MAÂLEM MAROUANE EL BAHJA

Marouane Lafatehi, known as El Bahja, was born in Marrakech in 1974. From the age of 7, he was immersed in the world of Gnaoua, initiated by the grand masters of his hometown, including Abdelkebir Merchane, Ahmed Baqbou, Samhad Kouyou, and Al-Mahjoub. Eager to learn rare skills, he set off across Morocco in search of Gnaoua: Essaouira, Safi, Rabat, Tanger, Fez, Meknes, Casablanca…

At each interval, he learned the repertoires, gestures, and rituals from the greatest maâlems: Mahmoud Guinea, Razouk, Hamid El Kasri, and Simohamed Ouled Faqira Zahra, among others. At the end of this long initiatic journey, El Bahja became a maâlem in his own right, having acquired living, composite knowledge. He mastered the Marsawi and Shalhawi styles, and excelled in the rare, particularly demanding Azzawi style. Renowned for the precision of his voice, the depth of his play, and the virtuosity of his dance, he embodies a tradition in motion, driven by the impetus of transmission.