s unite! Come here! That’s all.”
Part 4 Enjoy Tunisia like a local – Haythem’s insider travel tips for Tunisia
“I would like people to visit, discover and see that the Tunisians and the young Tunisians live differently. Europeans or the Westerners do only see the cliché side that media imposes on us. We have traditions, we have a history, but today there is not a difference between you German and me Tunisian or English or Parisian. We speak the same language almost and we have the same codes. Thanks to the internet, there are no more borders besides the visa. Sometimes this look and judgment ‘the Arabs’ is hard. I don’t consider myself an Arab. By the way, also the stereotypes are sometimes a little hard; the camels, the desert, the couscous, there are other things that also happen!”
Places to go
“I don’t do any advertisement, but well, there is the TUTU, the Wax, Yüka, the Duplex, the Triplex, and many other places for electronic music and a great night out that just open now. You have to come and discover!”
Festivals
“I definitely recommend Dream City. It’s just great what they do! The association is called “Art Street” and I really identify with what they do. It’s not just an event, they foster artistic reflection. They are social and anchored in the city – in fact, that’s what we lack here, invest our streets and finally Dream City arrives to do that really good! It’s a festival that stands out!”
Part 5 Discover new books, films and music groups – Haythem’s cultural recommendations
Music
“There are plenty, really. There are those who are known at a national level or even internationally. It’s really full of artists today. There are plenty of musicians, from Jazz to electronics or experimental dance, contemporary art. If I really have to give a name I would say Malek Gannaoui, but really there are plenty!”
Books
“Honestly, I don’t read a lot of books so I’m not up-to-date. In regards to Tunisian books, I know that there is a young author called Mohamed Aghmen. I was told he is really good but I never read his books.”
Films
“Ala Eddine Slim is a really good Tunisian movie director to follow. He won the Lion of the Future with “The Last of Us” in Venice last year. He belongs to a collective called “Politics” – they are filmmakers, painters, performers, installation etc. They do everything, and everyone in his discipline succeeds well. For me, they represent a really great Tunisian artistic movement that reminds me a little of “jamiaa taht el soura”. You have to go see them.”
