Rabat – “Morocco is the TRUTH!” said famous American actor Will Smith, following his visit to Morocco earlier this month.
Smith took to his Facebook page on Wednesday to post two photos, saluting his Moroccan friend and photographer, Hassan Hajaj, as well as the people who met during his stay in Marrakech.
“Special Shout Out to photographer Hassan Hajjaj and all my people in Marrakech. Morocco is the TRUTH!” Smith said.
Smith, who paid a visit to Morocco artists artists’ residence Al Maqam, located in the village of Tahanaout outside of Marrakech, where appeared in a YouTube video dancing to the rhythms of Gnawa, which took Moroccan social media by storm.
In the eight-second video, Smith danced while wearing a sheshia, a hat adorned with cowrie shells worn by the Gnawa during ceremonies.
He was also surrounded by his friends, dancing to a Gnawa group playing the qraqab, a castanet-like instrument that provides the rhythmic foundation of the Islamic brotherhood’s music.
Smith initially intended a two-hour long visit to Al Maqam, but he and his friends were so fascinated that the visit stretched to five hours.
When offered brushes and a canvas, Smith did not hesitate to try his creative hand. Under the watchful eye of a group of Moroccan artists and painters, Smith was only to unleash off talent, already honed for his role as a painter in the film, “The Redemption of Cain.”
Following his visit to the residence, pictures emerged showing Smith eating Moroccan tagine for lunch. Smith also met Moroccan artist Fadila El Gadi.
