Your Roots/Routes from the motherland - the ship left from here?
This city called Essouria, in Africa,
is the port and terminal end of the original trading route
that leads to the ancient Kingdom of Timbuktu ..
and most black people know nothing about it...
Each June, the sleepy fishing port of Essaouira comes to life with the rhythmic beats of the Gnaoua World Music Festival. This charming 18th century port town with its whitewashed houses and iconic blue window shutters swells in size as it plays host to Morocco's biggest summer festival. Essaouria has a magical quality that transports you to another time. It's no wonder the likes of Bob Marley and Jimi Hendrix found inspiration here in the 60's and 70's or why the festival has been referred to as the "Woodstock of Morocco." google-site-verification: googlec6e1936af5938ed9.html
From humble beginnings in 1998, the Gnaoua World Music Festival celebrates the music and arts of the Gnaouas (or Gnawas), promoting the ancestral and musical contribution of the Gnaoua people to the world. This fascinating festival has grown rapidly in popularity and now attracts close to 500,000 visitors over the course of the four-day event.
When the sun goes down the magic begins, and even the most reserved onlookers cannot resist the urge to move to the rhythm.
The Gnaoua music predominantly makes use of only three instruments—castanets (qraqeb), drums (tbel) and lutes (hajhouj), combined with one phrase or a few lines that are repeated over and over again (not unlike many modern pop songs). This hypnotic repetition of a series of Arabic chants can go on non-stop for several hours at a time, creating a trance-inducing atmosphere.
In addition to the traditional songs, the festival provides a melting pot between foreign artists and the mystical Gnaoua musicians. In recent years the festival has been fused together with other popular genres including jazz, blues, reggae, and hip-hop.
Don't be surprised to see an impromptu jam session mixing musical genres.
What sets this festival apart from many of its competitors is the fact that most of the performances are free to watch, with the larger concerts dispersed throughout the public squares of Place Moulay Hassan, Bab Doukkala, and Scene Meditel. You will often hear the clickity clack of castanets emanating from the narrow streets followed by a procession of people as the musicians make their way to the stage.
When the sun goes down the magic begins, and even the most reserved onlookers cannot resist the urge to move to the rhythm.
The Gnaoua music predominantly makes use of only three instruments—castanets (qraqeb), drums (tbel) and lutes (hajhouj), combined with one phrase or a few lines that are repeated over and over again (not unlike many modern pop songs). This hypnotic repetition of a series of Arabic chants can go on non-stop for several hours at a time, creating a trance-inducing atmosphere.
In addition to the traditional songs, the festival provides a melting pot between foreign artists and the mystical Gnaoua musicians. In recent years the festival has been fused together with other popular genres including jazz, blues, reggae, and hip-hop.
Don't be surprised to see an impromptu jam session mixing musical genres.
What sets this festival apart from many of its competitors is the fact that most of the performances are free to watch, with the larger concerts dispersed throughout the public squares of Place Moulay Hassan, Bab Doukkala, and Scene Meditel. You will often hear the clickity clack of castanets emanating from the narrow streets followed by a procession of people as the musicians make their way to the stage.
When the sun goes down the magic begins, and even the most reserved onlookers cannot resist the urge to move to the rhythm.
The Gnaoua music predominantly makes use of only three instruments—castanets (qraqeb), drums (tbel) and lutes (hajhouj), combined with one phrase or a few lines that are repeated over and over again (not unlike many modern pop songs). This hypnotic repetition of a series of Arabic chants can go on non-stop for several hours at a time, creating a trance-inducing atmosphere.
In addition to the traditional songs, the festival provides a melting pot between foreign artists and the mystical Gnaoua musicians. In recent years the festival has been fused together with other popular genres including jazz, blues, reggae, and hip-hop.
Don't be surprised to see an impromptu jam session mixing musical genres.
What sets this festival apart from many of its competitors is the fact that most of the performances are free to watch, with the larger concerts dispersed throughout the public squares of Place Moulay Hassan, Bab Doukkala, and Scene Meditel. You will often hear the clickity clack of castanets emanating from the narrow streets followed by a procession of people as the musicians make their way to the stage.
The Chance to Interact
Apart from the main stages, there are a number of more intimate performances that allow visitors to get up close and personal with the musicians. If you are looking for a real treat, then it is worth checking out a lila(Arabic 'night') or derdeba. This ritual of song, dance, music, incense, and costume is performed to awaken and communicate with the spirits. Lilas are a treat for the senses and generally take place each night at around midnight in any one of the maze of alleyways.
The Maalem (master musician) will begin with some slow chanting as he strums on his hajhouj. The other performers build the tempo with the steady beat of a drum and the chiming of castanets. All of a sudden the beat will quicken as one of the group leaps into the air with a flurry of movement consisting of lunges, jumps, and knee-bends. As the beat rolls on, he spins and turns as the crowd begins to sway in a rhythmic fashion. These lilas continue through the night, often until the sun begins to rise.
The Discussion Tree is also one of the must-see events at the Gnaoua World Music Festival. Created in 2006 as a forum for conversation and debate, it is held every afternoon at 5pm at the headquarters of the Franco-Moroccan Alliance. This is an opportunity for visitors to meet with some of the Gnaoua artists in a friendly, open atmosphere over a coffee or tea.
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Something for Everyone
By day the frantic pace dies down as everyone takes their chance to rest and recuperate. If you still have the energy, the beaches are known as some of the best in the world for windsurfing and kitesurfing. When I went to Essouria, I stayed one block from the old city aka the medina with its zig zag lanes. It is a once in a lifetime opportunity to wander the streets of the medina, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Browse one of the souks (markets) with its many trinkets or simply relax in a courtyard and wait for another evening of excitement to unfold. I stayed in a Riad, which is the Moroccan version of Air B n B. that is totally private-- like a house you rent for the stay( often available for sale...)
You can explore the complex history of how goods and slaves got here in books (Triangle Trade) However, if you want to experience what it was like to stand on the shore and know you would never see home again - the Port Castle in Essoauria that was restored by Europeans is the place to go - at sunset. This high wall point is part of the ancient city (medina) lets you look across the ocean to America. It is a powerful place, with soothsayers and women who practice conjuring hanging out at the edge of the port of call courtyard.
The magic masters are often afraid to go inside. Why? You will see an auction block there as if it came from the movies or a history book. You can sit there and soon you will start to cry . It has the weight of centuries in the air and you will feel the ancestors pain. The attempt to harness the ju ju (at sunset) attracts the magic practitioners but you can easily ignore them... Soon they will recognize that you are paying tribute to those who have gone before, and respect your emotional response. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Slavery_in_Mali#Slavery_before_colonization
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