English translation of a French version
performed by Tabitha du Plessis,
student at ITIRI
(University of Strasbourg)

CLAISSE Pierre-Alain, Etymological reflections on the Gnawa and their origin

(Transcription of the content of the video)

The expression ignawen also belongs to the Libyco-Berber language family. It is likely that this expression entered the dialectic Arabic of Moroccan Chérifian and underwent a number of alterations: agenau, gnaua, gnawa, etc.
According to the linguist Miloud Taïfi [1992, pp. 160-161], in central Moroccan dialects the root gnw evokes “the darkening sky” and “the thunder” that ensues.
Our Berber-speaking contacts confirmed that these expressions suggest a clicking sound and, on the whole, can render incomprehensible the language of a little-known people or civilisation, such as slaves who have come along caravan trails from the northern bend of the Niger.
However, this is not the only possible interpretation of the root gnw, especially since the complexity of the meaning of the word Gnawa still does not explain the reason for their invariable assimilation with the slaves of Guinea: akal-ignawen. Delafosse [1912] spoke of this in relation to the cultural origin of a certain Saharan cultural unity and, as indicated by the annotators of Léon l'Africain’s work [1550, pp. 464 and foll.]: - "Kenawa or Gnawa is still used in Morocco to refer to black people and their country". In fact, North African traders used to use the expression to refer to the "Ghenoa'' kingdom; but the kingdom’s inhabitants called it "Genni" and the Portuguese: "Ghinea''. It is most probably from Guinea where the slaves left for the Americas. But is this interpretation enough to determine the geographical origin of the Gnawa?