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Morocco's Gnaoua festival celebrates African roots through music and cultural exchange

The festival is known for creating unexpected collaborations between artists from different musical backgrounds, and this year's edition continued that tradition.

READ MORE : http://www.africanews.com/2026/06/30/moroccos-gnaoua-festival-celebrates-african-roots-through-music-and-cultural-exchange

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Transcript
00:02This is the moment the people of Atawaira, widely regarded as the birthplace of Gnawa music, look forward to all
00:10year.
00:11The grand parade of Gnawa brotherhoods from across Morocco wins through the city's Medina to open the festival.
00:20Founded 27 years ago by Nahila Tazi, the event has become a cultural institution.
00:29Africa is part of the festival's DNA at the art of the project of Gnawa culture which draws its roots
00:36from different countries in sub-Saharan Africa.
00:39It carries a long history of displacement and of artists descended from formal slaves.
00:45It was important for us to highlight this aspect which was overlooked for decades, a culture that was marginalized for
00:54far long despite having an extraordinary story to tell the world.
01:02This year also marks the return of renowned Cameroonian bassist Richard Bonner after an eight-year absence from the festival.
01:21Our African music has always shared common roots whether it's Gnawa, Sabah, Bolobo or any other African tradition.
01:30If you understand the grammar, you can easily read or understand the music.
01:35It all comes back to the rhythm. Rhythm is something that is never foreign to us as Africans.
01:43This year the organizers went even further.
01:45Young Gnawa master, young Gnawa master, Medi Kwamum from Agadir, joined forces with Hailem's spirit of gospel choir blending traditions
01:54that share a common heritage of Gnawa and gospel.
01:58For Africa, they are trying to bring all this culture home to play with Gnawa music and this is the
02:06definition of Gnawa, the festival of Gnawa.
02:09The next edition in 2027 already promises new collaborations between African musical traditions and the Gnawa heritage.
02:18You
02:18Man
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