dima dima maroc

[Bosco 1]

Gnawa

This site is a wonderful tribute to Gnawa. It is a multimedia presentation, combining audio, video, wonderful portraits and more.

Youtube also has some videos:

source

Sooner or later, nearly every visitor to Morocco encounters the Gnawa, acrobatic performers in cowrie-covered clothing, who twirl the long tassels on their caps like tops as they dance to the polyrhythmic accompaniment of double metal castanets and two bass side drums. Gnawa troupes perform for tourist buses at the gate of the Casbah of Tangier, and they bring down the house at the annual Festival of Folklore in Marrakech. Most famously, one or two groups of Gnawa appear each afternoon on Jamaa el Fna, the great entertainment square at the heart of Marrakech, where the performers spend less time in twirling their tassels than in passing the hat to spectators.

Public performances by the Gnawa appear to be light entertainment, and rather frivolous at that, but there is another domain where Gnawa music is very serious indeed. In all-night ceremonies, known as derdeba or lila, Gnawa musicians and officiants perform for the pleasure of beneficial spirits and for the propitiation of malicious ones, in order to secure peace of mind and cure the diseases of their devotees. The ritual is structured around a series of dance suites dedicated to seven families of saints and spirits, each characterized by specific colors, odors, flavors, feelings, actions, and sounds. In short, this is quite literally (or spiritually) a different world, marked by transformations of all the senses.

The Gnawa have their roots in communities of Sub-Saharan Africans, mostly from the region of the old Mali empire, who were brought to Morocco as slaves and mercenaries, starting in the 16th century. (Similar communities, with similar practices, exist in Algeria, Tunisia, and Libya as well.) Their background is reflected in their belief system, which draws on both Islam and traditional Sub-Saharan religions. Many of the spirits in the Gnawi pantheon have close analogues in West Africa, and others bear the names of tribes in the Sahel, such as Bambara, Fulani, and so forth. At the same time, members of the group consider themselves to be good Muslims and they behave accordingly, praying, fasting, and carrying out other religious duties. The musicians sing primarily in Arabic, and their songs constantly invoke the name and epithets of Allah; furthermore, at least two of the families include Muslim saints, like Moulay AbdelQader Jilali and Moulay Brahim, who are well known in Morocco and the rest of the Islamic world; finally, several other sections of the derdeba --even those dedicated to Sudanic spirits--begin with hymns of praise to the Prophet Mohamed. In short, the Gnawa are nothing if not practical and ecumenical. The duality--or multiplicity--of their beliefs is resolved in the character of their patron saint, Bilal, the freed Ethiopian slave who became the Prophet's first muezzin (caller to prayer).

A lila (lit., night) generally lasts from sunset until dawn, and in some cases a full derdeba may stretch over several nights. The length depends in part on the mood of the participants, the number of spirits who must be propitiated, the seriousness of each case, and the resources of the sponsors. Some sections may get little more than a perfunctory run-through, but all seven families of spirits must be acknowledged in the music.

Drums (tbel, pl. tbola) figure in the lila just as they do in public performances, but their ceremonial role is relatively limited. The barbell-shaped castanets (qaraqeb), on the other hand, are as indispensable for trance-dancing as they are for entertainment music. The principal instrument, however, is a three-stringed lute known by a variety of names (guimbri, sintir, hajhouj). The guimbri has a semi-spiked construction, with a skin-covered body, sliding leather tuning rings, and a sistrum-like sound-modifier at the end of the neck. The morphology and the playing technique of the guimbri have obvious connections to West African instruments like the khalam and kontingo, as well as to the American banjo. Indeed, there are many parallels between the Gnawa and African-American music: the responsorial singing and the interlocking clapping patterns have the spiritual attraction and propulsive drive of good gospel singing, while the pentatonic riffs and deep percussive sound of the guimbri remind some listeners of a bass laying down the harmonic and rhythmic foundation in a jazz or rock group.

[peezey 0]

Some information on Moroccan artisan crafts:

Tazouakt: the traditional handpainted work on furniture, doors, moldings, walls. There are two styles, one more geometric and linear, the other with round curves, almost floral.

There is also a more traditional amazight style of painting:

Iron work:

thuya: this is a cedar, but the cool thing about it is that the wood is from extinct trees which must be excavated in order to use. the downside of course is that with so much being used for crafts, it will run out soon. Thuya is polished by hand with oil to get the shine, sometimes called French polish.

Edited January 26, 2007 by peezey

[mybackpages 0]

I have this picture of the hand of fatima framed next to the entry door until I can get a real silver one to hang in its place...

[peezey 0]

I love the blue background. Let me know if you want help procuring the khamsa.

[Bosco 1]

Al Qarawiyyin was founded by a woman, Fatima Fihri, in 859 and is argued to be the oldest running university in existence (others say it is Al-Azhar, although Guiness recognizes Al Qarawiyin).

Muslim Heritage has a nice article about the history and architecture.

Slideshow of the mosque and University

So of the non-Muslim scholars include the Jewish philospher Maimonides and Pope Sylvester II.

[mybackpages 0]

I love the blue background. Let me know if you want help procuring the khamsa.

The blue doors of Essaouira.

I want one for hanging on the wall. of course somthing the sign of a door knocker in silber is going to take severl years of overtime to afford it LOL But i am willing to get something in metal with a silver overlay....i do not like the ones in bronze. Did not find one I wanted that I could afford last trip, but we didn;t really shop for anything either.

If you have sources, you need to share

[peezey 0]

Tadelakt is a gorgeous wall treatment you will find anywhere and everywhere in Morocco. It is water proof, so originally it wasn't meant as a decorative finish, it was meant to keep moisture out of walls, in hammams, for instance. The finish is also used on vases and other pottery. Although more modern materials are used today, in centuries past, and even through the 20th century, eggshells were used to acquire the soft, billowy finish.

Riad Zinoun is gorgeous and a joy to visit, and nearly every wall is finished in tadelakt. Check out the pics!

zellige You'll see gorgeous examples anywhere in Morocco of the mosaic tile work. Men learn their craft as young boys. One is an expert in designing a pattern, another is an expert in cutting, another in laying the tile. Tables are extremely heavy because the tiles are laid in cement, but thanks to some smart business decisions, the tiles are now laid in resin in order to decrease the weight and increase the exportability.

Edited January 26, 2007 by peezey

[sereia 0]

i looooooooove moroccan decor. when i went the first time i brought a huge empty suitcase and filled it with things. i even mailed tables and lamps home. love it!! i never collected anything in my life but now i have a collection of khamsas going.

thanks to the gnaoua music festival i met my fiance!

[mybackpages 0]

I was trying to find good pics of moroccan carpets, but only found google sites to sell me one LOL I am torn betweenn the beautiful geometric complicated designs of Fez and the more traditional tribal Berber from the south.

Bosco- can you help find pics to show what I mean?

[mybackpages 0]

zellige You'll see gorgeous examples anywhere in Morocco of the mosaic tile work. Men learn their craft as young boys. One is an expert in designing a pattern, another is an expert in cutting, another in laying the tile. Tables are extremely heavy because the tiles are laid in cement, but thanks to some smart business decisions, the tiles are now laid in resin in order to decrease the weight and increase the exportability.

from the King's Palace in Meknes

[Sofiyya 1,687]

Sweet thread! Brings back good memories!

[Bosco 1]

Fes is particularly dear to my heart

The tannery in Fes is said to be the oldest in the world, built in the 11th century. It is located in the medina. If you go up to a terrace or rooftop to view it, someone is like to give you a sprig of mint to hold to your nose to help combat the smells. The work is all done without machines, even in the hottest of the summer. The vats are made of stone and the men nimbly traverse them as they do their work. The hides are treated in pigeon feces to soften the hides and then put in one of the vats that contain vegetable dye.

Edited January 26, 2007 by Bosco

[mybackpages 0]

Fes is particularly dear to my heart

The tannery in Fes is said to be the oldest in the world, built in the 11th century. It is located in the medina. If you go up to a terrace or rooftop to view it, someone is like to give you a sprig of mint to hold to your nose to help combat the smells. The work is all done without machines, even in the hottest of the summer. The vats are made of stone and the men nimbly traverse them as they do their work. The hides are treated in pigeon feces to soften the hides and then put in one of the vats that contain vegetable dye.

I didn't have the luxury of viewing from the platform I was right down in the middle of it. It was so slippery to walk I was afraid I was gonna slip and land in the mess. But it was an amazing site- nothing like it anywhere.

[jordanianprincess 0]

Fes is particularly dear to my heart

The tannery in Fes is said to be the oldest in the world, built in the 11th century. It is located in the medina. If you go up to a terrace or rooftop to view it, someone is like to give you a sprig of mint to hold to your nose to help combat the smells. The work is all done without machines, even in the hottest of the summer. The vats are made of stone and the men nimbly traverse them as they do their work. The hides are treated in pigeon feces to soften the hides and then put in one of the vats that contain vegetable dye.

Wow! Great photos.

[Sofiyya 1,687]

Here's one on me. I love Fez. Lived there for a few years. Nice!