Some claim to have seen him, others to have spoken with him 50 years after guitar legend Jimi Hendrix's untimely death, a village on Morocco's Atlantic coast pulsates with his memory.
"I saw him here. He was young and carried a guitar on his back," swore Mohammed Boualala, who is in his 60s and grew up in the small settlement of Diabat before joining the army.
In the summer of 1969, Hendrix, the pioneering US guitar wizard whose hits included "Purple Haze" and "Hey Joe", made a brief stop in Essaouira, a former fort town and latter day tourist magnet located five kilometres (three miles) from the village.
There are no soundtracks or images left from the rock icon's journey, but countless myths surround his fleeting trip.
"He visited friends who were staying in the village. It was the last time that we saw him," sighed Boualala, clad in traditional brown qamis tunic.
"They say he is dead but only God knows."
Hendrix choked on his own vomit in a hotel in London on September 18, 1970 after swallowing sleeping pills and drinking red wine.
- 'Lost the photo' -
Images celebrating the American musician are a permanent fixture in Diabat's white houses, nestled in coastal sand.
With its Cafe Jimi and the Hendrix inn, the village has an air of sanctuary, half rock and half flower power.
Action shots and colourful portraits commemorate the historic passing of the guitar hero just before he wowed the crowds at Woodstock.
"Hendrix looked in good shape" when he visited, insisted Abdelaziz Khaba, 72, his memory seemingly unhindered by the sands of time. "He was surrounded by hefty bodyguards."
Khaba added that he had posed for a snap with the guitar wizard, but "lost the photo".
While trips to Morocco in the 1960s by celebrities including Jim Morrison, Paul McCartney and Robert Plant were well documented, mystery swirls around Hendrix's own stay, giving rise to a dizzying array of fantasies.
His "short visit... produced a mountain of erroneous information and fictitious stories," said Caesar Glebbeek, a Hendrix biographer, in an article on the website UniVibes.
Local legend even has it that Hendrix's "Castles made of Sand" was inspired by the ruins of Diabat's Dar Sultan Palace.
But in reality that track was released in 1967, two years ahead of the star's Morocco visit.
Still, this song title is triumphantly daubed on a wooden plaque nailed to the wall in the little cafe in Diabat.
- Grains of truth -
Further stories of Hendrix's Moroccan adventure abound he criss-crossed the country in a van, tried to buy an island off the Essaouira coast, or even the entire village of Diabat, before retreating behind sandcastle walls.
But there are a few grains of truth buried under those dune-sized myths, if the words of a fellow rock legend are anything to go by.
During Hendrix's Morocco visit there was "stuff going on down there which up to this day has not been solved... there were loads and loads of mystical things" happening, Led Zeppelin lead singer and lyricist Plant said in a podcast last year.
Unlike Brian Jones founder of the Rolling Stones, who died in 1969 Plant sought to get closer to the Sahara, going inland to Marrakesh, rather than to the Rif mountains, an area famed for cannabis plantations.
Stories about Hendrix enchant Abdelhamid Annajar, who sells records in the shadows of Essaouira's ramparts.
"Many tourists follow in his footsteps and want to know everything," he said. "There are also those who come to relive the good old times."
Laurence De Bure, 68, is among those who revel in the nostalgia.
"Everything was crazy at that time," said the Frenchwoman, who spent two months in Essaouira in the early 1970s with a big group of Americans and has been back in town since January.
"I never saw Hendrix, but I knew a Moroccan girl who sewed velvet and vests under his flamboyant clothes for him," De Bure recalled.
Biographer Glebbeek has amused himself by trying to decipher the truth from the mirages of a purple yesteryear yes, Hendrix indeed came to Essaouira, where he stayed in a four-star hotel.
But contrary to the hazy claims of tour guides and nostalgic fans, he "didn't even visit Diabat".
AFP RELAXNEWS
Sun Sep 20 2020
A picture taken in the Moroccan coastal city of Essaouira shows portraits of late US guitarist Jimi Hendrix. AFPRelaxpic
Iran's supreme leader says Hamas leader's death will not halt 'Axis of Resistance'
The "Axis of Resistance", built up with years of Iranian support, includes Hamas, the Lebanese Hezbollah group, the Houthi movement in Yemen, and various Shi'ite groups in Iraq and Syria.
Putin says Russia willing to seek compromises between Iran and Israel
Russia is ready to help seek compromises between arch-foes Israel and Iran, President Vladimir Putin said on Friday, saying these would be difficult but possible.
What proposals will Russia push at the BRICS summit?
The proposal is also to establish a BRICS reinsurance company to allow uninterrupted shipment of goods and key commodities between members.
Indonesia's free meals plan in the spotlight as Prabowo readies for office
Prabowo calls the programme one of the main drivers of economic growth, eventually set to add an estimated 2.5 million jobs.
Astro AWANI's revamped English news website, AWANI International, launches on Oct 21
Astro AWANI's revamped English platform delivers in-depth global news and expert analysis to keep you informed on key developments.
Israeli strikes kill 33 people in Jabalia refugee camp in Gaza, medics say
Residents of Jabalia said Israeli tanks had reached the heart of the camp after pushing through suburbs and residential districts.
Liam Payne's ex-partner calls for media restraint after 'painful' death
Cheryl Tweedy used her statement to urge the media to remember they had a seven-year-old son, Bear, who could read the reports.
Analysts: Indonesia's strong MoF leadership team to boost investor confidence
Sri Mulyani Indrawati as head of Indonesia's Ministry of Finance is expected to instil confidence among investors.
Biden offers both a carrot and a stick to Israel as his term nears an end
Israel has frequently resisted US advice and has caused political difficulties for the Biden administration.
Putin says BRICS will generate most of global economic growth
Russian President Vladimir Putin will host a summit of the group in the city of Kazan on Oct. 22-24.
ISIS Malaysia's perspective of Budget 2025
An excellent rakyat-centric budget under the overarching principle of a caring and humane economy.
Budget 2025: Record increase in STR, SARA aid initiatives
The government will provide a significant boost to the Sumbangan Tunai Rahmah (STR) and Sumbangan Asas Rahmah (SARA) initiatives next year.
Budget 2025: EPF contributions to be made mandatory for foreign workers – PM Anwar
The government plans to make it compulsory for all non-citizen workers to contribute to the Employees Provident Fund (EPF).
What policies to expect from Indonesia's new President Prabowo
Prabowo will be open to foreign investment, his aide has said, such as by offering investors management of airports and sea ports.
Budget 2025: Govt allocates RM470 mil to empower women's participation in PMKS
The Women's Leadership Apprenticeship Program will be intensified as an effort to produce more female corporate personalities.
Israel sends more troops into north Gaza, deepens raid
Residents of Jabalia in northern Gaza said Israeli tanks had reached the heart of the camp, using heavy air and ground fire.
Indonesia ramps up security ahead of Prabowo's inauguration
Prabowo Subianto will be sworn in as Indonesia's president on Sunday with Vice President-elect, Gibran Rakabuming Raka, also taking office.
Immediate allocation of RM150 mil for local authorities, DID to tackle flash floods
Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim said this allocation is intended to address the recent flash floods that hit the capital and several major towns.
Budget 2025: Sabah, Sarawak to continue receiving among highest allocations - PM
Sabah and Sarawak continues to be prioritised under Budget 2025, with allocations of RM6.7 billion and RM5.9 billion respectively.
NFOF will be operational in November 2024 with funding of RM1 bil
PM Anwar Ibrahim said NFOF will support venture capital fund managers to invest in startup companies with RM300 million set aside for 2025.