My grandfather was born in a beautiful beach town on the southwest coast of Morocco. I grew up learning about the thuya wood craftsmanship, seafood, and art that all make the city of Essaouira unique. However, until I visited myself, I didn’t understand how deeply music is ingrained into the soul of what it means to be Souiri (from Essaouira).
In Essaouira, music is everywhere. There is frequent live music on the streets, in restaurants, and Essaouira even hosts 11 music festivals yearly. While visiting, I had the opportunity to attend a show, where I heard Gnawa music for the first time. I was captivated by the music’s drums, chants, and rhythms. My family friend told me it was called Gnawa, and I have since been enthralled with the history of this unique sound.
Music is a form of oral storytelling, and in Morocco, the style of music called Gnawa (sometimes spelled Gnaoua) chronicles the country’s diverse and complex history. The most prominent Gnawa instruments are the drums, castanets, and guembri (similar to a lute or guitar). Gnawa music has its roots in the inter-African slave trade of the 11th century. The term Gnawa refers not just to the type of music, but also to enslaved Black Africans from both West Africa and the south of Morocco (closer to the Sahara). There are various theories of the origin of the word Gnawa, but a common idea is that it comes from the Amazigh (Morocco’s indigenous population) word aguinaw, which means “black man.”
Image of Gnawa performance. Source: World Music Network
History is not just taught through textbooks or lectures; it is taught through the music we listen to. Gnawa music chronicles the struggles of enslavement and discrimination in a unique fusion of the teachings of Islam and sub-Saharan cultures. Gnawa is also deeply spiritual and is historically performed in ceremonies meant to connect with ancestral spirits for physical healing.
Gnawa music is not just historical, but also a key cultural element of the present. As the music has become more contemporary, more instruments have been incorporated into its rich sound. In my experience, one night when my family went out to eat, there was a live Gnawa performance that included a typical guitar and saxophone in addition to the traditional guembri and drums. On a larger level, my grandfather’s hometown of Essaouira hosts a free yearly music festival that showcases Gnawa, jazz, blues, and other global artists with hopes of exposing Gnawa music to the world. After starting in Essaouira, the festival tours Marrakech, Casablanca, and Rabat. Hundreds of thousands of people attend, making this festival and its music essential to the culture of Essaouira and Morocco as a whole.
Image of the Gnaoua Music Festival in Essaouira. Source: Morocco World News
If you are interested in listening to Gnawa music, here is a playlist to get you started :).
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