Ashura: a day of joy and sorrow

Achoura, primarily a social celebration throughout Morocco, is an eagerly anticipated event in Moroccan culture. Celebrated on the tenth day of the Islamic month, Muharram, both young and old anxiously await this event.

Family and friends get together during this holiday, lighting incense and cooking large feasts. Some of the most popular foods include dried fruit, couscous, dates and dried mutton, which is almost like jerky.

During this time families also offer Zakat—one-tenth of their annual income—to the poor and needy within the country. As one of Islam’s four pillars, Zakat is a necessary practice that all Muslims must partake in and is one of the main events within the Achoura Festival.

On the prime day of the Achoura Festival, Moroccans visit the dead in cemeteries, congregating to pray and commemorate their ancestors. Families also gather for meals, which are unique to this holiday, and engage in various festival-centered activities like bonfires, fireworks and games.

For the children, the most looked-forward to aspect is, of course, the toys. Stores in all districts, from the working class areas to larger, upscale shopping centers, stock up on commodities for this festival. Some of the most popular toys include dolls, plastic guns, swords, masks and miniature instruments.

Another important characteristic to Achoura are the “Taarija” drums. Adults and children alike fantasize about these musical instruments, which are an entrenched ritual in Morocco. Almost everyone buys one of these drums. Groups then collectively play and celebrate on a special day set aside for music and dancing.

Children run through city streets spraying water on friends and neighbors during a day called “Zem Zem,” the big day that comes after the festival, marking its end. On the evening of this day, children strike up massive bonfires, dancing and singing around them well into the night.

The celebration continues after nightfall, when the kids launch rockets and fireworks. Until recently, this had been one of the most anticipated events during the festival. Because of recent mishaps and accidents, many of which have landed children in hospitals, this tradition of igniting explosives has become less popular. In fact, the government has even banned the selling of rockets, but a few traders still do so in secrecy.

In remote areas of Morocco, rural populations still enact certain practices that many urban dwellers have moved away from. On Achoura Day, some children can be found wearing traditional clothes and chanting, as well as going from house to house asking neighbors for food and other treats.

Whether in urban or rural Morocco, everyone fervently awaits this festival. The days leading up to Achoura are happy ones, full of lively dancing, singing and celebration. While festivity and merriment is a crucial feature of this holiday, much of it is also dedicated to those who have passed as well as the poor and hurting within Morocco.