Gnawa (Morocco)
Gnawa is a Moroccan spiritual and musical style of sub-Saharan origin, practiced by the descendants of black African slaves (Zanji) and communities in Marrakech, Oujda, and Fès. It is a ritual music of healing and celebration, played with qraqeb (metal castanets), the guembri (three-stringed lute) and songs in Arabic and Hassaniya.
The gnawa masters (maâlems) guide the ceremonies (lila) which last all night. Artists like Hassan Hakmoun, Samir Benslimane and groups like Gnawa Diffusion have brought the style to international stages.
Gnawa has been inscribed on UNESCO’s Intangible Cultural Heritage list since 2019. It has influenced jazz (Randy Weston, John McLaughlin) and modern world music.
