Renowned Gnawa music festival draws large crowd to Essaouira
2008-07-01
The 11th Gnawa and Music of the World festival, held from June 26th-29th in the Moroccan city of Essaouira, proved to be yet another roaring success for the event.
By Hassan Benmehdi for Magharebia in Casablanca – 01/07/08
 [Hassan Benmehdi] Fans dance during a Ky-Mani Marley show at the 11th Gnawa and Music of the World festival in the Moroccan city of Essaouira. |
The Moroccan city of Essaouira was home for four days to a magnificent Gnawa and Music of the World festival, transforming itself for a few days into a city of diversity.
This 11th festival – held June 26th-29th – drew a sizeable crowd estimated by the organisers at half a million spectators from both Morocco and abroad.
Neila Tazi, the festival's producer, told Magharebia the festival has matured a great deal. "Eleven years after being launched, the Essaouira Gnawa Festival has become a key musical meeting in this city where all citizens are regarded as Gnawis," she said, adding that the spirit of the festival is the universal language of Gnawa music, which advocates tolerance and cultural dialogue above all else.
During the four days of the festival, excited and pumped-up Moroccans bounced along to the strains of Gnawa music and imitated the frenetic dances of entranced Gnawis, having paid between 300 and 500 dirhams to come to Essaouira and share magic moments together.
They came in droves right from the beginning of the festival, kitted out with headphones, water and food. Transport prices soared for the occasion.
One of the early highlights was the opening concert, featuring a joint performance by Korean group Samulnori Molgae and Gnawa Baalil.
Farid came with two friends all the way from Tangier. The trio expressed their delight at having attended the Essaouira Gnawa festival. "We'll keep great memories of this festival because we had a fantastic time," Farid told Magharebia.
"This is the first time I’ve attended this festival," said Nada from Casablanca. "I think it's a unique event in the world where all cultures can speak the same language – the language of tolerance and openness."
Other fans travelled from even farther away to participate. French tourist Xavier said, "I've been coming to Essaouira for four years, and the festival has enabled me to discover friendly, welcoming people and some lovely local traditions."
The 11th instalment of the festival was attended by world-renowned artists including American saxophonist Wayne Shorter and Ky-Mani Marley, son of reggae legend Bob Marley.
In a press statement, Shorter said the magic of Gnawa complements his style of music perfectly on the stage.
Marley, meanwhile, vowed to return to Morocco. In a statement to journalists he said that the festival speaks the language of love, justice and dialogue. "I love this country, and Gnawa music – like reggae – speaks to the soul and the heart," he commented, adding that a blend of the two genres would be a perfect musical combination.
A delighted Moroccan audience sang along with renditions of his father's most famous hits, such as "One Love", "Get Up Stand Up", "Exodus", "I Shot the Sheriff", "No Woman No Cry", and "Jamming".
Bassekou Kouyate, a blues enthusiast from Mali, said that he hoped the festival will continue for a long time into the future since he believes it is an opportunity for people from different cultures to share and engage in dialogue.
The long-awaited closing concert of the festival on Sunday evening was led by 11 musicians from the Barbes National Orchestra (BNO) who took the audience on a musical journey featuring Chaabi folk melodies, Rolling Stones hits and reprises of some of the BNO’s most successful performances.
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baidah agadir inzegane Posted 2008-07-09
Amazigh artists welcome the music of the world. Five years has elapsed now since the birth of Timitar, festival of the Amazigh music and music of the world in Agadir, capital of the region of Souss Massa Draa. Ever since its creation in 2004, the festival was welcomed in an exceptional way by fans as they are longing fir the authentic art. These faithful fans were never reluctant in expression their encouragement and admiration to artists who participate in it. Every edition brings this joy and enthusiasm to reflect again the love of the public for music to the level of spiritualism. The quality of invited artists both Moroccans and foreigners, the warm welcome by the public and the audiovisual and written media all contribute to the important factors which have made today of this festival, which was a mere adventure at the beginning, a significant event and annual meeting expected with great expectation by everyone. Today it is celebrating its fifth year. Timitar festival blew out its fifth candle on Sunday, July 6, 2008, on the rhythms of Amazigh, African, European, American and Asian melodies. It has attracted huge crowds from all over the world. They have all come to Timitar festival in Agadir in all ages. They have come at the first hours in the afternoon of that day to Al Amal square to have some entertaining moments. The artists are: Izenzarne, the Algerian Idir, Tabaamrante, Argane Toufkane, Youssou Ndour, the Lebanese Marcel Khalifa, the Algerian Cheb Khaled, Lamchaheb, Rekba Zagoura and Ouarzazate, Dj Denis in France, Tijouana Sound Machine from Mexico, America, a Pakistani and Dutch Dj, Juba German and Moroccan, the Algerian Takfarinas, Zizkakan from the isle of La Reunion, the Dutch-Iranian Achtar, Maalich from Comoros island, the Dutch Saif, Andi from Austria, Roukia Traouri from Mali, Youssou from Senegal and many others. Joy has filled all parts of the world.
Anonymous Posted 2008-07-26
good ! i'm a tunisian boy and i'm glad to see that it's a great exit esauira festival ! bye bye friends of maghreb ; )
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