The Making of Gnawa: A Historical Synthesis of Black Morocco

The Berklee College of Music Africana Studies Department presents a lecture on the Gnawa with faculty and a visiting scholar. 

Gnawa music is known for its hypnotic rhythms and profound beauty, attracting admirers from all over the world. However, the artists who represent this tradition have not had an easy path. The story of the Gnawa people is deeply rooted in the history of a diasporic slave community. As the late Randy Weston observed, Gnawa music evokes "the black church, jazz, and the blues all at once."

Gnawa represents the diaspora of black West Africans in Morocco, many of whom were forcibly transported across the Sahara and sold into slavery. Over time, the Gnawa became both a spiritual and musical group, forming a quasi-corporate community that absorbed and empowered black participants from various ethnic backgrounds.

The historical agency of this marginalized and enslaved group is powerfully expressed in the lyrics of their songs, which expand the archive of black subjectivity. The very existence of Gnawa music is a testament to the lived experiences of black Moroccans. The Moroccan fascination with Gnawa music grew significantly through the influence of jazz ambassadors like Randy Weston. This international recognition culminated in the establishment of the Gnawa and World Music Festival in Essaouira in 1997.