Gnawa refers to a group of musical events and Sufi brotherhood performances and practices, in addition to therapeutic rituals mixing the secular with the sacred, including all-night rites in urban areas to ward off evil spirits, and communal meals offered to marabout saints. The Gnawa was originally practiced by groups and individuals descended from slavery and the slave trade dating back to the 16th century AD, and today it forms part of Morocco’s culture and its pluralistic identity.
Gnawa groups, which are organized into associations, hold local, regional, national, and international festivals throughout the year.

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Gnawa was inscribed in 2019 on the UNESCO Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity in Morocco.