Aït Brahim and Aït Yaaza were two parts of the Aït Hadiddou tribe, at war one against the other. But, says the legend, an Aït Yaaza maiden loved a beautiful Aït Ibrahim young man. Romeo and Juliet in High-Atlas, they met the same tragic destiny, to die without a right to love themselves nor get married. They cried their sorrow, and all the tears of their body, and so created the twin lakes of Isli (the Groom) and Tislit (the Bride). Their parents, repentant, decided that, once a year, young men and young girls could freely choose who they want to marry, and who would decide to get married during the moussem would face no refusal.

“Since” and every year, the Wedding Festival takes place, in Imilchil, more exactly twenty kilometre south, in the village of Aït Ameur, near the grave of a Marabout. It is the Aït Hadiddou’s big celebration, a tribe that still has a lot of nomads, and over three days all events of familial life succeed one to the other, children circumcision, betrothal, wedding. Traditionally in the second half of September, the moussem is now planned for the end of August, and linked to a festival of traditional music, to give it a new momentum

.

At 2.200 m, difficult to reach, before linked to the rest of the world only by tracks cut by snow most of the winter, Imilchil is a small administrative centre, in the heart of a wild and beautiful area, and is the capital of the Aït Hadiddou who arrived there in the XVII° century, under the reign of Moulay Ismaïl, and settled in the high valley of Assif Melloul. They can be distinguished from their mountaineers neighbours by their way of life and language, living mainly from their cattle, and considering agriculture only as a secondary activity. The Aït Hadiddou are different from their Berber neighbours, who are completely sedentary and live essentially from and intensive farming, with complex techniques. Also, they speak Tamazight, and not Tachelhit like the rest of the inhabitants in High and Middle Atlas. After a time of continuous and hard battles with the Aït Atta, they finally could build their first village, Agoudal, and definitively settle in the area.

One can access the city by road from Rich or Tineghir, or by track, from Boumalne of the Dadès, Khenitra or Middelt, passing by Jaffar cirque. This last track is well know for its difficulty, and is very impressive, more than dangerous, but one must have a good experience to drive it.

In general, tracks leading to Imilchil are not used anymore by local people, since the opening of the tarmac road. Therefore, they are not regularly maintained, and can be dangerous in the Spring, because of late snow-melt, of after strong rains. Check if you can see other cars’ tracks, and avoid to drive there alone.

Out of the moussem times, Imilchil is a small quiet city, and the tours around are splendid.