An African instrument that reached The North of Africa during the golden age of Morocco in the 15 century, the hajhouj is a significant culture in itself. At the height and as a result of the the slave trade, a mix of African cultures, faiths and musical instruments saturated the continent and with it, the prominent people trading country of Morocco, so easily accessible to Europe and America.

Nestled between the beautiful hand selected riads of HipMarrakech, you will find wonderful cave-like instrument shops selling the sometimes century old hajhouj, which is the Gnawa peoples ‘bass guitar’, based on a dug out tree stump making the body and 3 strings made from tightened goat intestines.

From its unique hulled shape, these African people believed that the hajhouj would be like a boat for there salvation from there troubles, and emancipate them from there sufferance, by which they can sail to the free world making it a symbol or happiness and hope.

Musically, the hajhouj has a lot of functions on the rhythm of Moroccan Gnawa trance music, as it is mixed between the taps on the drum body, plucking on the strings and sometimes a third if a bell was added at the top of the neck. You can see this mesmerising music performed at Jemaa El Fna Square only a short walk from the traditional Maison MK, artistic Riad El Fenn and the intimate Riyad Al Moussika.