Gnawa music

Gnawa music(Ar.ڭْناوة or كْناوة) is a body ofMoroccanreligious songsand rhythms.Emerging in the 16th and 17th centuries, Gnawa music developed through the cultural fusion of West Africans brought to Morocco, notably the Hausa, Fulani, and Bambara peoples, whose presence and heritage are reflected in the songs and rituals. Its well-preserved heritage combines ritual poetry with traditional music and dancing. The music is performed atlila,communal nights of celebration dedicated to prayer and healing guided by the Gnawamaalem,or master musician, and their group of musicians and dancers. Though many of the influences that formed this music can be traced to West African kingdoms, its traditional practice is concentrated in Morocco.Gnawa music has spread to many other countries in Africa and Europe, such asFrance.

Gnawa music
A gnawastreet performerwearing traditional gnawi clothing in Rabat'sQasbat al-Widaya
Native name	ڭْناوة or كْناوة
Stylistic origins	Moroccan music

Gnawa
UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage
Country	Morocco
Reference	01170
Region	Arab States
Inscription history
Inscription	2019 (14th session)
List	Representative

Gnawa singer inSalé,Morocco

The origins of Gnawa music are intricately associated with that of the famed royal "Black Guard"of Morocco.

Etymology

The word "Gnawa",plural of" Gnawi ", is taken to be derived from theHausademonym "Kanawa" for the residents ofKano,the capital of the Hausa-Fulani Emirate, which was under Morocco influence(Opinion ofEssaouiraGnawa Maalems, Maalem Sadiq, Abdallah Guinia, and many others). The Moroccan language often replaces "K" with "G", which is how the Kanawa, orHausa people,were called Gnawa in Morocco.

Music

In a Gnawa song, one phrase or a few lines are repeated over and over, so the song may last a long time. In fact, a song may last several hours non-stop. However, what seems to the uninitiated to be one long song is actually a series of chants describing the various spirits (in Arabicmlouk(sing.melk)), so what seems to be a 20-minute piece may be a whole series of pieces – a suite for Sidi Moussa, Sidi Hamou, Sidi Mimoun or others. Because they are suited for adepts in a state of trance, they go on and on, and have the effect of provoking a trance from different angles.

The melodic language of the stringed instrument is closely related to their vocal music and to their speech patterns, as is the case in muchAfrican music.It is a language that emphasizes on the tonic and fifth, with quavering pitch-play, especially pitch-flattening, around the third, the fifth, and sometimes the seventh.

Mehdi Qamoum playing theGuembri

Gnawa music is characterized by instrumentation. The large, heavy iron castanets known asqraqabor krakeb and a three-string lute known as ahajhuj,guembri orgimbri,orsentir,are central to Gnawa music.Thehajhujhas strong historical and musical links to West African lutes like the Hausahalam,a direct ancestor of thebanjo.

The rhythms of the Gnawa, like their instruments, are distinctive. Gnawa is particularly characterized by interplay between triple and duple meters. The "big bass drums" mentioned by Schuyler are not typically featured in a more traditional setting.

Gnawa have venerable stringed-instrument traditions involving both bowedluteslike thegogoand plucked lutes like thehajhuj.The Gnawa also use large drums calledtbelin their ritual music.

Gnawahajhujplayers use a technique which 19th centuryAmericanminstrelbanjoinstruction manuals identify as "brushless drop-thumb frailing". The "brushless" part means the fingers do not brush severalstringsat once to makechords.Instead, the thumb drops repeatedly in a rhythmic pattern against the freely vibrating bass string, producing a throbbing drone, while the first two or three fingers of the same (right) hand pick out percussive patterns in a drum-like, almost telegraphic, manner.

Rituals

Gnawas perform a complexliturgy,calledlilaorderdeba.The ceremony recreates the first sacrifice and the genesis of the universe by the evocation of the seven main manifestations of the divine demiurgic activity. It calls the seven saints andmluk,represented by seven colors, as a prismatic decomposition of the original light/energy. Thederdebais jointly animated by amaâlem(master musician) at the head of his troop and by amoqadmaorshuwafa(clairvoyant) who is in charge of the accessories and clothing necessary to the ritual.

During the ceremony, the clairvoyant determines the accessories and clothing as it becomes ritually necessary. Meanwhile, themaâlem,using theguembriand by burningincense,calls thesaintsand thesupernaturalentities to present themselves in order to take possession of the followers, who devote themselves to ecstatic dancing.

Inside the brotherhood, each group (zriba;Arabic: زريبة) gets together with an initiatorymoqadma(Arabic: مقدمة), the priestess that leads the ecstatic dance called thejedba(Arabic: جذبة), and with themaâlem,who is accompanied by several players ofkrakeb.

Preceded by an animal sacrifice that assures the presence of the spirits, the all-night ritual begins with an opening that consecrates the space, theaâda( "habit" or traditional norm; Arabic: عادة), during which the musicians perform a swirling acrobatic dance while playing thekrakeb.

Themlukare abstract entities that gather a number of similarjinn(genie spirits). The participants enter a trance state (jedba) in which they may perform spectacular dances. By means of these dances, participants negotiate their relationships with themlukeither placating them if they have been offended or strengthening an existing relationship. Themlukare evoked by seven musical patterns, seven melodic andrhythmic cells,who set up the seven suites that form the repertoire of dance and music of the Gnawa ritual. During these seven suites, seven different types of incense are burned and the dancers are covered by veils of seven different colours.

Each of the seven families ofmlukis populated by many characters identifiable by the music and by the footsteps of the dance. Eachmlukis accompanied by its specific colour, incense, rhythm and dance. These entities, treated like "presences" (calledhadra,Arabic: حضرة) that the consciousness meets in ecstatic space and time, are related to mental complexes, human characters, and behaviors. The aim of the ritual is to reintegrate and to balance the main powers of thehuman body,made by the same energy that supports the perceptible phenomena and divine creative activity.

Later, theguembriopens thetreq( "path," Arabic: طريق), the strictly encoded sequence of the ritual repertoire of music, dances, colors and incenses, that guides in the ecstatic trip across the realms of the sevenmluk,until the renaissance in the common world, at the first lights of dawn.

Almost all Moroccan brotherhoods, such as theIssawaor theHamadsha,relate their spiritual authority to a saint. The ceremonies begin by reciting that saint's written works or spiritual prescriptions (hizb,Arabic: حزب) in Arabic. In this way, they assert their role as spiritual descendants of the founder, giving themselves the authority to perform the ritual. Gnawa, whose ancestors were neither literate nor native speakers of Arabic, begin thelilaby recalling through song and dance their origins, the experiences of their slave ancestors, and ultimately redemption.

Gnawa music today

During the last few decades, Gnawa music has been modernizing and thus become more profane. However, there are still many privately organizedlilasthat conserve the music's sacred, spiritual status.

Within the framework of theGnaoua World Music FestivalofEssaouira( "Gnaoua and Musics of the World" ), the Gnawa play in a profane context with slight religious or therapeutic dimensions. Instead, in this musical expression of their cultural art, they share stages with other musicians from around the world. As a result, Gnawa music has taken a new direction by fusing its core spiritual music with genres likejazz,blues,reggae,andhip-hop.For four days every June, the festival welcomes musicians that come to participate, exchange and mix their own music with Gnawa music, creating one of the largest public festivals in Morocco. Since its debut in 1998, the free concerts have drawn an audience that has grown from 20,000 to over 200,000 in 2006, including 10,000 visitors from around the world.

Past participants have includedRandy Weston,Adam Rudolph,The Wailers,Pharoah Sanders,Keziah Jones,Byron Wallen,Omar Sosa,Doudou N'Diaye Rose,and theItaliantrumpet playerPaolo Fresu.

There are also projects such as "The Sudani Project", a jazz/gnawa dialogue between saxophonist/composer Patrick Brennan, GnawimaâlemNajib Sudani, and drummer/percussionist/vocalist Nirankar Khalsa. Brennan has pointed out that the metalqraqeband gut bass strings of theguembriparallel thecymbaland bass injazzsound.

In the 1990s, young musicians from various backgrounds and nationalities started to form modern Gnawa bands.Gnawa Impulsefrom Germany, Mehdi Qamoum aka Medicament (The cure) from Morocco,Bab L' Bluzwith members from France and Morocco, and Gnawa Diffusion from Algeria are some examples. These groups offer a rich mix of musical and cultural backgrounds, fusing their individual influences into a collective sound. They have woven elements ofrap,reggae, jazz, blues, rock andraiinto a vibrant musical patchwork.

These projects incorporating Gnawa and Western musicians are essentiallyGnawa fusions.

List of Gnawa maâlems

A 19th century Gnawa musician, painting by Austro-FrenchRudolf Ernst(1854–1932)

• Mahmoud Guinia( "the King" ) or Gania – Moroccan musician (b. 1951, d. August 2, 2015). He played with Pharoah Sanders andCarlos Santana,among many others. GuitaristJimi Hendrixspent a few months in his house in Essaouira to take lessons. He is the son of the late Maâllem Boubker Gania, and his two brothers Abdelah and Mokhtar are also distinguished maâllemin. The Gania family also includes Zaida Gania, a very popular medium and clairvoyant at the nights of trance (leelas) as well as the head of a group of female gnawas, The Haddarate of Essaouira.
• Brahim Belkane( "The traditionalist" ) – He has played withLed Zeppelin,Robert Plant,Adam Rudolph, Randy Weston, andJimmy Page.He says: "There are many colours on earth: red, green, blue, yellow. You have to find these when you play, to be bright like the sun."
• Hamid El Kasri– He now lives in Rabat but his origins are in the northern town Ksar El Kbir, thus the nickname Kasri (i.e. the one from Ksar). He is one of the biggest stars on stage and is particularly renowned in Morocco for his voice. In his youth Hamid was associated with the gnawa scene inTangierand masters such as Abdelwahab "Stitou". He began his apprenticeship at the age of seven. He fuses the music of the north with that of the south:gharbaouifromRabat,marsaouifromEssaouiraandsoussior Berber from the south ofMorocco.He has played withJacob CollierandSnarky Puppy.
• H'mida Boussou( "The grand master" ) – As a child, H'mida immersed himself in Gnawi culture as taught to him by the Maâlem Ahmed Oueld Dijja, and became a maâlem himself at the age of 16. He also worked with Maâlem Sam from 1962 to 1968. Maalem H'mida Boussou died on 17 February 2007, but his son, Maalem Hassan Boussou continues the tradition and played a concert in homage to his late father at the 10th Essaouira Gnaoua and World Music Festival in June 2007.
• Chérif Regragui( "The communicator" ) – He became a maâlem by the age of 18. He worked with Tayeb Saddiki intheatreand he was behind the group Taghada.
• Mahjoub Khalmous– His skills took him to many festivals inEurope.In 1993 he formed his own group and became a maâlem. He has worked for several years with Bertrand Hell, head of theanthropologydepartment atBesançonUniversity inFrance.
• Allal Soudani( "The dreamer" ) – His grandparents M'Barkou and Barkatou were brought fromSudan(West Africa) as slaves. "When I play I no longer feel my body, I empty myself. And when I reach the state of trance I become nothing more than a leaf on a tree blowing at the mercy of the wind," he says, describing his trance moments.
• Abdellah El Gourd– He learned Gnawa music as a young man while working as a radio engineer in his hometown of Tangier. He has collaborated with jazz musiciansRandy WestonandArchie Sheppand blues musicianJohnny Copeland.With Weston, he co-producedThe Splendid Master Gnawa Musicians of Morocco,which received a 1996Grammy Awardnomination for Best World Music Album.
• Omar Hayat( "The showman" ) – He was taught by Mahmoud Guinea and the late Maâllem Ahmed. He formed his own group in 1991. His style is particularly influenced byreggae,but Omar Hayat nonetheless plays true gnawa and is a source of inspiration for the young gnaoui in Essaouira. He participated at thefestival of Avignonand has also been working and touring with the German circus Afrika! Afrika!
• Abelkebir Merchane(also known as Cheb) – He is from anArabfamily, none of whom are gnawa. His style is a mixture ofmarsaoui(Essaouira) andMarrakchi(Marrakech). He was taught by Maâllem Layaachi Baqbou. His son Hicham is also a gnawa master.
• Abdeslam Alikkane and Tyour gnawa– He is a Berber from the region ofAgadir.He learned to play the krakeb at the age of nine. He is particularly interested in the healing aspect of gnawa. He has performed at many international festivals, playing withPeter Gabriel,Gilberto Gil(formerBrazil'sminister of Culture) andRay Lema.
• Abderrahman Paco– He is one a founding member of the groupNass El Ghiwane.In 1966 he briefly joined theLiving Theatre,then two years later metJimi Hendrix.
• Mohamed Kouyou– In 1984 he played at the opening of theMoroccanPavilion atDisney World.He also plays in Essaouira's gnawa festival.
• Mokhtar Gania– Son of Maâlem Boubker. He is the younger brother of Mahmoud. He played at the Roskilde Festival in Denmark in 2003, sharing the stage withBill Laswell,Jah Wobble,Gigi,Sussan Deyhimand others.
• Mohamed Daoui– He teaches the younger generation of future maâlems, for which he has a widespread reputation.
• Abdelkader Benthami– He owes his education to maâlems such as Zouitni. He lives inCasablanca,and showed his strength on albums such as Bill Laswell'sNight Spirit Masters.His sons are both masters, and the youngest, Abderrahim, debuted in 2007 at the Festival d'Essaouira.
• Si Mohamed Ould Lebbat– At the age of 18 he began to play with Maâlem Sam, whom he accompanied to festivals inFrance.
• Ahmed Bakbou– He has worked with maâlems including Ba Ahmed Saasaa, El Hachimi Ould Mama, Homan Ould el Ataar, and Si Mohamed Ould el Fernatchi. He is the first son of Maâllem Layaachi Baqbou, and he is known as "the talkinggimbri".Although he sings, he often plays thegimbriwith close friends such as Abdelkebir Merchane or his brothers Moustapha and Aziz singing.
• Essaïd Bourki– His origins are in the south ofMorocco.He performed with his group inBelgiumin 1990.
• Abdellah Guinea( "The Marley" ) – He became a maâlem at the age of 16. His nickname is due to his dreadlocks and fondness for reggae. He is the middle son of Maâllem Boubker Gania.
• Mohamed Chaouki– Formerly a horse trainer who worked in the stud farms ofRabat.At the age of 19 he became a maâlem. He formed a group with his brother, sons and nephews with whom he has performed inEurope18 times.
• Saïd Boulhimas– He was the youngest Gnawi to play at the 7th (2004) gnawa festival. Saïd was taught by Abdelah Gania and is almost considered the son of the maâllem. He won the Festival de Jeunes Talents (Festival of young talents) in 2006 and is part of the French/Moroccan Band Of Gnawa withLouis BertignacandLoy Erlich.
• Hassan Hakmoun– By the age of four, he was performing alongsidesnake charmersand fire-breathers onMarrakechstreets. His mother is known throughout the city as a mystic healer. He worked withPeter Gabriel.He is currently based inNew York City.
• Fath-Allah Cherquaoui(Fath-Allah Laghrizmi) – One of the youngest Masters of Gnawa music, Fath-Allah was born in 1984 into a well-known family in Marrakech, Morocco. His eyes were opened to the ceremonies of Gnawa music by his grandmother, Lmqadma Lhouaouia. As a Moqadma or Shuwafa (clairvoyant), she would organize the Gnawa ceremony, orderdeba,two or three times a year with a renowned Master named Lmansoum. Thus, the entire family, including young children, developed a deep appreciation and interest in this genre of spiritual music. By the age of 19, his elder cousin, Maallem Lahouaoui, became a Master and began to play in the ceremonies for their grandmother. At seven years old, Fath-Allah was able to sing nearly all of the ritual repertoire, and play theqraqeb(iron castanets). By the age of eleven, he decided to build his own version of the instrument known as thegembry,using a glow bin, a broom handle, and an electric cable for strings. Five years later, he and his younger brother purchased their firstgembry,and he began learning and practicing finger placement, as well as how to distinguish the correct tones. Although his father advised him to spend more time on his schoolwork, and cautioned him against the dangers and hardships of the music industry, Fath-Allah remained dedicated to teaching himself the instruments and music of Gnawa. After some time, he was invited to join his cousin Maallem Lahouaoui’s band, playing the castanets, dancing and singing. But he dreamed of playing thegembryin a realderdeba.His chance finally came on a night when his cousin asked him to stand in for him and finish playing what was left of the ceremonial songs. It was the first time Fath-Allah had ever played in front of a crowd, and during an actual Gnawa ceremony. The audience was amazed at how the youngest member of the band could so easily replace the Master, and actually play as well as he and many other Masters. This was the beginning of the Maallem Fath-Allah. His favourite Masters include: Maallem Lahouaoui, Maallem Mustapha Baqbou, Maallem Hmida Boussou and Maallem Abd Elkader Amil
• Mohamed ErrebbaaOne of the youngest masters, originally from Rabat, he started at a young age when he moved to Casablanca and grew up attending ceremonies of great masters such as Maalem Hmida boussou, Maalem Abdelkader Benthami. He spent many years learning with different masters such as Maalem Abderrahim Benthami and Maalem Said Oughassal before he moved to Essaouira and spent a few years with Maalem Mokhtar Gania. Mohamed has always worked on different types of music and collaborations besides his traditional ceremonies.He moved to the UK in 2020 and is based in Bristol.

References

• Ibiblio.org: Gnawa Stories: Mystical Musician Healers from Morocco
• gnawa at the Moroccan ministry of Communication website
• WorldMusicCentral.org
• PTWMusic: gnawa by Chouki El Hamel at Duke University December 1, 2000
• arab-art.org: article about Gnawa from the "Centre de collecte et de recherche Arab-art" (the description above comes from this side)

External links

• Essaouira at WorldMusicCentral.org
• gnawa at the Catholic University of America, D.C.
• "The Gnawa and Their Lila: An Afro-Maghrebi Ritual Tradition" by Timothy D. Fuson
• Dar Gnawa Website
• A website dedicated to Gnawa Music (fr)
• Music of Morocco: The Paul Bowles Recordings-Contains recordings, images and photos of Gnawa music recorded in 1959
• 60 Minutessegment about gnawa music(2023)