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Music as a Method of Attracting Spirits

Publication at Faculty of Arts |
2020

Abstract

This article describes how Moroccan mystical brotherhoods (Gnāwa, Hamadsha and ʿIsāwa mentioned) use their music for attracting spirits (djinn). During all night long healing ritual called líla they aim to attract them and to harmonize relationship between suffering patient-victim and possessing malevolent spirit through extatic dance etc.

This possession is traditionaly used as a cultural idiom for various kinds of mental or psychosomatic illness.