The Melhfa: Women’s Clothing in Southern Morocco
The quintessential women’s garment in southern Morocco, the melhfa, symbolizes the identity of desert women.
The melhfa measures 6 to 10 meters long and about 2 meters wide. Most melhfas use cotton, but fabrics vary in color and pattern. Some feature vibrant prints, while others, like black melhfas, remain solid. In rural areas, such as the village of Jorf near Erfoud, women often wear black melhfas. Observers may struggle to tell whether a woman walks toward or away from them because the melhfa covers nearly the entire body, leaving only a small opening for the eyes.
Behind the melhfa, women sometimes cast glances that feel like sharp sparks, blending curiosity, envy, or defiance.
How Women Wear the Melhfa
Women in the Moroccan desert wear the melhfa from adolescence onward. The garment wraps around the body and covers the head, hiding hair and form. Underneath, women wear practical clothing for comfort. Many wear knitted pants with a sweater and a shirt. Some wear multiple layers or pajamas. Most women do not wear bras. Observing laundry drying in the sun, outsiders may not see underwear, so some details remain private.
The melhfa fulfills Islamic guidelines by covering the body and forms an essential part of Bedouin society.
Life in Southern Morocco
In many desert homes, families sleep on the floor rather than on beds. Visitors may notice that women rarely change clothes before going to sleep, wearing the same garments they used during the day.
Most melhfas arrive from Mauritania, Niger, Mali, and Senegal. The most striking melhfas come from Western Sahara, particularly around Laayoune, featuring deep, vivid blues. Some melhfas resemble sheets, usually white with floral borders, but locals often consider them less attractive.
Beyond the Fabric
Traveling extensively through the Moroccan desert reveals that appearances can deceive. Women wear the melhfa to respect cultural norms, personal comfort, or identity. At times, the garment can also conceal personality or mood, just as clothing in any culture can hide or misrepresent a person.
As the Spanish saying goes: Clothes don’t make the person.
