The town of Essaouira throbbed to the rhythm of the Gnaoua World Music Festival from June 25th-28th, in a festive atmosphere alternating magical rhythm with spiritual calm. The traditional Gnaoui parade wound a colourful path through the town to mark the opening of the festival.
The festival, which has built an international reputation, draws music lovers each year from Morocco and abroad. This year's theme of "creativity and diversity" offered a unique blend of programming.
Gnaoui Maâlems and jazz and world music artists wove their spell over an audience keen to hear original music, attending concerts with extraordinary and audacious fusions of musical styles. The festival promises a blend of cultures in the spirit of tolerance.
This was also the message underlined by Culture Minister Touriya Jabrane at the opening event. Through this festival, Jabrane said, the town of Essaouira shows a Morocco strongly attached to its glorious past, but also looking to a bright future where civilisations can meet in a country of tolerance, freedom, and creativity.
"This music festival is also an achievement for human creativity, based on a fruitful interaction between cultures and civilisations," she noted.
Iconic figures of Gnaoui music offered fans a taste of their artistic talents. Mahmoud Guinea, a genius in trance, demonstrated his love for the art, which he has practised for many long years. The fusion he shares with foreign musicians is nothing new, he said. It dates back the 1970s, when he didn't hesitate to put on shows with western artists.
Gnaoui Maâlems are keen to preserve their art, passing it on from father to son. Hassan Zougari, for example, does all he can to initiate his seven-year-old son into the mysteries of the "trade". "Gnaoui music is an art form of the working class which must be preserved. It can be used for therapeutic ends, at special evening events marked by offerings," he explained.
The audience expressed its admiration for this special festival, which gives the town of Essaouira a charm all its own. Fabrice, a French tourist, said that it has become his custom over the past three years to attend the festival that is "characterised by an atmosphere you'll find nowhere else".
Aida, who lives in the town, stated that for twelve years, the festival has not only livened up the cultural aspects of the town, but has also given a boost to tourism.
André Azoulay, advisor to King Mohamed VI, said that during the festival, economic and trade activities and services (particularly telecommunications) hit a unique high. He recalled how Essaouira only had 12 hotels when the festival started. Now it boasts 229 accommodation establishments, and the number of restaurants has grown from 10 to 100.
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