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City
Located in
Morocco
Also known as
Maraksh
Marrakesh
Merrakex
Morocco City
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Marrakech, on the
fertile Haouz Plain at the foot of the Haut Atlas, is the
capital of Province de Marrakech. The traditional southern
capital of the sultans and a major trade center, the city is a
rail terminus and a road and caravan center, connected with
the Atlantic port of Safi.
Industries include the
processing of fruit, vegetables, and palms; tanning; and the
manufacture of wool, flour, building materials, and
handicrafts, notably leather goods and carpets. Lead, zinc,
copper, molybdenum, and graphite mines are nearby, and the
area is studded with date-palm oases.
Of interest in the city,
founded in 1062, are the ruined walls, twisting streets, and
markets, along with the casino, the sultan’s palace and
gardens, the 12th-century Koutoubia mosque, the royal tombs,
and Aguedal Park.
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Handmade in Marrakech
The heart of
Marrakech is the medina, or original city, which is a
maze of shop-lined alleyways. Moroccan artisans are noted for
the quality and variety of their work, which includes handsome
carpets, soft leather goods, wooden boxes, silver and brass
objects, and gold jewelry.
Robert Freck/Woodfin Camp & Associates, Inc.
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Morocco: Gnawa Music
The Gnawi are
descendants of West Africans who were transported as slaves
across the Niger River to Morocco during the 16th century.
Once in Morocco, most Gnawi quickly converted to Islam,
although they clung to elements of their own traditions of
worship and belief. For the Gnawi, music and religion are
closely connected; many local cults use music and dance to
induce a trancelike state, which they believe allows ancestral
gods to enter the body and the psyche. In this example called
"Baba L’Rouami," several instruments —including
the sentir (a single-string instrument played with a
plectrum), tbolas (large deep-toned drums), and cymbals—strike
out an array of patterns to create a percussive counterpoint
that is bewitching and powerfully meditative.
"Baba L'Rouami" from
Gnawa Music of Marrakesh (Cat.# Axiom 539 881-2) (c) and (p)
Island Records. All rights reserv ed.
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