Regraga

The Regraga are a sub-tribe of the Masmuda. They are also one of three tribes that formed the population of Essaouira, Morocco. The Regraga came from the Jbel Hadid mountains and introduced Islam to the region; the other tribes were the Berber Haha and the Chiadma. In Tachelhit, Regraga means those with the Baraka. The tribe became known by this name since in Pre-Islamic times they held a prominent religious role in the region and were considered as Noblemen. Today, there is an annual museum of the Regraga, which is a large pilgrimage effectuated annually by the Chiadma tribes of the Jbel Hadid and the Haha tribes southeast of Essaouira. It takes place in spring and lasts 40 days. During these weeks, pilgrims visit a series of local shrines, from the mouth of the Tensift river south of Safi to the northern outskirts of the High Atlas, including the city of Essaouira itself. They are led by two groups that effectuate a kind of round trip, stopping at every shrine on the way. One must dress at every shrine a holy tent made of fan palm fibres and dyed with henna, the other one arrives in procession with a muqaddim (religious leader) riding a white horse.