Celebration of Gnaoua music starts in Morocco

Morocco’s Gnaoua Festival kicked off with a parade of musicians in the centre of Essaouira. The city in the west of the country plays host to the annual three-day celebration of this popular music, which originated in sub-Saharan Africa and has many fans across north Africa.

During the festival, jazz, pop, rock and other types of world music will be fused together with traditional Gnaoua, often by foreign artists.

The whole city is excited and under the control of the masters of Gnaoua – known as Maalems.

For more on Gnaoua music and the festival in Essaouira be sure to watch our programme, Le Mag.

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