Gnaoua Music & Festivals

Morocco's musical heritage is as diverse as the country itself, but no genre embodies the soul of the country as much as Gnaoua music. The Gnaoua are descendants of West African slaves who were brought to Morocco from the 16th century onwards. Their music combines sub-Saharan rhythms with Sufi mysticism and Berber elements — a trance-like sound from the deep bass lines of the three-stringed Guembri (a type of lute), rhythmic iron Krakeb castanets, and hypnotic chants meant to summon spirits (Djinn).

The Gnaoua Festival in Essaouira (annually in June) is Morocco's most important music festival and one of the most significant world music events worldwide. For four days, the beaches, squares, and bastions of the windy city turn into stages where Gnaoua masters (Maâlems) jam with international jazz, blues, and rock musicians. The fusion of Gnaoua trance and Western genres creates a unique sound that attracts tens of thousands of visitors from around the world. Admission to most concerts is free.

In addition to Gnaoua, there are other important musical traditions: Andalusian music (Ala), a legacy of Moorish culture from al-Andalus, with its orchestral suites; Chaabi, the folk music of streets and markets; Rai, the Algerian-Moroccan pop music of the north; and Ahwash/Ahidous, the collective dance and singing rituals of the Berbers in the Atlas, where entire villages dance in rhythmic unity. In the medinas, you encounter Gnaoua musicians at every corner — they play every evening on the Djemaa el-Fna in Marrakech.

Other important festivals: the Festival of Sacred Music of the World in Fes (June) — sacred music from all world religions in historical settings; the Mawazine Festival in Rabat (June) — one of the largest music festivals in the world with international stars; and the Moussems — regional pilgrimages in honor of local saints, where Fantasias (equestrian games), markets, and religious ceremonies come together. The Moussem of Tan-Tan (UNESCO) in the south is a spectacular nomad gathering.