Most people have never heard of Gnawa. Originally you weren't supposed to. For centuries, the music was only played in secret ceremonies by enslaved Black Africans brought to Morocco. Gnawa—an ...

A dancer whips her hair and lifts and drops her chest as the thwacking bass sound of the sintir fills the air. There are cries of “Ifriqiya!” and “Kandisha!” The musicians call out the names of ...

Gnawa music is a Moroccan spiritual musical tradition developed by descendants of enslaved people from sub-Saharan Africa. Combining ritual poetry with traditional music and dance, the Gnawa master is ...