customs of morroco

The Rif people

History
Historically speaking the Rifis people live in the northern part of Morroco they were known for their strenght and fighting skills. The Rif region just like the rest of Morroco and the rest of northern part of Africa were occupied by several Amazighs tribes they used to rule on different pieces of land and laws were established by a congregation of the tribes living in the area . The life was encoded by tribal customs the region .The region however did knew important population influx after the fall of Granada in 1492 from the Andalucian refugee jews and muslim they did influence the culture by bringing the spanish language and influenced the morrocan Darija and the rifi language and were also known for their craftsmenship skills this is why they established themselves easily in the textile industry that added a rafinement to morrocan clothing. The region didn't experience alot in it's history centralised governement and to this day there is still people that want to gain independance from Morroco and for that the Alaouite dinasty that was founded 1631 never ceased to fight them and launched various attacks against then even after the independence in 1956 manifestations were severally repressed by the governement . They were also called aoubach by Hassan II for refusing the authority of the makhzen. But even with that some Rifi people hope that one day they will gain independance.

Clothing
Traditionally men wear a white Amama which is basically a turban put in the head acompagned with a Jellaba made from wool .However there was a difference in the clothing for instance men that used to work in the field and also sheperds wore short Jellabas varying from black to to grey to brown with or without stripes they looked generally rougher and they almost never wore white except for religious ghaterings such has the tarawih prayer during the nights of Ramadan and also at the aid al Fitr which is the day following the last night of ramadan it is a happy occasion when people gather prayer offer gifts and buy knew clothings for the occasion . The white color was generally worn by pious men and also women because it's consider has the best garment in Islam the prophet said "Clothes yourselves in white verily it is cleaner and purer and you should shroud you dead in it" and also the officials of the governement. Men who belonged to the upper class usually wore white jellaba with ornament accompanied with a white burnous .

Man from the upper class

Man from the lower class

Women's clothing were a little bit more diverse they used to wear various clothing such has tkachit who wear long dresses with a large belt surounding the waist again the takchita varies alot from a region to another and also from a class to another for instance wealthier women had finer tkachit with ornaments and were embroided with silk and heavier. While poorer women had more simple and lighter tkachit to help them do the every day shores and work in the field and also the famous nothern fouta that differenciate rifi women from the rest of morrocan women . However there is a common point between poorer women and wealtier women when they go out of their homes they veil themselves with the Haik which is a rectangular piece of clothes who is two meter large and six meter longue it was required to go trought cities and villages but women in isolated regions did not wear it because of it's lack of practical use . It is considered a sign of modesty and honor but there is differences wealthier women have haiks made with pure silk while poorer women wore haiks made of coton or nylon .