Ancient Moroccan Rituals to Keep the Peace

Long before formal laws, Moroccans relied on sacred traditions to resolve disputes and maintain peace in a world of complex social dynamics.

Fez – The Moroccan culture is rich with various ancient rituals and customs that manage conflict, preventing them from escalating to dangerous levels.

Rituals like seeking protection through social practices and curses or moral judgements play a vital role in maintaining social peace, offering a way to redefine the positions of conflict and create new negotiation grounds.

‘Al-Aar’: The conditional curse

In Moroccan tradition, the term Al-Aar is synonymous with seeking refuge and protection. Under Al-Aar, the person granting refuge is under moral pressure to meet the request of the person seeking protection. However, it has many other meanings.

Moroccans traditionally avoid refusing Al-Aar due to the belief that rejecting it invites divine punishment, which may affect the individual, their wealth, or their family.

Another interpretation sees Al-Aar as a social stigma. It involves a moral failure for not helping those who ask for assistance, especially when they have no means of survival.

This aligns with the idea of preserving honor, something that plays a key role in maintaining societal cohesion.

The act of “casting the curse” or “rami al-Aar” is used in situations to either request help against aggression or to seek justice for wrongs.

This ritual has its own set of specific practices, such as presenting a sacrifice or invoking “Taarguiba”, as we will see in the following section. The use of this ritual continues today, particularly in politics.

During elections in rural areas, candidates even use this “curse” of Al-Aar to gain the support of influential figures in their communities.

Overall, Al-Aar intersects with practices like “Zouag”, which is also a social as a means for protection and seeking refuge in times of conflict. Both rituals were tools used by traditional societies to mitigate violence and maintain necessary societal balances, especially when state power was lacking.

‘Taarguiba’: How blood seals peace and resolves disputes

The origin of the term “Taarguiba” is connected to the action of “cutting the tendon.” In the past, people would deliberately sever the tendon of an animal’s leg as part of a ritual used to symbolize submission and the need for protection.

This ritual is typically associated with specific occasions that are linked to requests for mediation or Al-Aar, and is less utilized today than Al-Aar.

Historically, the practice of Taarguiba was powerful in solving disputes and making peace, particularly when associated with a blood sacrifice, which adds strength and validity to the plea for help.

The person seeking refuge or justice would “cast the curse” onto the individual or group they are appealing to, adding weight to their request by invoking local beliefs about divine retribution if their plea is not answered.

This ritual is often performed in situations of serious conflict, such as murder, where the perpetrator would present themselves before the victim’s family in hopes of reconciliation.

In some cases, even entire indigenous tribes resorted to Taarguiba when they sought aid from another tribe during conflict.

In the end, Moroccan traditions like Al-Aar and Taarguiba are much more than rituals; they are a testament to how communities have historically navigated conflict and ensured social stability.

These practices reflect a profound cultural understanding of human dynamics, showing that before formal systems of law, the Moroccan people crafted their own solutions to preserve peace.

Al-Aar, with its moral and divine stakes, and Taarguiba, rooted in the power of blood as a peace-making tool, have served as vital mechanisms to avoid violence and restore balance.

Even in today’s world, these traditions still find their place in different ways, reminding us that ancient wisdom often carries lessons for modern challenges.