The 10th of Muharram, the first month of the year of the Hegira, is a day of celebration among Moroccan families. Dried fruits, toys and new clothes for children are part of Achoura. For young people and at dusk, it is also an opportunity to light a fire, dance and sing.
Ashura is considered in several countries, particularly in the Middle East where the Shiite community is strongly present, as a day of sadness. Indeed, the day of Ashura is for the Shiites an occasion for the commemoration of the massacre of Imam Al-Hussein, son of Ali ibn Abi Talib and his family in Karbala in Iraq in 680.
In Morocco, the commemoration of Al Hussein's death boils down to certain songs of a religious nature, but it is above all synonymous with joy and celebration. In addition, Moroccan families buy dates, dried fruits and sweets for visitors, family members, neighbours and especially children.
Achoura is also an opportunity to receive gifts and toys: water pistols, Moroccan musical instruments such as "Bendir", a drum on a frame with fingers or "Taarija", a smaller version of the darbouka, also called doumbek and which is a single-headed drum.
When night falls, Moroccans light a fire and gather around, singing special Achoura songs.
In southern Morocco, some people do not cook and wear black on the tenth day of Muharram. Some of them light a fire while others wet their clothes with water to commemorate the fact that Al-Hussein died while being thirsty. Achoura marks a painful incident that Moroccans have resumed with different forms of celebration. It's an essential part of the culture
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