Imilchil
Encyclopedia
Imilchil is a small town in central Morocco
, in the Atlas Mountains
with a population of about 1858. It is located at an elevation of 2119 m in the valley of Assif Melloul ("white river"). The area of Imilchil is home to the Ait Hdiddou tribe, belonging to the Ait Yafelman
confederation, and the inhabitants speak Central Atlas Tamazight. Some locations to visit are the caves of Akhiam, the Agouni waterfalls, the Ziz Gorges
and Valley and the ksar
s of the area.
culture, known for its festival, officially known as Betrothal Festival - the Souk Aamor Agdoud N'Oulmghenni. The legend goes that two young people from different tribes fell in love, but were forbidden to see each other by their families. The grief led them to cry themselves to death, creating the neighbouring lakes of Isli (his) and Tislit (hers) near Imilchil. The families decided to establish a day on the anniversary of the lovers' death - when members of local tribes could marry each other. Thus the Imilchil Marriage Festival was born.
In reality, the region is a large scattering of tiny villages, and when young person needs to find a partner, they can't simply go and look for one, due to the conservative social norms. Thus, the festival allows for fathers to show their daughters and find husbands for them. When a woman accepts a man's proposal to marry, she says "You have captured my liver". (Tq massa n uchemt) Up to 40 couples take their vows on the same day. The festival is rich with music, dancing, feasts, and colorful clothing. The celebrations attracts many tourists to the area, and though contributing to local economy, there are fears that the rituals can be affected by the foreigners.
Morocco
Morocco , officially the Kingdom of Morocco , is a country located in North Africa. It has a population of more than 32 million and an area of 710,850 km², and also primarily administers the disputed region of the Western Sahara...
, in the Atlas Mountains
Atlas Mountains
The Atlas Mountains is a mountain range across a northern stretch of Africa extending about through Morocco, Algeria, and Tunisia. The highest peak is Toubkal, with an elevation of in southwestern Morocco. The Atlas ranges separate the Mediterranean and Atlantic coastlines from the Sahara Desert...
with a population of about 1858. It is located at an elevation of 2119 m in the valley of Assif Melloul ("white river"). The area of Imilchil is home to the Ait Hdiddou tribe, belonging to the Ait Yafelman
Ait Yafelman
The Ait Yafelman are a large Berber tribal confederation of the eastern High Atlas of Morocco, with their capital at Imilchil. They consist of four tribes: Ait Morghad, Ait Haddidou, Ait Izdeg and Ait Yahia. These tribes created the alliance in the 17th century to counter the expansion of their...
confederation, and the inhabitants speak Central Atlas Tamazight. Some locations to visit are the caves of Akhiam, the Agouni waterfalls, the Ziz Gorges
Ziz Gorges
The Ziz Gorges are a series of gorges in Morocco defined by two artificial gates at both their southern and northern ends. At their southern end is the dam of Hassan Addakil and an artificial lake. At their northern end is the Tunnel de Légionnaire built by French colonial troops in the 1930s in...
and Valley and the ksar
Ksar
Ksar is the Arabic term for "castle", loaned from Latin castrum.The Berber equivalent is aghrem or ighrman ....
s of the area.
The Marriage Festival
The town of Imilchil represents a symbol of BerberBerber people
Berbers are the indigenous peoples of North Africa west of the Nile Valley. They are continuously distributed from the Atlantic to the Siwa oasis, in Egypt, and from the Mediterranean to the Niger River. Historically they spoke the Berber language or varieties of it, which together form a branch...
culture, known for its festival, officially known as Betrothal Festival - the Souk Aamor Agdoud N'Oulmghenni. The legend goes that two young people from different tribes fell in love, but were forbidden to see each other by their families. The grief led them to cry themselves to death, creating the neighbouring lakes of Isli (his) and Tislit (hers) near Imilchil. The families decided to establish a day on the anniversary of the lovers' death - when members of local tribes could marry each other. Thus the Imilchil Marriage Festival was born.
In reality, the region is a large scattering of tiny villages, and when young person needs to find a partner, they can't simply go and look for one, due to the conservative social norms. Thus, the festival allows for fathers to show their daughters and find husbands for them. When a woman accepts a man's proposal to marry, she says "You have captured my liver". (Tq massa n uchemt) Up to 40 couples take their vows on the same day. The festival is rich with music, dancing, feasts, and colorful clothing. The celebrations attracts many tourists to the area, and though contributing to local economy, there are fears that the rituals can be affected by the foreigners.