The ancient Gnawa music, also known as the Moroccan Blues, has found a new and enthusiastic audience in Europe and America. Originating from secret ceremonies performed by enslaved Black Africans in Morocco, Gnawa music, named after the indigenous word for black people, has evolved into a powerful symbol of resilience and heritage, according to American news outlet CBS News.
The outlet said that the recent annual festival in Essaouira, located on Morocco’s Atlantic coast, drew in hundreds of thousands of music enthusiasts from 16 different countries. The festival featured 480 musicians and 50 concerts, highlighting the global impact and growing popularity of this ancient musical tradition.
At the core of the festival, Maalem Hamid El Kasri, a modern-day Gnawa superstar, enraptured the audience with his playlist that dates back to the 11th century. El Kasri’s backup singers came on first, wearing the same ornate silk robes and tasseled fezzes the Gnawans have worn for hundreds of years.
The centerpiece of the performance was the gimbri, a traditional instrument made from wood and camel skin, and strung with goat gut. As El Kasri played the gimbri with Middle-Ages-era Arabic lyrics, the crowd sang along in unison.
The pulsating beat of the krakebs, metal castanets played at astonishing speed, drove the music to a crescendo, creating a pyramid of sound that resonated with the audience. This musical legacy, born from the suffering of enslaved Black Africans in medieval times, has transcended borders and has played a pivotal role in shaping the American blues.
“You can trace the blues—you can trace the blues to the Black cultures from Senegal, Gambia, Mali, who then traveled north into Morocco, the Black races. When you come here and hear the Gnawa you feel the same thing that we feel with the old-time Blues,” American actor and Gnawa superfan Bob Wisdom relayed to U.S. television journalist Bill Whitaker, while in Essaouira.
He added that on stage, one could feel the shared mojo between Moroccan and American blues. “We saw stylized line steps that reminded us of Motown, deep knee drops that James Brown would envy.”
American percussionist Sulaiman Hakim said that Gnawa has inspired Moroccan bands–who incidentally enjoy rock star status–that would have astounded their musical ancestors. Gnawa has become the top entertainment draw in Morocco, with Essaouira’s annual festival its locus.
Hakim added that Morocco has long seduced Western musicians. Jazz legend Randy Weston fell under Gnawa’s spell in the 1960s, while Robert Plant of the legendary rock band Led Zeppelin was another convert.