Montreal vibrates to the rhythms of Gnaoua music
Montreal – The second edition of the Gnaoua’Art et Culture du Monde festival opened Saturday in Montreal, with the participation of several leading figures of this ancestral musical heritage.
Initiated by the Moroccan Cultural Center “Dar Al Maghrib, this event began with a parade of Gnaoua artists through the main arteries of the Canadian metropolis, offering the local population and members of the Moroccan community a total immersion in this music, which has been listed as UNESCO’s intangible heritage since 2019. The three-day festival, organized in partnership with the Salamate Gnawa Association, is marked by the participation of Maallems Hamid El Kasri, Mustapha Bakbou, Hassan Boussou and Mokhtar Guinia as well as the rising star of the Gnaoua scene Hind Ennaira. “This event symbolizes much more than a simple festival; “It embodies a vibrant celebration of Moroccan cultural wealth, of music and art that transcend borders and generations,” said Dar Al Maghrib director Houda Zemmouri at the opening of the event. Having become an unmissable event for all lovers of trance and fusion music, the festival offers a platform for artists to express their art and celebrate Moroccan heritage in all its diversity, added Ms. Zemmouri. The event is also in line with the projects initiated to enrich the Canadian cultural landscape and build strong ties between the two nations, she said. “Gnaoua music is recognized and adored worldwide,” Maâlem Mustapha Bakbou said in a statement to MAP, who welcomed the positive interaction of the Montreal population with the festival. For his part, Mokhtar Guinia, who is participating in the festival for the second time, said in a similar statement that the artists Gnaoua are true ambassadors of their country throughout the world. As for Hind Ennaira, she assured that the future of Gnaoua music is “in good hands” thanks to a new generation that is arriving in force. The first day of this festival was also marked by the concert given by Maâllem Hamid El Kasri at the Olympia in Montreal. The menu of this event includes dance and music workshops, shows hosted by Gnaoua Maâllems and an exhibition of the works of the artist Omar Gammaoui around this ancestral art.
2024-09-25 04:06:28