Introduction
All Gnaoua Festival photography and
reports by Alice Mutasa.
© Alice Mutasa
Every year in June the tranquil
fishing port of Essaouira, on Morocco’s Atlantic coast bursts
into a frenzy of music and colour, when the town hosts the annual
‘Festival Gnaoua et Musiques du Monde d’Essaouira’.
Previously quiet dusty streets, shady squares and sunny roof terraces
become home to thousands of music-hungry young Moroccans, music
aficionados from Europe, (last year’s festival saw over
500,000 attendees) and some of the finest musicians from Morocco
and around the globe.
Essaouira, (also known as Mogador / City of Wind)
has long flourished as a Mecca for artists and musicians, and
its location on Morocco’s west coast has lent it a unique
ethnic, spiritual and cultural diversity. The Festival began 11
years ago, primarily as a celebration of the ‘Gnaoua’
musical heritage and tradition *.
Whilst Gnaoua (or Gnawa) is firmly rooted in Essaouira, its origins
lie in West Africa, and the music of the slaves who were brought
through Essaouira three centuries ago. Several of the Gnaoua ‘Maalems’
or Masters playing at this years Festival are directly descended
from African slaves.
It is therefore fitting that over the years the
festival has evolved into a celebration of world music, and of
the connections and historical lineage between the Gnaoua tradition;
music from other parts of Africa, and jazz & other western
musical traditions. The Festival organisers are rightly proud
of the unique space they have created for this ‘musical
dialogue’ between musicians from seemingly very different
cultures. Many of the performances are improvised fusion jam sessions
with Gnaoua Maalems playing alongside invited artists from Europe
and the USA. For example at this years festival, the likes of
Jaleel Shaw, Andy Narell and Frank Vaillant.
In the words of the Festival organisers ‘A3’,
the Festival Gnaoua et Musiques du Monde is a Festival which celebrates
music ‘qui a pour premier instrument le coeur’ (whose
main instrument is the heart).
*Gnaoua is
a musical ritual of deliverance for the body and the mind, combining
elements of black African culture and Islam. A key element is
the ‘Lila’, or rite of possession. During this ritual,
spirits are invoked and followers abandon themselves to dance
until they eventually fall into a trance. Some elements of the
Lila ceremony are included every night during the Essaouira festival
from 12.00 midnight, often lasting until dawn.
Click an image for
individual festival photographs & reports. Days 1-4
Further
Recommended
Links |
Click Bassekou Kouyate's image to view more amazing
photographs by Alice Mutasa...
Click the Festival Gnaoua logo to go to their official website...
Go
back to the soul gallery.
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