Aissawas' Brotherhood
On the French version of this blog, someone mentioned the Aïssawas. Even if they are not as well as the Gnawas outside of Morocco, they are as important, even more, in the country. Like Gnawas, they are a constellation we can see under different viewpoints.
Tribe from the south, between Tafraoute and Taroudant, they are the origin of one of the most important brotherhoods of north Africa. Created in the sixteenth century by Sidi Mohammed ben Aïssa, it has its centre in Meknes, where the saint is buried.
One would need a whole website to really explain what are the Moroccan zawyias, and what they represent. To say – mutatis mutandis – that they are the equivalent of the abbeys of the Middle Age, in terms of political power and religious influence, would be a good summary. They are at the same time a religious centre, and an Islamic school, they host poor people and diseases, and take an active part as power and counter-power centres in the history of Morocco.
A zawyia is organised around a Muslim saint, a Sidi, as they are called, a pious man loving God, and who receives in return Baraka. Baraka became in French the equivalent of good luck, but it is more than that. It's is the power granted by God t make miracles, surge a source of water, cure the diseases, expel the djinns, and, in general, protect ones' people (hence the good luck that you have when you're tribe has a Sidi with Baraka). Baraka can be inherited. The Sidi transmits his powers to his sons and descent. That's how, over time, Gnawas, Aïssawas or other groups, became special people, with this inherited power. Most of the members of the brotherhood belong to the original tribe, but, in some cases, external people are also welcomed. They will be part of the brotherhood, but will not get themselves the Baraka.
Zawyia is the name of the central building of the brotherhood, as well as the brotherhood itself. Like the abbey is the building, the organisation, its members and its culture. The building is erected around the grave of the Sidi, or marabout, which is the centre of the Baraka, like a focus. Usually, there are also an inn, where pilgrims are hosted, a mosque, a Medersa, or Islamic school, with a library, and a hospital. Many mental diseases are cured there, through specific rituals.
Zawyias are impregnated with Sufism. Second topic which would need a whole website… and a third one about specificities of Moroccan Sufism. To make it short, Sufism is the esoteric, mystical part of Islam. The believer seeks the destruction of his own personality, the dissolution of the ego, through a constant reminder of God. This remembrance (dikhr) is made, among others, through long litanies leading to trance, the repetitions of the names of Gods, his praises, and the praise of saints. It can also be accomplished through other rituals, like dance (see the dervishes), and trance, which opens to other rituals, in conjunction with Baraka. This is how one can walk on fire…
Sufism is a mystic and ascetic movement. It is also feared by the central power, for its strength, and specially in south Morocco, zawiyas were essential players, pillars around which the resistance of the rebelled country (bled al siba) against the maghzen (central power of the sultan, which was sometimes a very small part of Morocco) was organized.
In an Islam country, where everyone is submitted to God, any religious leader is a potential threat for the political power…
Brotherhoods rituals also made place for pre-Islamic beliefs. Magical rituals forbidden by Islam are tolerated when then are the expression of God's power and will, through the Baraka given to the saint.
What remains of this spirituality depends of the people. Some see there only the sacrifice of a goat or a mutton, the power of the spell, like the one binding husbands on this grid (in Marrakech, one of the graves of the seven Holy Men). Others will be more sensitive to the mystic, this quest of self-oblivion in the divine. Very clearly, nowadays, what is openly spoken are the second part, rituals, dikhr, and songs. Magic does not exist, at least maybe for other people, the neighbour maybe ? … Then, what are all these hands of Fatima and other protections for ?
Aissawas are among the most feared in Morocco. Patrick had a wonderful sentence, "bogeymen of Morocco". Their rituals are terrible, they are even told to eat living snakes. Their power is as great. Their zawiya, in Meknes, is allied to Moulay Idriss, the Holy city where the assassinated founder of the first Moroccan dynasty is buried.
These rituals are not mentioned on their site. Because they do have a site where the religious part of their rituals is well detailed. Like one often says in Morocco, between tradition and modernity ! Pay a visit to their pages, and specially to the MP3 file, that gives a small extract of a sung praise. Imagine yourself there, in the heart of the night, in a small dark room. The rhythms of the drums started a long time ago, and you're a part of this deep and regular choir, for hours….
Tribe from the south, between Tafraoute and Taroudant, they are the origin of one of the most important brotherhoods of north Africa. Created in the sixteenth century by Sidi Mohammed ben Aïssa, it has its centre in Meknes, where the saint is buried.
One would need a whole website to really explain what are the Moroccan zawyias, and what they represent. To say – mutatis mutandis – that they are the equivalent of the abbeys of the Middle Age, in terms of political power and religious influence, would be a good summary. They are at the same time a religious centre, and an Islamic school, they host poor people and diseases, and take an active part as power and counter-power centres in the history of Morocco.
A zawyia is organised around a Muslim saint, a Sidi, as they are called, a pious man loving God, and who receives in return Baraka. Baraka became in French the equivalent of good luck, but it is more than that. It's is the power granted by God t make miracles, surge a source of water, cure the diseases, expel the djinns, and, in general, protect ones' people (hence the good luck that you have when you're tribe has a Sidi with Baraka). Baraka can be inherited. The Sidi transmits his powers to his sons and descent. That's how, over time, Gnawas, Aïssawas or other groups, became special people, with this inherited power. Most of the members of the brotherhood belong to the original tribe, but, in some cases, external people are also welcomed. They will be part of the brotherhood, but will not get themselves the Baraka.
Zawyia is the name of the central building of the brotherhood, as well as the brotherhood itself. Like the abbey is the building, the organisation, its members and its culture. The building is erected around the grave of the Sidi, or marabout, which is the centre of the Baraka, like a focus. Usually, there are also an inn, where pilgrims are hosted, a mosque, a Medersa, or Islamic school, with a library, and a hospital. Many mental diseases are cured there, through specific rituals.
Zawyias are impregnated with Sufism. Second topic which would need a whole website… and a third one about specificities of Moroccan Sufism. To make it short, Sufism is the esoteric, mystical part of Islam. The believer seeks the destruction of his own personality, the dissolution of the ego, through a constant reminder of God. This remembrance (dikhr) is made, among others, through long litanies leading to trance, the repetitions of the names of Gods, his praises, and the praise of saints. It can also be accomplished through other rituals, like dance (see the dervishes), and trance, which opens to other rituals, in conjunction with Baraka. This is how one can walk on fire…
Sufism is a mystic and ascetic movement. It is also feared by the central power, for its strength, and specially in south Morocco, zawiyas were essential players, pillars around which the resistance of the rebelled country (bled al siba) against the maghzen (central power of the sultan, which was sometimes a very small part of Morocco) was organized.
In an Islam country, where everyone is submitted to God, any religious leader is a potential threat for the political power…
Brotherhoods rituals also made place for pre-Islamic beliefs. Magical rituals forbidden by Islam are tolerated when then are the expression of God's power and will, through the Baraka given to the saint.
What remains of this spirituality depends of the people. Some see there only the sacrifice of a goat or a mutton, the power of the spell, like the one binding husbands on this grid (in Marrakech, one of the graves of the seven Holy Men). Others will be more sensitive to the mystic, this quest of self-oblivion in the divine. Very clearly, nowadays, what is openly spoken are the second part, rituals, dikhr, and songs. Magic does not exist, at least maybe for other people, the neighbour maybe ? … Then, what are all these hands of Fatima and other protections for ?
Aissawas are among the most feared in Morocco. Patrick had a wonderful sentence, "bogeymen of Morocco". Their rituals are terrible, they are even told to eat living snakes. Their power is as great. Their zawiya, in Meknes, is allied to Moulay Idriss, the Holy city where the assassinated founder of the first Moroccan dynasty is buried.
These rituals are not mentioned on their site. Because they do have a site where the religious part of their rituals is well detailed. Like one often says in Morocco, between tradition and modernity ! Pay a visit to their pages, and specially to the MP3 file, that gives a small extract of a sung praise. Imagine yourself there, in the heart of the night, in a small dark room. The rhythms of the drums started a long time ago, and you're a part of this deep and regular choir, for hours….
posted by Marie-Aude @ 3:47 PM
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