Gnawa

"Gnawa"
Location: Merzouga, Morocco
Date: September 2022
Photographer: Kate Holland
Ohio State Affiliation: Alumni
Home Country: United States
Category: Arts & Culture
Award: Honorable Mention
2022 International Photography Exhibition

Description: "In the far deserts of Morocco close to the Algerian border lies a town rich in musical heritage practiced by individuals of the Gnawa tribal tradition. The Gnawa people are not native to the region. Rather, they came to Morocco from central and western Africa due to slavery that occurred on the desert caravan routes. The Gnawa people forcibly brought to Morocco eventually gained emancipation and after a period of nomadic history, settled in an area known as Khamlia. Here you can see Gnawa men playing traditional Bambara music that harkens back to their original homeland and ancestral traditions."