Oujda blouza festival opens ninth edition

The ninth edition of the International Blouza Festival got under way in Oujda on Thursday, November 5, opening with a panel discussion on heritage and how it is passed on. The event runs until Sunday, November 8, its organiser, the Eastern Association for Development, said.

The festival is held under the High Patronage of His Majesty King Mohammed VI. This year’s theme is “The blouza, a thread linking the Kingdom’s regions”.

The association said in a statement that the festival aims to showcase Morocco’s clothing heritage and ensure it is handed down. It also seeks to support traditional crafts, designers and creators, and to raise the profile of Oujda and the Oriental region at home and abroad.

Opening panel at Iklil institute

The Iklil Cultural Institute hosted the opening session, titled “The blouza, a thread linking the Kingdom’s regions: heritage and identity in the service of national unity”. Journalist Muniya Hadawi moderated the debate.

Speakers included lawyer and researcher Salima Al-Faraji; Latifa Al-Daudi, responsible for endangered crafts at the Regional Directorate of Traditional Industry; Yassin Al-Maghari, curator at the Regional Directorate of Culture in Oujda; and researcher Ahmed Tantawi.

Festival director Latifa Montabah described the blouza as more than a traditional garment. It carries the memory of successive generations, she said, and bears witness to the history of Oujda and the Oriental region. Celebrating this heritage is not enough to preserve it, she argued, calling for research, documentation and transmission to young people. She also paid tribute to women artisans as the guardians of that memory.

“Doves of the East” parade

Friday, November 6, is set aside for the official opening. Its centrepiece is a women’s procession called “Hamamat Ach-Charq” (Doves of the East), starting from the historic Dar Sebti monument. Participants will wear the Oujda haik, the caftan and other authentic Moroccan outfits, accompanied by a Rokkada troupe, the “Nissa Essaf” and women drummers.

A re-enactment of old Oujda wedding rituals follows the parade, then a concert of Gharnati music from 4 p.m. in the garden of the Lalla Meriem Museum, led by artist Ihsan Amri.

Design contest and closing gala

The association has announced a regional competition to select the best design of the Oujda blouza, alongside an exhibition devoted to traditional crafts and industry.

The festival will close with a gala evening featuring musical performances and a show of traditional costumes and the latest creations inspired by the Oujda blouza. Artisans, “women of heritage” and other players in the sector will be honoured during the evening.