Khadija Warzazia & Bnat el Houariyat
Marrakech women’s percussion and chant ensemble
Based in Marrakech, Morocco · From Morocco
This is vocal-percussion music built from houara and chaabi forms, with hand drums, chant and the metallic snap of the tabsil. The set likely moves in cycles: call-and-response singing, dense rhythmic layering and group vocals that can turn celebratory or trance-heavy without changing gear.
More about Khadija Warzazia & Bnat el Houariyat
Bnat el Houariyat have been carrying Marrakech’s women’s ceremonial repertoire for more than 25 years. Khadija Warzazia leads the group and is credited as the first woman to publicly perform Gnawa in Morocco, which puts her at the point where tradition, authorship and gender politics meet. The group’s sound is rooted in women’s gatherings rather than the tourist stage.
A story
Their tabsil uses finger cymbals on a tea plate to mimic the sound of karkabas.
Playing
- 2026-11-06 2026-11-06T21:45:00 · Khadija Warzazia & Bnat el Houariyat · TivoliVredenburg
For fans of
Gnawa Diffusion, Hajja El Hamdaouia, Aïta ensemblesOfficial links
Plan Le Guess Who? 2026 with Songpot · Ask about Khadija Warzazia & Bnat el Houariyat in ChatGPT or Claude