Gnawa Diffusion

The Maghrebi hippie caravan led by singer Amazigh Kateb is back on the road after a five-year break. The son of the Algerian writer Kateb Yacine is also the nephew of a "M’quadema", who serves as master of ceremonies among the Gnawa people on the coast near Constantine.

The descendants of slaves taken north from the ancient Ghanaian kingdom of Ouagadougou, today they practice a mystical blend of Islam and other religions from Sub-Saharan Africa. Kateb also fuses: Gnawa rhythms with Châabi, the Arabic folk songs which follow the traditions of Moorish-Andalusian music, and Ragga. The result is "Raggnawachâabirock" with rebellious lyrics. But it’s not just about words, Kateb sees dance as the "beginning of revolt", the "raggnawia insurrection".