Moroccans observe Achoura rituals

26/01/2007

Achoura celebrations began last week in Morocco with prayers, games, toys and food abounding throughout the region. Many of the traditions during this maintain the social relationships that distinguish the region's society.

Text and photos by Imane Belhaj from Casablanca -- 26/01/07

Kids playing with their tambourines and Ta'arija

Moroccans began celebrating Achoura on January 20th -- the first day of Muharram (the Islamic New Year) -- and will continue through Muharram 10th -- a day when they fast in emulation of the Prophet Mohammed, who fasted on this day out of gratitude for God saving the Prophet Moses.

It is an occasion to pray and distribute alms to the poor and those in need. But Achoura is also tied to games and play, along with banquets special to this occasion. "We can’t forego the kadida, which is a piece of meat from Eid Al-Adha dried in the sun after being seasoned with spices and saved until Achoura, when the housewife makes a kettle containing a specific number of kadida ground together and invites family, neighbours and friends to partake," housewife Zoubida Doukkali says.

Many families also prepare types of dried fruit, almonds and walnuts (Guarguaa’), dates, raisins, dried figs and peanuts and offer them to family on a large dish -- from which all family members and guests at the house that day eat, in a scene of total confusion.

"Even if the children go overboard in eating these fruits, we won’t scold them, because that’s a bad omen. Further, that dish must be emptied on this day, leaving nothing behind for tomorrow," Rachida Sebbagh, the mother of three children, said.

Customs differ from one region to the next.

In small towns, young women go out each evening after school in groups and beat rhythms on ta’arija -- small drums or tambourines made of clay and sheepskin. This kindles singing and beating on tambourines on the night of Achoura, or the ninth day of Muharram, which is marked by a final celebration that children excel in -- sha’al. During this ritual, a fire is lit in the neighbourhood square, and young people try to keep it burning long into the evening -- usually using rubber tyres for this purpose. They leap over the blaze in acrobatic movements accompanied by the beat of the ta’arija, accompanied by folk songs women have passed down over the years. According to some, the fire ritual goes back to the time of the Prophet Ibrahim.

In some areas, such as Casablanca and Rabat/Sale, throughout the days of Achoura young people go out to throw water at each other, forming teams, with victory going to whomever gets the most members of the rival team wet.

This celebratory atmosphere was extremely limited in the past, when it was confined to friends within a single neighbourhood or neighbouring communities. But today, the young men no longer exempt anyone from their contest and, perhaps, in some cases to agitate young women in particular. "This creates some confrontation," says Mubarak, a shop owner who has watched the development of Achoura celebrations over the years.

Buying toys is another popular activity during Achoura. The Darb Amar market in Casablanca is considered the biggest toy market in the kingdom, selling items retail and wholesale.

"Truly, it’s a very favourable opportunity for us to market our goods that lose much of their appeal the rest of the year. And prices, despite their increase, remain within reach of most sectors of society. There are games costing less than 10 dirhams at other times that reach 1,000 dirhams," toy store owner Meiloud said.

Merchants selling dried fruits in the streets of Casablanca.

Moroccans associate Achoura with a mythical character they call Baba Aichour -- considered the Maghreb's Santa Claus. The legend appeared in the songs of young women accompanying their ornamented ta’arija and shouting: "Baba Aichour Aichour. I showed you my feelings."

Giving zakat, or alms, to the poor and children is called "the duty of Baba Aichour".

Some people believe the period of Achoura is an occasion to acquire good fortune and search for happiness. Some young women turn to the shawaafa (seer), who works to reveal their destiny and obstacles that stand in the way of their marriage. Or they resort to a fkih (a psychic) claiming to have knowledge of the supernatural and to reveal to them the magic to which they have been subjected and which requires talismans written with a special type of ink.

"We preserve some of the traditions as part of maintaining the social relationships that distinguish our Moroccan society and that concern preserving family cohesion, the bond of kinship and sowing joy in children’s hearts. But when that faith crosses over into superstitions and magicians, this is unacceptable and must be combated, because it goes against Islamic morals," Doukalli says.