Did you know that Brussels is the European capital of Gnawa culture, with over forty musicians living in the city? And that MetX has been working with many of them for nearly 25 years? To mark the 60th anniversary of the bilateral agreement on migration between Belgium and Morocco, we are highlighting this thriving scene and its collaborations through a movie, podcast, musical notebook and various celebrations.

 

In 2000, MetX founder Luc Mishalle started working with several Brussels gnawa musicians to create a project for the first Zinneke Parade. Since then, we’ve continued to work with them to create original and accessible repertoires, ensembles and festive moments, both via training projects and fusion projects.

 

Rida Stitou, Mohamed Saïd Akasri, Driss Filali, Hicham Bilali, Hanane Abdallah and Imane Guemssy are just some of the musicians who have worked with us on projects such as Marockin’ Brass, VelotroniX, AGO Gnawa and Tsoukina, and more recently Remork & Karkaba, Banda Quetzal and re:encounter#. So this autumn we’re particularly pleased to highlight this rich history thanks to the support of several key partners!

 

Belgo-Moroccan parades at BXL MAR’BEL & Bab Gnawa

 

Last summer, we organised a number of workshops on gnawa and chaabi rhythms, welcoming participants from schools, local associations and other partners. Together, we created a big festive procession combining Moroccan percussion, singing and dance with brass instruments and metropolitan rhythms.

 

 

The parade first took over the streets of Brussels on Car Free Sunday, 22 September. Called BXL MAR’BEL, it set of from the canal in Molenbeek to the city centre, with musical stops at AB, the Grand-Place during Folklorissimo and beursschouwburg.

 

 

On Friday 4 October, we also immersed Les Marolles in Belgian-Moroccan festivities during the event Bab Gnawa. As part of Art+People, our parade travelled through the neighbourhood, passing by the various local partners. It was followed by an evening programme at MetX with a film screening and concerts.

 

Merhaba Gnawa – Video documentary in collaboration with Centre Vidéo de Bruxelles

 

With the support of VGC Erfgoedcel Brussel and Darna, we invited filmmaker Sebastian Strycharski to follow some of the Gnawa musicians we’ve been working with for many years. In the video documentary “Merhaba Gnawa”, he paints a particularly warm and authentic portrait of Driss Filali, Mohamed Saïd Akasri and Hanane Abdallah, among others, to which he added contributions from Laïla Amezian, Hélène Sechehaye and Luc Mishalle.

 

 

It was previewed on October 4 at MetX during the Bab Gnawa event. Another screening will follow on December 6 at Palace during Cinemamed, the Brussels Mediterranean film festival.

 

Gnawadde? – Podcast & Musical notebook

 

In addition to the video documentary, we also present our very first podcast, produced in collaboration with Spraakmat. We tell you about the particular origins of the Gnawa from West Africa to the Maghreb, and follow them on their journey to Brussels. With mâalem Driss Filali and musicians Meike De Roest and Luc Mishalle, we also explain how this musical tradition is passed on from one person to another.

 

Listen to the podcast

 

And finally, we’ve also created a notebook for those who want to learn about Gnawa music or are interested in their culture and history. You’ll find an introduction to the construction of rhythms, songs and other musical elements, as well as an overview of the roles and rituals that have kept this tradition alive for centuries, and of the evolution of Gnawa culture in Brussels over the last few decades.

 

Download the Dutch version  – French version

 

 

Read more about the Gnawa culture in Brussels?

 

Gnawa-cultuur: hun muziek, zang en dans in Brussel

> Interview Mohamed Saïd Akasri on immaterieelerfgoed.be (2021)

 

The Gnawa musicians in Brussels: a cultural reorganisation

> Article by Hélène Sechehaye and Stéphanie Weisser (2015)

 

Musiques Gnawa à Bruxelles. Pratiques et formes rituelles en diaspora

> Book by Hélène Sechehaye based on her thesis (Vrin – MusicologieS December 2024)