A glimpse at the Gnaoua, or Gnawa of Essaouira, an Islamic sufi confraternity carrying out a "Lila", an old ritual of possession, in order to secure peace of mind, to cure the diseases of their devotees and to reach Hal, a mystical state. The ritual is structured around a series of dance suites dedicated to seven families of saints and spirits, each characterized by specific colors, odors, flavors, feelings, actions, and sounds.
This short video is a re-edited piece of a 52 minutes documentary that I shot in 2005. The original title was "Sky dancers". The particular sequences of this extract have been shot during one of the last traditional Moussem of Essaouira.
Enjoy