Gnaoua

The Gnaouas or Gnawas are the descendants former slaves resulting from populations of origins of Africa Noire (Senegal, Sudan, Ghana…) It were brought by the old dynasties which crossed the history of the Morocco and more rarely of the Algérie and the Tunisia, while starting with the empire Almohade for work and the buildings of the palates and the reinforcement of the armies. The constitution as brotherhoods of the gnaouas through Morocco is articulated around Masters musicians (the Mâallem S), of the players of instrument (quasi exclusively the Qraqech - kind of crotale S - and the Gambri), of conspicuous (Chouaafa), of médiums and the simple followers. They practice together a syncretic rite of Possession (called Lila in Morocco, Diwan in Algeria) and where mix at the same time with the contributions African and arabo-Berber during which followers are devoted to the practice of the dances of possession and the Transe.

The festival of Essaouira in Morocco is a high annual gathering place of this Confrérie.

Origins crowned

According to old man and rare Gnaouis scholars, the ritual music and Gnawas, tirreraient their origins of the Voodoo. These practices have to be metamorphosed to survive and adopt the Islam as religion in order to ensure their continuity (in the same way for their cousins which had to adopt Christianity in America).

Music

The music gnawa internationalizes grace of the influences external with the the Maghreb, think of the musicians such as Bill Laswell, Adam Rudolph, and Randy Weston, which often calls upon musicians gnawas in their compositions.

The purists of the Musical genre fear a denaturalisation of the style due to commercial objectives sometimes regarded as excessive. Artists like Hassan Hakmoun, for example, organize with large scales of the spectacles for Touriste S.

Some Masters gnaoua " Mâalems Gnaoua"

Mâalem Boubker (Essaouira)
Mâalem Sam (Casablanca)
Hamid El Kasri
Abdeslam Alikane
Mustapha Bakbou
Allal Soudani
Hamsa Soudani
Hicham Merchane
Abderrahim Benthami
Abdeslam Belghiti
Hassan Boussou
Mahmoud Al Filali
Mahmoud Guinia
Maâlem Abdelkader
H' mida Boussou (Casablanca)
Mahjoub (Safi)
Abdellah Boulkhair El Gourd
late Maalem Damou Mohamed /Bechar/
Maalem Brahim Berrezoug says /Garros/Bechar/

Artistes fusion

Has El Had
Amira Saqati
Darga
Gnawa Diffusion
Rif gnawa
Arabesque
Kinguba gnawa
Gaada (diwane of bechar)
late Maalem Damou Mohamed /Bechar/
Maalem Brahim says /Garros/ Bechar/

Internal bond

Festival of Gnaouas
http://www.mokhtargania.fr.tc

External bonds

MarocMusic
Sindibad the Morrocan
gnawa ritual
Site of the festival Gnaoua
http://www.jade-as.com/html/dossiers/dosgnaoua.html
http://www.mincom.gov.ma/french/galerie/musique/gnaoua.html (dead bond)
http://www.vodeo.tv/4-33-3982-des-gnawa-dans-le-bocage.html
http://www.editions-harmattan.fr/index.asp?navig=catalogue&obj=video&no=1052
http://prep-cncfr.seevia.com/idc/data/Cnc/Recherche/fiche2.asp?idf=3313

Random links: