Gnawa are the descendants of slaves originating from Black Africa who established brotherhoods throughout Morocco. They are made up of master musicians (maâlem), metal castanet players, clairvoyants, mediums and their followers.
They are at the same time musicians, initiators and healers, blending African and Arabo-Berber customs. Despite being Muslims, the Gnawa base their ritual on djinn (spirits) straight from the the African cult of possession.
The most spectacular and important ceremony is the Lila, whose function is essentially therapeutic.
During the celebration the maâlem and his group call on the saints and supernatural entities to take possession of their followers who fall into trance.
Their instruments :
- 3 stringed percussive lute (guembri)
- Large metal castanets (qraqeb)
- Drums (ganga or tbal)
Fusion
Gnawa music has won an international profile and appeal. Many Western musicians including Bill Laswell, Randy Weston, Adam Rudolph, Robert Plant and Jimmy Page, have drawn on and collaborated with Gnawi musicians. Some traditionalists regard modern collaborations as a mixed blessing, leaving or modifying sacred traditions for more explicitly commercial goals. International recording artists such as Hassan Hakmoun have introduced Gnawa music and dance to Western audiences through their recordings and concert performances.
The centre for Gnawa music is Essaouria in the South of Morocco where festivals of Gnawa music are held periodically. The Gnawa of Marrakesh hold their annual festival at the sanctuary of Moulay Brahim in the Atlas Mountains.
Definition:
- Gnawa : plural of Gnawi. A generic term which includes all members of the brotherhood including the master musicians, castanet players, clairvoyant healers and the followers of the cult.
- Maâlem : master of the ceremony
- Moqadma : priestess
- Tallaâtes, chouwafates or arifates : clairvoyant healers
- Mlouk : supernatural entities
- Guembri or Hajhouj : percussive 3-stringed lute
- Aouicha : small guembri
- Qarqabats or Qraqech : metal castanets
- Tbel : drums
- Ftouh errahba : beginning of the mlouk repertory of songs
- Derdeba ou Lila : Ritual of possession
- Hal ou jedba : transe
- Koyo : Pre-Islamic musical repertory
Sources :
- www.wikipedia.com
- www.festival-gnaoua.net
Whoa. Those Gwana sound really cool! Je dois chercher de la gwana sur iTunes. Pour répondre à ta dernière question, my favorite sport to watch is baseball; my favorite sport to play is running.
Comment by wferraro — 20UTC2007-12-20T21:53:18+00:00UTC12bUTCThu, 20 Dec 2007 21:53:18 +0000 16,2007 @ 11:50
hey, this is really helpful. do you play some of the instruments yourself, or is the playing reserved for the maâlem and his followers and players?
like sophie, i play the flute too. at sps, musicians must be members of the band or orchestra. i was a member of the band for the past two years, but stopped this year to have more time in my schedule. i’m sad that i stopped, but i still play when on vacations when i am not so busy.
who is your favorite music artist? do you have a favorite type/style of music?
Comment by ayresleigh — 21UTC2007-12-21T01:16:38+00:00UTC12bUTCFri, 21 Dec 2007 01:16:38 +0000 16,2007 @ 11:50
This is just fabulous, Anas. You are teaching us so much… I myself have recording of Hassan Hakmoun. I would love to go to the festival in Essaouira one day. Have you ever been?
Mrs. J
Comment by mmewindsor — 21UTC2007-12-21T13:06:51+00:00UTC12bUTCFri, 21 Dec 2007 13:06:51 +0000 16,2007 @ 11:50
Hi, Anas, it is me again. Perhaps you could talk a bit about what the festival was like in 2005. I think that there are other western musicians who have been influenced by gnawa music, but I can’t come up with any specifics. Have you been to the festival in the Atlas Mountains as well? Is anyone else in your family interested in this music? And who plays…?
Comment by mmewindsor — 22UTC2007-12-22T16:21:00+00:00UTC12bUTCSat, 22 Dec 2007 16:21:00 +0000 16,2007 @ 11:50
Bonjour! Je m’appelle Evelyn. J’aime musique mais je préfère rock musique. I’ve never heard of Gnawa before. J’espère l’entendre bientôt. Merry Christmas!
Evelyn
Comment by ekrames — 23UTC2007-12-23T01:33:48+00:00UTC12bUTCSun, 23 Dec 2007 01:33:48 +0000 16,2007 @ 11:50
Hi Anass,
Your research to make Gnawa music clearly known to your friends at SPS is marvellous. You are astonishing me with all the efforts you’ve made to keep your word and promise to tell everybody about your favourite music type. I could see you have now some questions to answer. And am adding 1: when does the Gnawa festival take place in Moulay Brahim Asni. I’ve never heard of that. Thanks for all the information..
Comment by nkahlaouy — 25UTC2007-12-25T08:35:51+00:00UTC12bUTCTue, 25 Dec 2007 08:35:51 +0000 16,2007 @ 11:50
Anas, ton blog est très très intéressant et très facile pour comprendre la musique de Gnawa. j’aime a mélange de la spiritualité et la musique, dans Jamaïque, il y a la musique de reggae, qui est fait par les rastafarians principalement et il y a bcp de sa culture et son croyance dans la musique. mais la musique est accepted by tous le gens de jaimaique, even if they are not rastafarian. parce que la mélange de la spiritualité et la musique, est la musique de gnawa listened to and accepted by tous les marocains?
Comment by dmoss — 13UTC2008-01-13T20:24:15+00:00UTC01bUTCSun, 13 Jan 2008 20:24:15 +0000 16,2007 @ 11:50
Est-ce que tu vas aux musiques concertes? Combien de ? Et quel type de musique jouait-il?
Comment by ayresleigh — 13UTC2008-01-13T20:40:33+00:00UTC01bUTCSun, 13 Jan 2008 20:40:33 +0000 16,2007 @ 11:50
hey Anas! that blog was really interesting! I was wondering how popular the muscians are that you listed? I noticed the pictures you put up of concerts, so I was curious to know whether or not you often go to those concerts? They look like they could be really fun! Going to concerts of bands is a really popular thing to do with your friends, do you and your friends go to concerts a lot?
Comment by jmonrad — 13UTC2008-01-13T22:08:05+00:00UTC01bUTCSun, 13 Jan 2008 22:08:05 +0000 16,2007 @ 11:50
Salut Anas! J’aime bien la musique, mais je n’ai jamais entendu la musique de Gnawa. J’adore la musique des années 1960s et 1970s, en particulier la musique de Bob Dylan, Les Beatles, The Velvet Underground, Les Who, et Simon et Garfunkel. Tu as de la chance de vivre dans la même époque qu’un groupe musical tellement extraordinaire. Est-ce que tu as déjà vu le blog de Bryan? Il s’interesse à la musique aussi et il dit qu’il a “une page complètement consacrée à la musique.” Juste comme toi, Bryan parle de la musique de sa ville natale. Cliques ici pour le voir:
http://bburton.wordpress.com/
À la prochaine fois!
Catherine
Comment by cgans — 29UTC2008-01-29T20:47:30+00:00UTC01bUTCTue, 29 Jan 2008 20:47:30 +0000 16,2007 @ 11:50