English Explanatory Dictionary

Gnawa

English dictionary entry

Meanings

noun
  1. Any member of an ethnic group and Sufi religious order in Morocco.

Word forms

Gnawa Gnawas Gnaoua

Etymology

Originates from the Amazigh word agnaw / agnaou, used for a person who cant speak well. The orgin of the word come from the linking of the words Ag meaning "origin/essence", N meaning "of" and U, W meaning "inherit/take over (used for geneological orgin)", the word litterly means one who is from a certain origin, specialy used for foreigner/stranger. The prefix Ag is also used in Amazigh tribal names and group self designations. For example the Guanches population which was a ancient population on the Island Tenerife used to call themself Agn-Chinnet (Agn like in Agnaw, Chinnet was the name of the island in their language) from which the spaniards took the name Guanches. Its als used in Imuhagh/Tuareg family names like for example Ag-cherif and Ag-bahanga.

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