The drums of Ashura

In my bedroom on the terrace of the ryad, small drums give rhythm to the evening and seem to come from everywhere around. The sun is down, the birds don't sing anymore, and the sounds of the city reach the roof. But the shouts of the merchants, donkey drivers, roars of bikes hardly passing through the narrow streets are covered by the laughs of the children preparing Ashura.

The day of Ashura, the tenth (ashura) of the month of Muharram has very diverse meanings and connotations through the Muslim world. Day of grief and sorrow for the Shiites who revive every year the martyr of Hussein and his family, Muhammad's grandson killed by the ommeyades in the struggle for the power, it becomes much less important in the Sunni world, where it is nothing more than one of the two days of fast that became optional after the institution of Ramadan.

It can also be associated to the deads, and the visit to the cemetery where candles will be burned, like in Tunisia. At the same time, and specially in north Africa, it is linked with the very old and pre-islamic rites of resurrection, and, again like in Tunisia, bonfires are made, and children jump over them singing, like in our Saint-Jean.

In Morocco, Ashura is, above anything, the celebration of the children and family. Like any celebration, it is a day of charity, and also repentance, which comes from the very first signification of Ashura (taken by Muhammad from the Jewish fast of Yom Kippur, the Great Forgiveness), remain linked to the religious fast.
But for children, there is nothing but fun and feast, a strange mix of Carnival and Saint Nicolas. They receive new clothes, small toys, music instruments, and stroll in the streets, asking a few dirham to the people passing by, and preparing themselves for the great day of the morrow, "Zem-Zem".

"Zem-Zem" is the name of a well in Mecca. In Morocco, Zem-Zem is the day of watering. Every child (normally under 12) has a complete freedom to water the grown-ups, and they run around the fountains to take some water with them and go back spraying friends and neighbors.

In the countryside, other rites near to Carnival also exist. Men disguise themselves into women and pass from one house to the other singing...

In our south, in Tazzarine, a man is going to dress in a somehow frightening way, and put on his head some burning palms, like horns. Followed by all the children of the village, laughing and singing, he goes from one house to the other, knocking at each door to ask for Gaddid (meat of the mutton of the Aïd El Kebir, spiced and dried, which can be held for a whole year). He insists and stays in front of the door as long as he has not received his part. He always wins over the avaricious, and finishes his day, with all the children, in a remote part of the ksour, sharing generously his gaddid with them in a happy and delicious meal.

This year, Ashura will take place on the 29th of January. One week before, the whole city is preparing itself. In the narrow streets of the medina I see many small kids sitting in front of a large plate full of candies, at each corner a small shop sells drums... these very same drums that play in the beginning of my night.