In BAC’s new Wellness Studio Blog, we invite you to share the passion we have for healing arts, and show how you can use featured Brooklyn traditions from our global diasporas to nurture and heal your body, community, and soul.
Gnawa musician. Samir LanGus. Photo by Hicham Laabed.
Visit BAC Sonic Clinic to hear the healing sounds of Gnawa and learn more about musician Samir LanGus.
Today’s Brooklyn tradition that heals: Gnawa!
Gnawa is the southern Moroccan trance music with roots in pre-islamic animist traditions. It was created by formerly enslaved black Africans to preserve the religious and spiritual traditions of their ancestor, and remains a cornerstone practice for Black Moroccans worldwide.
Traditionally played with a sintir (a three-string plucked lute, also known as a gimbri or hajhuj), qraqeb (metallic castanets, also known as karkabas), and tbel (a large double-headed drum, also known as ganga). Traditionally, Gnawa was used in healing ceremonies called lilas, in which a Maâlem (or "master) guides the ceremony through various songs that represent different colors. Gnawa provides trancelike, hypnotic music throughout this process to facilitate spiritual healing. Lilas are held to heal the spirit.
We spoke to Amino Belyamani, a gnawa musician.
“I really think objectively music is one of the deepest healing art forms because it's playing with time…everybody would benefit from rituals like that.”
How can you heal your spirit? Healing can look like connecting with your surroundings and breath. Connect with your breath by following this meditation as you listen to sounds:
Get into a comfortable, seated position.
Close your eyes, and taking a cleansing breath in. Set an intention.
On your exhale, notice how you feel.
Listen to the sounds around you. Notice your breath when you listen.
Allow the sounds to guide your awareness.
When you hear an instrument, where do you feel it in your body? What does it make you think of?
When you feel ready, take a final cleansing breath. Open your eyes.