The Imilchil Moussen or the Festival of the Bride and Groom

The Imilchil Moussen or the Festival of the Bride and Groom

Imilchil is a small village located in the center of Morocco, in the province of Midelt. At an altitude of 2,119 meters in the valley of Assif Mellou, all the mountains surrounding the area exceed 3,000 meters. A village, inaccessible in winter, where the largest representation of the most ancestral Berber tribes of the country are found.

Just 25 years ago, Imilchil was just another village in the valley, with its adobe houses, its khasbah and other characteristic elements of the region. In 2007, it was one of the few villages that did not have electricity network, arriving at the end of 2008. The Imilchil area is home to the Ait Hdiddou tribe, shepherds of nomadic tradition, is one of the most important Berber tribes of Morocco in the eleventh century.

Imilchil is a village wrapped in traditions, myths and legends. This village is known for its “Festival of the Bride and Groom”. There is no fixed date for the celebration of this festival or moussen, but it is usually held in mid or late September, once the harvest of agricultural products is finished and before the harsh winter arrives and they are cut off. The Imilchil Moussen consists of celebrating, before the arrival of winter, a collective marriage between couples from different Berber tribes.

The moussen is celebrated at the gates of the Morabito (a kind of hermitage) of Sidi Ahmed Oulmghenni, a place of pilgrimage for Muslims in the valley of Assif Melloul, 20 kilometers from the town of Imilchil. Sidi Mohammed El Maghani, the patron saint of the Ait Hdiddou tribe, is buried here, and it is believed that any union blessed by El Maghani will be prosperous and lasting. Morocco tours 8 days

For 3 days, about 30,000 people from the mountains pitch their tents with their respective families, herds, horses and camels. Up to 50 couples sign the marriage certificate in front of a judge on the same day, although actual marriages do not take place during the festival.

For the ceremony the women wear colorful traditional clothing, make-up and cover themselves with their traditional wool shawl with very thin colored stripes, called ahendir, which allows differentiating the tribes. Married, widowed and divorced women wear a cone-shaped headdress, while unmarried girls wear a flat headdress. Aspiring bridegrooms wear white or light-colored suits and cover their heads with a turban of the same color.

During the days of the moussen, Imilchil turns into a Berber festival full of music, dancing, food and colorful traditional costumes. The traditional festivities are accompanied by the “Festival of music of the peaks”.

In a large esplanade, stalls of souk stalls are set up, where they sell mainly cereals, fodder for livestock, jewelry, used clothing, plastic objects and other items needed for everyday life in the mountains. There are also restaurants, candy stands, fried food stands, butcher shops and all the necessary services to supply the needs of those attending the festival.

They say that this festival is inspired by a legend:

“Legend has it that two young people fell deeply in love in Morocco. Unfortunately, they were from enemy tribes, and their families would not let them marry. Desperate and sad they cried each on their own. They cried day and night until they created two lakes of tears.

The sadness was so great that they committed suicide by drowning themselves in these lakes. The lakes are called “Isli”, after him, which means bridegroom; and “Tislit”, after her, which means bride. But even after death they have not been able to unite. The mountain that separates the two rivers acts as a guardian, also separating their spirits, leaving them longing for each other in death as they had done in life.

This act of desperation by the two lovers devastated the two Berber tribes, and both parents decided that from that moment on, the young men would have total freedom to marry the person of their choice. Today, neighboring tribes gather near these lakes, and the women are the ones who choose their future husbands.” Viajes a Marrakech

The Imilchil Mouseen is an event that commemorates the love, pain and tragedy that affected the two lovers. The meeting looks, the rubbing of hands, the smiles on faces follow each other until two young people approach each other and start talking. If they like each other, they will talk to their respective families who will have to give their approval. Later, the marriage will be arranged more seriously in the couple’s village. If a marriage is unhappy, divorce is allowed.

It is also an event where tribes take the opportunity to exchange livestock, agricultural and handicraft products. It is an opportunity for people from different tribes to mingle, connect and share cultural traditions.

For years, this festival was private, only family members of the tribes were allowed to participate. Today, because of the increased interest in different cultures and traditions, tourists are allowed to attend, attracting hundreds of visitors and tribes from all over the area. Tours en Marruecos

The Moussem of Imilchil is well worth a visit to soak up the typically Berber festive atmosphere.