Music of Gnawa People of North Africa and Morocco

World Music Example
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World Music Example
People express their feelings and thoughts through music. They use songs to communicate with others, pass a specific message or even have a good time while dancing or listening (Amraoui, 2015). Music might have a different meaning for everyone. World music entails music that incorporates diverse cultures from different communities in various parts of the world. Songs are usually in the native language of communities that have unique practices and languages. According to Amraoui (2015), world music possesses unique characteristics such as being mostly non-English, using fewer robotic instruments sung by native musicians, and having distinctive sounds. World music boasts of its nice rhythms, unique instruments, and vocal styles, which attract people to listen to them. Every part of the world has unique music rich in traditions, which they engage in with love for their country and culture.
The world music genre I will discuss is the music of Gnawa people of North Africa and Morocco. Witulski (2016) notes that Gnawa music originated from former enslaved black Africans who integrated it into the Moroccan culture as a way to preserve their traditions and music from their ancestors. Gnawa has become one of the most popular styles of North African music, which has gained popularity worldwide. The genre reflects the effect of black African culture on Moroccans (Witulski, 2016). The music is characterized by the use of unique instruments that make the music distinct from other cultures, such as the guembri, which was a three-stringed bass instrument, the drumming, which was the main identity of African music, a metal castanet, krakebs, their mosaic gowns and caps with cowry shells decorations to symbolize the African culture (Sum, 2013). Gnawa represents the rich African heritage that has grown significantly from ancient times and thrived to become part of Moroccan culture. The music is characterized by trance-inducing chants and rhythms that assume spiritual healing properties.
One popular Gnawa musician is Malem Hamid El Kasri, born in 1961 in northern Morocco. He began his training at the age of seven. He brought together rhythms from the north and the south of Morocco to make Gnawa stand out. His intense voice gave him a good reputation in music. His music gained popularity worldwide, especially in Europe and the United States, due to numerous collaborations and applying traditional elements in his music. His music combines poetry, music, and dancing to fit the Gnawa genre and give out the spiritual dimension and the therapeutic power, providing people with a healing effect. He has made several appearances at the Gnaoua world music festival. His first appearance was in 2004, when he played alongside another artist, then later in 2010 and 2011. He opened the festival in 2018 with a Brooklyn-based jazz band which was very sensation. He has played and collaborated with different international artists making him ...