Can Citizens Save The Henna Souk Fountain?

The Henna Souk is one of the gems at the heart of the Fez Medina. This oasis of tranquility is the place for henna, ceramics and a variety of smaller goods such as herbs, cosmetic soaps and oils. It is also the location for the famous maristan and its fountain

The Henna Souk, with its two giant trees, is an oasis of tranquility in the busy Fez Medina

The word “maristan” is a contraction of a Persian word (bimarstan) meaning “the locus of sick people.” Maristans were medical institutions with four specialties: internal medicine, ophthalmology, traumatology, and psychiatry.

In Fez, during the Merinid dynasty a maristan, called Sidi Fredj, was built in the 13th century by the sultan Abu Yaqub (1286–1307). Leo Africanus (his original name was Hassan Al Wazzan) worked in this maristan for two years as a secretary at the end of the 15th century. Adjacent to the Sidi Fredj maristan, herb shops allowed the preparation of many kinds of medications for centuries. These small shops still exist today and add much to the charm of the Henna Souk.

Still in existence, but under threat is the beautiful fountain.

Built at the same time as the maristan, the fountain has survived the centuries but in a deteriorating condition. The proclamation of Fez as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO saw an increased appreciation of the cultural and architectural heritage of the Medina.  In 1986 the fountain was restored.

Problems began two years ago when someone began using the fountain for dumping rubbish (see photographs below). They are asked to desist by the stallholders in the Souk, but refused to do so.

Rubbish in the fountain

The stallholders recently cleaned up the fountain and the local water authority RADEEF generously undertook to assist by putting in a temporary water circulating pump and for the first time in years the sound of tinkling water was heard in the Henna Souk. RADEEF explained it was only a temporary fix and undertook to provide the plumbing to connect the fountain to a constant supply of water. It is hoped that RADEEF will quickly move to fully restore the fountain.

Cleaned and flowing with fresh water

Sadly, the abuse of the fountain has continued and the people involved have removed the water pump and returned to dumping into the fountain.

The local shopkeepers all signed a petition and delivered it to their local city official, who unfortunately dismissed it as being "in the wrong format" and declined to address the problem.

There is much discussion about what the next step should be. Please visit the Henna Souk to show your support.

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Visiting Fez? Don't Miss the Henna Souk

The little henna souk (market) is one of the medina's oldest and most picturesque squares, with two massive, gnarled plane trees in the centre and rows of spices, hennas, kohls, and aphrodisiacs for sale in the tiny stalls around the edges. The ceramic shops in the henna souk sell a wide variety of typically blue Fassi pottery

To find the henna souq, walk down the Talaa Kebira and look out for the sign on your right

Coming down the Talaa Kebira from Boujloud, locate the sign up on the wall and turn to the right and then immediately left through a small, dark, tunnel-like entrance.

The entrance to the henna souk

You will find yourself in a strangely tranquil small square and beneath the huge trees there is what looks like a pile of junk. Look again and you may find some amazing treasures

Some antiques, some junk... but all interesting 

Leo Africanus worked here as a young man. It's now a small kissaria (covered market)

At the square's end is a plaque dedicated to the Maristan Sidi Frej, a medical center and psychiatric and teaching hospital built by the Merenid ruler Youssef Ibn Yakoub in 1286. Used as a model for the world's first mental hospital—founded in Valencia, Spain, in 1410—the Maristan operated until 1944.

This is the perfect place to shop for presents as most of the cosmetics are extremely inexpensive and the shop owners friendly and knowledgeable about traditional products. The rose-oil face cream is popular as are the argan oil soaps.  However, the main interest is usually in henna.

A form of kohl that is crushed and added as glitter beneath the eyes

Henna is available pre-mixed or as powder... or even in leaf form

Do it yourself? Then start with some leaf henna 

And if you are not the world's greatest henna artist, stencils are available

The stringy bark is "swak" - for a little added dental care!

Ghassoul, mixed to a paste is a great body scrub and also good for washing your hair

And then there are ceramics... Mohssin Zemmouri can help

A short history of henna

Henna has been used to adorn young women’s bodies as part of social and holiday celebrations since the late Bronze Age in the eastern Mediterranean. The earliest text mentioning henna in the context of marriage and fertility celebrations comes from the Ugaritic legend of Baal and Anath, which has references to women marking themselves with henna in preparation to meet their husbands, and Anath adorning herself with henna to celebrate a victory over the enemies of Baal. 

Wall paintings excavated at Akrotiri (dating prior to the eruption of Thera in 1680 BCE) show women with markings consistent with henna on their nails, palms and soles, in a tableau consistent with the henna bridal description from Ugarit Many statuettes of young women dating between 1500 and 500 BCE along the Mediterranean coastline have raised hands with markings consistent with henna. This early connection between young, fertile women and henna seems to be the origin of the Night of the Henna. The Night of the Henna has spread around the world and is celebrated by most groups in the areas where henna grew naturally: Jews, Muslims, Hindus, Christians and Zoroastrians. All these cultures celebrated marriages by adorning the bride, and often the groom, with henna.

Walking while the henna dries

More on henna and a warning about "black henna".

Text and photographs: Sandy McCutcheon

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