Gnawa – Morocco’s Evolving Music Genre

Musician in traditional Moroccan attire and playing a pair of metal castanets called Qarkabeb.

The Moroccan – Marrakech-born sound, features the bass-like string instrument called the Gimbri. Gnawa is traditionally a healing music that shares similar characteristics with Malian n’goni music. Perhaps, because the Gnawa people of the Mali Empire were once enslaved to Morocco where this unique sounding music, first created centuries ago, still lives. Today the music is represented by a mixture of Islam and West African religions and has over the past The chants include the summoning of benevolent spirits to the aid the sick.