Unit:
Department of Music StudiesLibrary of the School of Philosophy
Supervisors info:
Παπαπαύλου Μαρία, Αναπληρώτρια Καθηγήτρια, Τμήμα Μουσικών Σπουδών, Εθνικό & Καποδιστριακό Πανεπιστήμιο Αθηνών
Original Title:
«Μουσική και έκσταση στους Γκνάουα του Μαρόκο και η μεταφορά τους στην παγκόσμια σκηνή: Θέματα και μετασχηματισμοί της ταυτότητας»
Translated title:
"Music and trance in the Moroccan brotherhood Gnawa and the transition to the world stage: A discussion on identity and its transformations"
Summary:
The present papers discusses the distinctive musical culture of the Moroccan brotherhood Gnawa, and specially the spirit possession trance rituals called “lila”.
Starting off the relation of music and trance in the ritual context, I am approaching Gnawa’s musical reality at the present times. Nowadays, Gnawa music holds a position within the world music stage. The transition of the musical performance from the house to the world stage brought about changes in the from and the content of the tradition and, subsequently, the formulation of personal and collective identity.
Focal point of this paper is the concept of identity. I consider identity, the way that individuals see and present themselves and place themselves in the world, as crucial for the formation of each culture and for the management of cultural heritage and the cultural capital of a country or a group.
Within the frame of cultural policy, I discuss the exported image of “Moroccaness” which is build upon the cultural elements of “Gnawaness”. Bearing in mind that Gnawa consist a minority group in Morocco, I discuss the construction of tradition and identity implicitly defined by the needs of the world market and the consequences of such practices.
Main goal of this paper is to suggest that we should avoid approaching cultural behaviour as result of linear causality. Instead, cultural expression and behaviour is subject to a far more complex net of interactions between individuals, society, the community, the culture that they represent.
Main subject category:
Social, Political and Economic sciences
Other subject categories:
Anthropology
Anthropology of Art and Media
Music
Keywords:
music, trance, ritual, commodification, culture, tradition, Morocco, world stage, global market, identity, sacred, cultural policy
