Originally practised by groups and individuals from slavery and the slave trade dating back to at least the 16th century, Gnawa culture is now considered as part of Morocco's multifaceted culture and identity..
Is Gnawa a person or music?
Gnawa refers to a set of musical events, performances, fraternal practices and therapeutic rituals mixing the secular with the sacred. Gnawa is first and foremost a Sufi brotherhood music combined with lyrics with a generally religious content, invoking ancestors and spirits..
What do the Gnawa believe in?
As in traditional African religions, the Gnawa do not believe that Allah, the ultimate power, can be reached directly, but must be sought through these ancestral Mluk..
What is the history of Essaouira music?
Essaouira was the city where Gnawa music was brought to Morocco. Originating from the sub-Saharan region, mostly slaves brought this genre by ship many years ago. The traditional genre is led by a maâlem (master) and accompanied by a group of musicians, vocalists and dancers..
What is the meaning of Gnawa?
Gnawa refers to a set of musical events, performances, fraternal practices and therapeutic rituals mixing the secular with the sacred. Gnawa is first and foremost a Sufi brotherhood music combined with lyrics with a generally religious content, invoking ancestors and spirits..
What language do they speak in Gnawa?
Although most present-day Gnawa musicians are metisse and speak Arabic and Berber, some West African religious words and phrases do survive even though their meaning is lost.Dec 3, 2011.
What language is Gnawa music?
Although most present-day Gnawa musicians are metisse and speak Arabic and Berber, some West African religious words and phrases do survive even though their meaning is lost.Dec 3, 2011.
Where does the name Gnawa come from?
The name Gnawa probably originated in the indigenous language of North Africa and the Sahara Desert. The phonology of this term according to the grammatical principles of Berber is agnaw (singular) and ignawen (plural), which means black person..
Who are the people of Gnawa?
The Gnawa are an ethnic group who were brought to Morocco as slaves, and their ancestry is traced to parts of West Africa. After the abolition of slavery, they became a part of the Sufi order in the Maghreb..
Essaouira was the city where Gnawa music was brought to Morocco. Originating from the sub-Saharan region, mostly slaves brought this genre by ship many years ago. The traditional genre is led by a maâlem (master) and accompanied by a group of musicians, vocalists and dancers.
The Gnawa (sing. Gnawi) are an ethnic group and Islamic sect of West African-descent centered in Morocco who have become globally known for their use of music in liturgy.
The Gnawa are an ethnic group who were brought to Morocco as slaves, and their ancestry is traced to parts of West Africa. After the abolition of slavery, they became a part of the Sufi order in the Maghreb.
History and Origins of Gnawa Music
Gnawa music originates from the Gnawa ethnic group, who were brought to Morocco from sub-Saharan Africa beginning around the 11th century. They were trafficked as slaves, and probably originated from Mali, Senegal, Chad, and Nigeria.
Overview
Gnawa music (Ar. ڭْناوة or كْناوة) is a body of Moroccan religious songs and rhythms
Etymology
The word " Gnawa", plural of "Gnawi", is taken to be derived from the Hausa demonym "Kanawa" for the residents of Kano
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
Rituals
Gnawas perform a complex liturgy, called lila or derdeba
Gnawa music today
During the last few decades, Gnawa music has been modernizing and thus become more profane. However
What is Gnawa music?
Not just a set of a series of rhythms, Gnawa is a music which, according to academic and researcher Fouzia Baddouri, takes one back to the remote past where poor black slaves sang their misery and daily worries
As Okot p’Bitek describes in his book, Song of Ocol & Song of Lawino, the African primitive songs and dances are not just entertainment
Where did the Gnawa tradition come from?
Probably the main marketplace transited towards the regions of the future Imperial Cities
The Berbers of the Merzouga desert call the nearby village of Khamlia “the village of the black people” where the Gnawa tradition has been practiced for centuries
Where did the name Gnawa come from?
It is said that the name Gnawa originated from the word Guinea, a place known for its slave trade during the 11th century
The music is found mainly in communities with large populations of ethnic Africans and is not connected with the elite
Its origins can be traced back to the ancient West African communities of the Sahel, located in present-day Mauritania, Senegal, Mali, and Niger. Brought to Morocco by the Gnawa, who were once West African slaves, their musical traditions have been intimately woven into Morocco’s multifaceted cultural fabric.Gnawa music has been part of Morocco's music culture since the arrival, beginning in the 11th century, of sub-Saharan African slaves in Morocco. The traditions of this ethnic group include a form of spiritual and ritualistic music, which is intended to make peace with the spiritual realm as well as heal participants in the ritual.The music has a strong spiritual element, and is often used for religious rites and ceremonies. Gnawa music has its roots in the ancient kingdom of Mauretania, which was located in what is now Morocco. The music was brought to Morocco by the Moors, who migrated to North Africa from Spain in the 8th century.,The Gnawa music of Morocco forms a community of followers, priest-healers, and musicians
History of gnawa music
Ethnic group of Morocco
The Gnawa are an ethnic group inhabiting Morocco.
Honor presented to recording artists for quality global music albums
The Grammy Award for Best Global Music Album is an honor presented to recording artists for influential music from around the globe at the Grammy Awards, a ceremony that was established in 1958 and originally called the Gramophone Awards. Honors in several categories are presented at the ceremony annually by the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences of the United States to honor artistic achievement, technical proficiency and overall excellence in the recording industry, without regard to album sales or chart position.
Algerian music is virtually synonymous with Raï among foreigners; the musical
Algerian music is virtually synonymous with Raï among foreigners; the musical genre has achieved great popularity in France, Spain and other parts of Europe. For several centuries, Algerian music was dominated by styles inherited from Al-Andalus, eventually forming a unique North African twist on these poetic forms. Algerian music came to include suites called nuubaat. Later derivatives include rabaab and hawzii.
Sufi music refers to the devotional music of the Sufis
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