Gnawa Ecstasy

This is a story... a story of two men who found each other like lost brothers, separated by time.

That's the beginning narration of this engaging DVD that traces the connection between Sibiri Samaké -- an animist hunter from near Bamako, Mali -- and Maalem Brahim El Belkani -- a Muslim master musician from Marrakesh, Morocco.

The film is simple, containing just the 52-minute feature with no special features. It's also deep, with intimate images and stories of the men's families and musical history. "Widjan" is Arabic for "ecstasy," perhaps the defining element of Gnawa music and a crucial element linking these two men and their passion for the sacred rhythms and rituals that define Gnawa culture.

While the DVD does include some of the history of the Gnawa, who were brought as slaves from West Africa to North Africa, bringing with them sacred healing practices that developed into the Gnawa healing ceremonies known as lila (or leela) the focus is on Gnawa music, tradition, and culture. A fascinating aspect is how these two men came to a similar place despite such differences . And not entirely answered is the question of whether and how the Gnawa traditions will survive in the modern world.

Buy the DVD at Amazon
Read more: Gnawa music at Wikipedia
See a clip from Widjan

Giving Thanks

Today in the USA we observe Thanksgiving, perhaps my favorite holiday of the year. Other holidays have become so commercialized, or politicized. Thanksgiving is about gratitude, and it's hard to mess with that.

I've got to go bake a pumpkin pie for my family gathering, but first a few words and a song for you.

Are we really grateful for the good already received? Then we shall avail ourselves of the blessings we have, and thus be fitted to receive more. Gratitude is much more than a verbal expression of thanks. Action expresses more gratitude than speech.
--Mary Baker Eddy, in Science and Health

And a song from Norwegian Sondre Bratland and Pakistani Javed Bashir, who recorded a beautiful album of sacred music together, blending Christian and Muslim texts. This song of thanksgiving includes the words: "Countless as sand, and tremendously as the deep waters of the ocean is the grace of God which he pours over my head every morning. Every morning He freely offers me an immeasurable grace in my bowl."

[mp3] Sondre Bratland & Javed Bashir: "Morning Hymn"
from the album Dialogue (2006, KKV)

Happy Thanksgiving. And thanks for reading SoundRoots.

tags: worldmusic, thanksgiving, norway, pakistan