The Essaouira Gnawa Festival Drama

Every year, people worldwide flock to the Essaouira Gnawa Festival to enjoy traditional Moroccan music and have a great time. But let me tell you, this festival is not for everyone. You must be a fan of this music to understand and appreciate the vibes truly.

Unfortunately, drama seems to have found its way into the Essaouira Gnawa Festival, like any event in Morocco. But for me, it's just cheap drama. According to the Moroccan media outlet (H News), Mustafa Bakbou, a well-known Gnawa artist, made headlines for all the wrong reasons. He is facing prison because he failed to pay child support to his ex-wife. And guess how much he owes? Only $1,500, which has been accumulating for a long time. The sad part is that he doesn't have the money due to his poor financial condition.

Nora Fouari, editor-in-chief of Hnews, raises an important question. What has 24 years of performances at the Essaouira Gnawa Festival actually given to artists like Mustafa Bakbou, who has been an integral part of this festival since the very beginning? So? It seems that the festival has mainly enhanced the image of the organizers and VIPs, leaving the artists struggling and without much support.

Ironically, another artist is facing child support drama at the same time, but in a completely different context. Hollywood actor Kevin Costner is being sued by his ex-wife for a whopping $248,000 per month. Now, I'm not comparing Hollywood to Morocco. Still, it does make you wonder why no one can help Mustafa Bakbou pay off his $1,500 debt, especially considering he is a Moroccan icon and not just an upcoming artist.

While hoping Moroccan artists living in unstable situations and struggling to meet their basic needs get better, Moroccan drama continues…

By Simo Ben