The Gnaoua Festival

Essaouira Festival of Gnawa and World Music

Festival d´Essaouira Gnaoua Musique du monde

The festival is held annually in June.
The 16th edition of the Festival Gnaoua and World Music
will take place in Essaouira from 20 to 23 June 2013 ...

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Read about the Gnaoua Culture - The Essaouira icon Maalem Mahmoud Guinia

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The poster of the festival
for the 15th time in 21 - 24 June 2012

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Ambiance (Festival Gnaoua 2011)
par sourdoreille

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But suddenly something changed.

"Prior to arriving in Morocco I had never heard of the Gnaoua and World Music Festival, a 3 day event that is held every June in Essaouira – and it just so happened that I timed my visit with this enormous music festival.

A few days before the festival I noticed a huge change in the vibe of Essaouira.The town usually has a population of just 60,000 people.Over 400,000 people attend the festival.Yes, it’s really that insane. Suddenly, my chilled out, relaxing beach town turned into an overwhelming mass of people. And with the festival goers came the touts, the scams and the doubling of prices. When I went to renew my hostel stay on the first day of the festival, I was told the prices had now doubled because of the festival. I found myself really starting to dislike Essaouira. I suddenly had hassle from men in the street – grabbing me, trying to touch my breasts, whispering in French in my ear and then calling me a slut and a whore when I walked away. I could no longer sit and enjoy a meal without a dozen different men sitting down with me and trying to convince me to go back to their house. There were crowds everywhere and there was nowhere to escape. I decided to try and stick it out. My plan was to hide away in my hostel for the three days and wait for the chaos to pass.This was a really bad decision. Having to deal with the hassle and abuse for those three days drove me absolutely insane and by the end of it I was exhausted and stressed and had a desperate urge to flee the country."

From Attempting to find calm in Morocco, Never Ending Footsteps Posted by Lauren on September 2, 2012

• Tourism Touts

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"Now in its 14th year, the Essaouira Festival is largely dedicated to the North African Gnawa style of music, which combines trance-like rhythms with hypnotic bass lines. Traditionally used in healing rites and celebratory events, it has been known to send listeners into rapturous spasms. In addition to Gnawa, the festival also features a host of jazz, blues and rock artists, all set against the picturesque backdrop of Morocco’s Atlantic coast. Performers this year include Salif Keita and Ribab Fusion."
Rolling Stone Middle East by RS Staff June 23, 2011

 

 

FESTIVAL GNAWA (Gnaoua)
Hamid El Kasri

Festival posters

Get all the editions (external link)