On our first evening in Chefchaouen we were wandering up to the Outa el Hamman when we heard a commotion behind us. There were a lot of drums and those reedy pipes that usually signify a wedding but it wasn't a Thursday. We realised that there was a small procession led by three older men carrying flags,
followed by the band and with a number of elderly men brandishing old fashioned wooden stock rifles/muskets?? (they ram loaded down the barrel).
They were accompagnied by a crowd of women, children and young men and turned into the square stopping in front of the mosque. The followers crowded onto the steps in front of the mosque to get the best view and quite a crowd of excited locals gathered around them.
The flags were furled and carried into the mosque and the rifle carriers proceeded to march round in a circle. one unarmed old guy sat in the centre and they followed him in a sort of lead and response chant.
This built up in intensity and just when it was getting a bit boring the surprised everyone by firing their guns causing a collective jump. There was a bit of a gap whilst the musicians started up again and they reloaded and then they started circling again, lead and response, with everyone holding up their rifle except for one old guy who was walking round with his on his head.
They built up to another firing and just as the shots ricocheted around the square the rain started, exactly as if it had been a rain dance, not that you need one in Chef, and everybody hurriedly dispersed and went for cover.
We never found out what it was about..
However when we passed the mosque at the other end of the square after sunset the next day it was open with a number of equally old men sitting singing chants similar to the Sufi led celebrations occasionally heard in Taroudant. Cound these be one of the Brotherhoods for which the Rif is famous. Everyone takeing part was old 70+ I'd say. The young men just watched excitedly and took pictures on their phones.
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