This holiday carries a strong symbolic charge where coexistence blends with ancestral traditions, as the people of Khenifra revive customs embodied in cooking and clothing just as they were in the past, in a moment where the past meets the present.
The small community of Had Bouhssoussen, located in a mountainous area, was no exception to the rule on this occasion. By midday, community activist Souad Mimouni, accompanied by women from her neighbourhood—all adorned in their Amazigh outfits embroidered with bright colours—set out to prepare ancient dishes that carry a living collective memory.
These women prepare Amazigh New Year dishes with clear passion, from which emanate the aromas of spices, fresh vegetables, and meat, or hand-prepared couscous with precision, in a powerful evocation of the soil's fertility, making Yennayer an occasion that reflects the sacred relationship between humans and nature.
As evening approaches, the tables are filled with dishes prepared according to the authentic Amazigh traditions that the women of Had Bouhssoussen have been preparing year after year. These dishes not only embody the generosity and hospitality of the Zayane tribes but also bear witness to the importance of coexistence and sharing in Moroccan culture.
In a statement to the Maghreb Arabe Presse (MAP), Ms. Mimouni confirmed that the Yennayer celebrations in the city of Khenifra clearly show the local population's attachment to their Amazigh identity, highlighting that this event, which coincides this year with the night of January 14 according to the Gregorian calendar, represents not only the beginning of a new year but also an opportunity to remember the traditions of the ancestors.
She explained that women on this occasion wear their most beautiful Amazigh outfits, which symbolise elegance and reverence for heritage, noting that Yennayer is an opportunity to strengthen family and community ties and pass on the region's rich heritage to future generations.
This holiday is best revived through the culinary traditions specific to the region, through symbolic dishes that reflect its richness, including couscous with vegetables, which has a strong presence in Moroccan culinary art; "Herber," a barley soup served with a little olive oil; and the "Rfissa" dish, prepared with trid, free-range chicken, lentils, and fenugreek.
Therefore, Yennayer is more than just a celebration of an event; it is an occasion that shows the Zayane tribes' attachment to ancient culinary traditions threatened by oblivion, which the inhabitants of the Middle Atlas are actively trying to sustain and preserve.
For the entire population of Khenifra, celebrating the Amazigh New Year as an official paid national holiday, similar to the first of Muharram of the Hijri year and the Gregorian New Year, is a moment of joy through which they express pride in the diverse Moroccan identity.
