UNIVERSIDAD SANTO TOMÁS 01 8000 111

180 - Bogotá, PBX: 587 87 97 Facultad de Ingeniería

Mecánica Usta.edu.co

____________________________________________________________________________

FESTIVALS IN MOROCCO

Camila Riañoa , Pedro Rubiano a, Felipe Leguizamóna

a-Facultad de Ingeniería Mecánica, Universidad Santo Tomás, Sede principal, Bogotá D.C., Colombia.

1. MOROCCO

Morocco is a country in North Africa that borders the Atlantic Ocean and the
Mediterranean Sea and is distinguished by Berber, Arab and European cultural
influences. 

2. FESTIVALS

 The Datiles Festival (From October 17th to October 20th)

 Have you heard of the dátiles festival in Morocco? It is celebrated

at the end of October in the city of Erfoud, in the Ziz River Valley,
becoming every year the city of the dátiles. Morocco is the eighth
world producer of dates, but these go beyond being a simple food,
it is one of the symbols of its culture, it crosses gastronomic
borders and becomes an emblem of the country. It has 5 million
palm trees spread over 50,000 hectares.
Most varieties of this fruit are collected by cutting the bunch with a
machete. However, some noble varieties require a more complex
collection due to having sizes superior to the rest and of a higher
quality and are collected one by one from the top of the palm tree.
One of the most outstanding varieties is mejhul, due to its high
commercial value, but it is less consumed by Moroccans due to its high price.
Did you know that the average citizen eats more than three kilos a year? It is a fruit of high consumption by
Moroccans. In addition, the country imports an average of 30,000 tonnes per year to meet domestic demand.
In Morocco, the date is closely related to celebrations, such as Ramadan or at wedding banquets and baptisms.
Although in the date regions it is consumed throughout the year making juices, once the date has dried.
It is a fruit that never rots, only dries. It provides an amount rich in good sugars. It is highly recommended for
athletes and those who have hard work, due to its great energy contribution.

¿What is the datiles festival?

This festival stands out for being a typical and authentic

fair of the region. The walks through the stops of the
souk, folkloric shows through its streets,  and the tastings
of the different varieties of dates. You will be able to
know the whole process of collection and distribution of
the plantations of this fruit thanks to the informative
stands that you will find in the souk.

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UNIVERSIDAD SANTO TOMÁS 01 8000 111
180 - Bogotá, PBX: 587 87 97 Facultad de Ingeniería
Mecánica Usta.edu.co

If you are going to visit the city these days you will discover in its streets its inhabitants enjoying the festival. You
will live with them the importance of this celebration and of course, you can try the authentic datil of Morocco.

 The Gnaoua Festival (From June 20th to June 23rd)

The Gnaoua Festival is celebrated in Essaouira, a port city on the Atlantic coast of Morocco that is famous for its
bustling streets and beautiful beaches. This festival is
a variety of North African music, arts, culture, and
traditions. It is a great experience that fills the city's
streets, squares, ports, and concert halls with a
fantastic spectacle of color and sounds. The traditional
rhythms included funk, blues, jazz, and soul from
Africa and the rest of the world, transforming
Essaouira into a musical, artistic and cultural center.

This festival organizes exchanges and dialogues,

welcomes all currents of musical expressions around
Essaouira's magician musicians, who are snake
charmers, mediums, and seers.  Three days in June are
full of music, joy, and brotherhood, and the entrance is
free of charge.

The colorful dresses and hats of the Gnawa

musicians, covered with shells, together with the
different sounds of their instruments provide both an
auditory and visual spectacle. Some of the best-
known genres of Moroccan music come from the
classical heritage of Andalusia and reflect
Morocco's historical relationship with Spain.
Another important but often forgotten genre of
music is that of the Gnawa, who came from West
Africa to Morocco through migration, both
voluntary and forced. Although the Gnawa is now
fully integrated into Moroccan society.

 Kalaat M'Gouna(It lasts 7 days to celebrate the season of roses)

In the dry folds on the High Atlas Mountains, approaching the

Sahara, there’s an unexpected place called the Vallee des
Roses in the spring, the entire area is awash with pink Persian
roses. In the small town of El Kelaa M’Gouna, roses nestle
among the hedgerows so that they’re not immediately visible,
but there are some of the town’s lifeblood, from their
cultivation through to the production of rosewater.
 
The flowers are harvested in mid-May, an event celebrated in
the colorful and sweet-smelling Rose Festival, which draws
around 20,000 people to the small town. The three-day
festival is a time of song and dance, feasting, souk-like
markets, and a chariot procession through a shower of rose
petals. There’s also a beauty pageant of sorts, with a Miss
Rose crowned each year.