Sonic Pluriverse Festival

In 2026, the annual Sonic Pluriverse Festival brings to Berlin the Gnawa tradition as a contemporary sound practice: rooted in West African histories of migration, diaspora, and cultural transformation, and connected with the Mediterranean world and Afro-diasporic resonances extending as far as Latin America and beyond. Curated by Alaa Zouiten, the festival views these interconnections not merely as a meeting of different styles, but as an expression of shared historical experiences that live on in diverse musical and spiritual forms and give rise to new voices and alliances today.

The festival opens with a Gnawa parade from Tiergarten to Haus der Kulturen der Welt (HKW), led by Maalem Hicham Bilali & Black Koyo, and enriched by Berlin communities representing flamenco as well as Afro-diasporic traditions such as Candomblé and Santería. The music programme follows a clear concept: each day of the festival begins with a Gnawa ensemble that sets the stage for a second musical world—from flamenco and tarantella to desert blues—creating a dialogue between different traditions.

Internationally renowned artists such as Baaba Maal come together with key figures in Gnawa music, including Majid Bekkas, Maalem Hassan Boussou, and Gnawa Diffusion. At the same time, female perspectives take centre stage, featuring artists such as Asmaa Hamzaoui & Bnat Timbouktou and Bab L’Bluz. The event concludes with a Lila, the central spiritual ritual of Gnawa culture.

The concert programme is complemented by panel discussions, workshops on sound and dance practices, and DJ sets. The panel discussions explore the historical and spiritual connections between the Gnawa and the Yoruba tradition, as well as their resonance in transatlantic cultures such as Candomblé and Lucumí; another panel will focus on neuroscientific perspectives on trance phenomena induced by rhythm-based music.

The full programme is announced in the course of the spring.