Gnaoua-Festival

The Gnaoua people, or Gnawa, originate from slaves abducted from Mali in the 16th century. As members of an animistic religion, the Gnaoua have protected and practiced their faith over the years. Using drums, bells and ecstatic dances they communicate with spirits from the afterlife. Their music is characterized by strong rhythms and seemingly never ending repetition, which is intended to appease mean spirits and to put musicians and listeners alike into trance.

Even though Gnaoua music has lost nothing of its spiritual meaning, it is also constantly evolving and today incorporates a variety of different styles. It is this constant evolution that makes it particularly interesting to adventurous musicians from different cultures.

Each June, Gnaoua and other musicians turn Essaouira into a Maghreb Woodstock. On five outdoor stages there are daily concerts, many of which are free of charge. Throughout the city, musicians meet for spontaneous jams in cafes, on the streets or at the beach. If you are really lucky you might get a ticket for one of the so called “concert intimiste”, these events happen in private homes and are not usually open to the public.

The next festival “Gnaoua musiques du Monde” is scheduled to take place in June 2016 (exact date to be confirmed).