Asmâa Hamzaoui & Bnat Timbouktou (U?)
U? Centraal presents: MOḌA
A new wave is washing over Gnawa, the traditional North African music genre started by the Gnawa people of Morocco. Despite being an essential part of the tradition, only now female bands are appearing - and Asmâa Hamzaoui and the group Bnat Timboktou are leading the way. On the studio and the stage, Hamzaoui and the guembri (the traditional three-stringed bass lute she was taught as a child) are spotlighted, as the qraqeb clacks beneath Hamzaoui’s evocative voice. As one of the genre’s few and youngest female ambassadors, Hamzaoui and the band foster ‘transformation through preservation’. Asmâa Hamzaoui & Bnat Timboktou will also perform at Le Guess Who?.
This program is part of U? Centraal presents MOḌA. MOḌA is an exhibition that showcases the artistic work and personal stories of cutting-edge designers and artists from Morocco and the Moroccan diaspora in the Netherlands. To celebrate both the exhibition and the great importance of nurturing the community, U? and Centraal Museum are collaborating with BOKS, Buddy to Buddy, and Younity to host a grand community-focused gathering that includes live music, fashion, food, DJ sets, and workshops.