WIDE - In Morocco, the white djellaba from Bzou is worn by the king, members of parliament, and other dignitaries. The cloth is entirely made by hand, a long traditional task which takes around 6 months. In the foothills of the Middle Atlas, the most prestigious and most sought-after white wool djellabas in the kingdom are made. Here, in the rural town of Bzou, is where the best cloth is to be found. Every Friday in the souk, rolls of fabric are sold at auction. The weavers give their cloth to a crier who acts as auctioneer. The stakes are high. The fine pieces of material fetch a high price because they require a great deal of labor. Fatima Zara equitably redistributes the proceeds of the sale to the women in her fabric cooperative. Fatima has set up the cooperative’s workshop in her garden.
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“For us, white symbolises the sacred. It’s the colour of decorum. Making a Bzouia djellaba is an artisanal practice done by hand by the women of Bzou. My mother learnt this technique from her grandmother, who learned it from her mother. It’s an ancient skill which is handed down from generation to generation.”
