Moroccan Halloween or Boujloud Fest
All Saints’ Day is a holiday in Spain in which the memory of the dead is celebrated. In the Catholic church, all those who, having overcome purgatory, have sanctified themselves, that is, have reached heaven and enjoy eternal life with the Christian God, are commemorated. However, in countries where hegemonic religion is Islam, although there is no such day on All Saints’ Day on October 1, they also pay homage to those who are no longer there.
In this case, in Morocco on October 27, the Boujloud festival is celebrated, after the Eid-Adha festival. to the popularly known also as “Moroccan Halloween”. When this day comes, Muslims prepare an exotic rite in which they sing and dance throughout the day. This local holiday is among the ancestral traditions of Moroccan culture and stands out for the street art that emerges and the actions that fill the celebration with vitality and harmony.
This celebration has indigenous origins from the tradition of Berber culture from the northern part of the African continent. It is said that what they try to recall that conflicting duality between good and evil and that this is the reason why people who attend this holiday wear extravagant and strange attire until they almost recognize who is hiding behind the mask. What is sought with clothing made with animal skins is the same as in American Halloween: scare.
As the name itself indicates “Boujloud” means “Father of the skins”, the reason why the participants cover themselves with sheep, bird or goat skins. Accompanied by musical instruments such as drums or flutes, those masked with skins go out to the streets to offer a show through the streets of the villages also using animal horns so that no one returns home without giving a start. For some, the masks are blessing and fulfillment of wishes, making it a perfect occasion to have fun and attract good luck.
It is one of the oldest traditions of Morocco that is still alive when the time comes to dress up. Although trying to be scary, going to the Boujloud party is a more attractive and fun experience than creepy.