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This Sunday (25 April) is the finale of the Regraga pilgrimage, with a fantasia at Had’Dra.

The Regraga originate from the Chiadma region to the north of Essaouira, and their ancestors are said to have made the Hajj to Mecca, received the blessing of the Prophet and introduced the Quran to Morocco. Every year they and a host of pilgrims go on a marathon 38-day tour of shrines across the region, erecting holy tents and bestowing ‘baraka’ on the crowds who follow them.

About 30 days ago they came to Essaouira, bringing with them a new energy to the town as the locals’ friends and families descended from the countryside to celebrate this popular annual festival, filling up the houses and streets with hustle and bustle. The parade progressed down the main street to the beat of drums, with the pilgrims throwing water and blessings. It’s fascinating to watch the Moroccans being cornered by the pilgrims, demanding dirhams in exchange for a blessing, and an interesting custom is that unmarried women who stroke the white horse which forms part of the cortege, will apparently increase their chances of finding a husband.

The locals say that with the Regraga comes a wind that makes the wheat dance and other crops grow – and as is so often the case here, they managed to find time for serious shopping at a market to the north end of town, which went on long into the night and, given the lack of street lighting in that area, proved that Moroccans can even shop in total darkness.