"Gnawa music has inspired the development of popular Moroccan music in general and is analogically similar to the African-American spirituals, gospels, and eventually the genre known as “the blues,” also founded by former slaves. Gnawa music provides a perspective through which we may view the history of blacks in. It is a medium to discover and recover the African roots that still live on in Morocco." -Dr. Chouki El Hamel, Professor of History at Arizona State University Gnawa music has been part of Morocco's music culture since the arrival, beginning in the 11th century, of sub-Saharan African slaves in Morocco. The traditions of this ethnic group include a form of spiritual and ritualistic music, which is intended to make peace with the spiritual realm as well as heal participants in the ritual. Although the Gnawa were originally a marginalized group in Morocco, Gnawa music began to be popularized in the 1960s, and today Gnawa artists are often powerful symbols of Moroccan culture.
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Gnawa performance
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