List of Intangible Cultural Heritage elements in Morocco

Intangible cultural heritage of Morocco (Arabic: التراث الثقافي اللامادي, French: patrimoine culturel immatériel) is the sum of recognized traditions that are part of the intangible culture of Morocco.

Historical overview[edit]

Perceiving the threat by city development plans to the historical square Jemaa El-Fnaa in Marrakech, many residents of the city mobilized to protect it, and its millennial cultural heritage. This inspired the creation of Unesco's list of intangible cultural heritage, in which several countries became involved.^[1]

Morocco signed the Convention for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage, on July 6, 2006, and registered the first two elements on its list (the Cultural space of Jemaa el-Fna Square and Moussem of Tan-Tan) in 2008. As of 2023, Morocco has registered 14 elements on this list, one of which, Taskiwin martial dance, is also on the List of Intangible Cultural Heritage in Need of Urgent Safeguarding.

Intangible Cultural Heritage elements[edit]

Representative List[edit]

Name	Image	Location	No.	Year	Description
Moussem of Tan-Tan[2][3]		Tan-Tan 28°26′N 11°06′W / 28.433°N 11.100°W / 28.433; -11.100 (مدينة طانطان)	00168	2008	It was classified under Masterpieces of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity,[2][3] and is an annual festival that preserves the folklore of the region. It is characterized by its multitude of aspects, such as music, dance, rituals, mythology, practices related to nature and the universe, and skills relevant to traditional crafts and various other areas of culture.[2]
Cultural space of Jemaa el-Fnaa		Marrakech 31°37′33″N 7°59′22″W / 31.62583°N 7.98944°W / 31.62583; -7.98944	00014	2008	The origins of Jamaa El-Fnaa square hail back from the very inception of Marrakech around 1070-1071 AD, under the Almoravids, who established it as a market. It became more popular once Koutoubia mosque was built around a century later. The square is considered a symbol of the city, and one of its most attractive cultural areas, where a variety of traditional performances are on display.[4]
Cherry festival in Sefrou[5]		Sefrou 33°49′N 4°51′W / 33.817°N 4.850°W / 33.817; -4.850	00641	2012	Morocco is an important producer of cherries (locally called حب الملوك, the kings' grain) with around 7,000 tons annually.[6] The harvest is usually between the end of May and the beginning of July. The cherry festival of Sefrou was started in 1920, and is attended by, locals, Moroccans from other cities and foreigners alike. The celebrations take place yearly in June, over three days, at the end of the harvest period.[5] The festival involves the choosing of a Miss Beauty, and used to be a symbol of religious co-existence, due to the participation of Muslim, Jewish and Christian girls. After the Moroccan independence from France, the French population left, soon followed by the Moroccan Jewish community, and the participants now are exclusively from the local Muslim population.[7]
Mediterranean diet[8] +[a]		Morocco 34°2′0″N 6°50′0″W / 34.03333°N 6.83333°W / 34.03333; -6.83333 (Mediterranean Morocco)	00884	2013	The Mediterranean diet characterizes the traditional cuisines of several Mediterranean countries from Morocco to Greece, including southern Italy and Spain. The basis of this diet is the consumption of large quantities of olive oil, legumes, whole grains, unprocessed grains, fruits, vegetables, and an average to high quantity of fish. Moroccan cuisine is considered among the oldest and most diverse in the world. It has a mix of influences from Amazigh, Middle Eastern, Mediterranean and African cuisines. According to some experts, it is considered the best in the Arab world and in Africa,[9] and the third best in the world.[10][11][12]
Argan, practices and know-how concerning the argan tree[13]		Sous 30°18′N 9°20′W / 30.300°N 9.333°W / 30.300; -9.333	00955	2014	Table argan oil is obtained manually through the efforts of women specialized in this process, who transmit this know-how from mother to daughter. They break the solid core of the argan fruit, remove its crust, and cook it on fire. Then they manually grind it using a millstone made specifically for argan. The resulting dough is squeezed by hand to extract the oil. To obtain argan oil used for cosmetics, the grains are not heated, but ground raw to extract the oil. It's worth noting that to obtain 1 L of argan oil for cosmetics, 70 argan grains are required.[14] Argan oil is often given as a wedding gift, and is widely used to prepare various festive dishes such as Amlu, a staple in Moroccan cuisine that mixes argan oil with almond and honey. Amlu is mainly consumed at breakfast with bread and Moroccan tea.
Date palm, knowledge, skills, traditions and practices +[b]		Morocco	01509, 01902	2019, 2022	Date palm and practices around it have strong cultural and historical significance in the Middle East and North Africa. For centuries, the date palm has been a source of nutrition, as well as a key component of numerous crafts, professions, and social and cultural traditions.[15] The tree is typically found in dry, temperate climates, and its roots penetrate deeply into the earth in search of humidity. The cultural relevance of the date palm is evident in the commitment of local communities to sustain it through collective participation in multiple date-palm related activities and numerous festive rituals, traditions, and customs. In 2019, the element was inscribed on UNESCO's Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity, recognizing the pivotal role of the date palm in strengthening the connection between people and the land in the Arab region.[16][17]
Gnawa		Marrakech 31°37′N 7°59′W / 31.617°N 7.983°W / 31.617; -7.983 Essaouira 31°30′N 9°46′W / 31.500°N 9.767°W / 31.500; -9.767[18]	01170	2019	Gnawa music is a centuries-old Moroccan practice rooted in African music and rituals, and Sufi traditions. It is a set of musical events, performances, fraternal practices, and rituals, believed to have therapeutic power, mixing the secular with the sacred. Gnawa is primarily a Sufi brotherhood music combining lyrics with a generally religious content, that invokes ancestors and spiritual themes.[19] Going back to at least the 16th century, Gnawa is considered an important element within Moroccan culture. It is performed at a "lila", communal nights of celebration dedicated to prayer and healing guided by the Gnawa maalem, or master musician.[20][21]
Knowledge, know-how and practices pertaining to the production and consumption of couscous +[c]		Morocco	01602	2020	Couscous is a Berber dish that is beloved across northern Africa's Maghreb region and beyond. The knowledge, know-how, and practices related to the production and consumption of couscous have been recognized for their cultural value.[22] Preparing couscous is a ceremonial process that involves several different operations, beginning with growing the cereal.[23] The grains are then hand-rolled and steamed in a special pot called a couscoussier.[24] The dish is often served with vegetables, meat, or fish, and is a staple food in many North African countries, including Morocco.[25] The inscription of couscous traditions on UNESCO's list is a testament to the cultural significance of this dish and the communities that have preserved its preparation and consumption practices for generations.
Arabic calligraphy: knowledge, skills and practices +[d]		Morocco	01718	2021	Arabic calligraphy is a form of artistic expression that involves writing Arabic script in a fluid and graceful manner. It is a practice that has been passed down through formal and informal education, and it consists in writing Arabic text cursively, using the twenty-eight letters of the Arabic alphabet, from right to left.[26] This art form is a key tradition in the Arab and Islamic worlds. The proposal to add Arabic calligraphy to UNESCO's list was made by 16 Arabic-speaking countries, including Morocco, Saudi Arabia, Jordan, and Egypt, and it was led by Saudi Arabia, which also declared 2020 and 2021 as the years of Arabic Calligraphy.[27][28]
Tbourida		Fez-Meknes; Beni-Mellal-Khenifra; Greater Casablanca; Doukkala-Abda; Saharan Morocco[29]	01483	2021	Tbourida is a traditional Moroccan equestrian performance that dates back to the 16th century. It is also known as "fantasia" and is a simulation of a succession of military parades, reconstructed according to ancestral Arab-Amazigh conventions and rituals. Each parade of Tbourida is performed by a troop, called "Sorba", consisting of an odd number of riders and horses, usually between 15 and 25.[30][31] Tbourida is an equestrian art that requires a high level of skill, coordination, and discipline. The riders and horses must be in perfect harmony to perform the synchronized movements and create the sound of gunpowder that characterizes Tbourida. Tbourida is not only a performance but also a social event that brings together families, friends, and communities. It is an occasion to celebrate, to share, and to strengthen bonds, and is associated with moussems, agricultuiral festivals, and a variety of other celebrations, familial and national.[32]
Falconry[33] +[e]		Found in several regions of Morocco including Chaouia, Atlas Mountains, and the Oriental region. 31°37′33″N 7°59′22″W / 31.62583°N 7.98944°W / 31.62583; -7.98944	01708	2021	Falconry is considered a traditional recreational activity in Morocco, which was practiced by several Moroccan tribes.[34][33]
Arts, skills and practices associated with engraving on metals (gold, silver and copper) +[f]		Morocco	01951	2023	Engraving on metals such as gold, silver and copper is a centuries-old practice that entails manually cutting words, symbols or patterns into the surfaces of decorative, utilitarian, religious or ceremonial objects.
Malhun, a popular poetic and musical art		Morocco	01592	2023	Malhun is a kind of urban, sung poetry that comes from the exclusively masculine working-class milieu of craftsmen's guilds.

Elements in Need of Urgent Safeguarding[edit]

Name	Image	Location	No.	Year	Description
Taskiwin, martial dance of the western High Atlas		Western High Atlas 31°3′N 7°54′W / 31.050°N 7.900°W / 31.050; -7.900	01256	2017	Taskiwin is a martial dance that originated in the western High Atlas mountain range in Central Morocco. The dance involves shaking one's shoulders to the rhythm of tambourines and flutes while carrying a decorated horn called the Tiskt. It is considered a means of socialization for young people and a way to foster social cohesion and harmony, but due to denigration of traditions by young people today, it is in danger of extinction, with only a few villages still practicing it.[35][36]

See also[edit]

• Morocco
• World Heritage Site
• Intangible cultural heritage
• List of World Heritage Sites in Morocco

Notes[edit]

References[edit]