Day-1 On the road
This village, located in the middle of vast arid expanses, is known only by rural Moroccans. To reach this magical and timeless place, you have to be patient…
Until 2001, the village was only accessible by a track, and people walked for several days to reach it. It is a true place of pilgrimage during the great religious festival of the year, the mûssem.
On day one, we will take the road from Marrakech to Taroudant, known as "the small Marrakech", and in this imperial town we will spend one night in a riad with a lush garden.
Day-2 The awe
We will arrive at the village in the morning, where will will take time to acclimatize and begin to understand what makes the place tick.
We will start by observing the different stages in the making of a woven veil: carding, hand spinning and mounting the wool warp on a vertical loom. It is one of the few villages in Morocco in which women still spin by hand: a process which demands extraordinary finesse, patience and skill.
At the end of the day, we will go for a walk in the surrounding mountains, from which we will gain a new perspective on the environment, drinking in the atmosphere and the colors of the village.
The area is arid and uncultivated, with only stone, rocks and a few palm trees for scenery. These mountains will be sources of inspiration to draw and imagine the pieces you want to make. The stone architecture of the village is of majestic beauty, and the houses are noteworthy for the earthen ornamentation that adorns the walls. Here, the vernacular building style is preserved, and through this cultural and architectural heritage, the collective memory of this way of life stays alive, contributing to the beauty of this village in the Moroccan Anti-Atlas.
Day-3 Dyes and drawing
It's time to think about a design and draw it from the experiences of the previous days. You will be able to design, weave and paint a woolen piece, measuring approximately 25 per 40cm.
We will then prepare some magic baths and potions obtained from mixtures based on dye plants: madder roots, pomegranate bark and walnut bark… This step will allow us to dye the woolen threads which will form the warp and weft of our piece.
Day-4 Weaving
Setting up the warp on vertical loom. It is the backbone of any weaving. One by one, you will pass the warp thread through the loom in order to define the rhythm of your fabric.
You will have a loom of your own on which to start weaving your piece.
In this village, the weavers do not use shuttles. Everything is done by hand. But we will use a shuttle in order to get things faster and easier.
Day-5 Weaving continued
You will continue weaving, adding threads layer by layer, to build up the piece.
Day-6 Henna painting
On day six, you will prepare and apply the henna paste to your textile piece. Painting henna patterns is the exceptional and distinctive feature of this tribe, and the henna plant is believed to possess a highly sacred dimension. Applying it to wool is linked to the tradition of wearing of head veils by the bride during the wedding ceremony.
Day-7 Discovery of traditions
Collection of the sun-dried textile treasures
It’s already time to hit the road again…On the way, we will visit an agadir, the traditional buildings used cooperatively by the tribe to store crops and other items. cooperative storage place in the area. The agadir are places of real richness and architectural heritage, and unique to the Moroccan Anti-Atlas. They are still used in certain secluded mountainous regions.
Trip back to Taroudant for one night, the first capital of the Saadians in the 16th century.
Day-8 Back to the ochre city
Again, it's time to continue our journey to Marrakech: Our heads and hearts full of the memories, colors, lights and friendships of this journey.
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