As the spring season has come, an ancestral Moroccan tradition follows–the orange blossom distillation–reserved for the Kingdom’s women for centuries. The Associated Press (AP) released a video on Monday showing the smallest details of this tradition witnessing the 12th edition of the Zahria Festival held in Marrakech.
This ancestral practice, an integral part of the country’s national heritage, continues to flourish all over the country–particularly in Marrakech–where families perpetuate this custom handed down from generation to generation.
The distillation of orange blossoms has become an unmissable annual tradition in Marrakech, known as the capital of the bitter orange.
Chairman of Zahra Festival Jaafar El-Kenousi said: “The credit for these celebrations go to the women of Marrakech and the women of Morocco, because it was the women who preserved them and kept them to this day.”
This year’s event is special because it involves cultural, touristic and academic institutions. The ceremonies are part of the national heritage, the Minister of Culture had announced.
The orange blossom water produced by this distillation is widely used in Moroccan cuisine to flavor pastries and mint tea, and is used in religious ceremonies.
The Al Munya Association, a non-governmental organization, spearheaded the transformation of this once-private family ritual into a public, cultural, and joyful festival, according to Africa News.
According to Saadia Boufous, a member of the Al Munya Association, the 12th Zahria Festival was particularly significant this year. The festival reached out to a large audience–including young children–through workshops and programs held in public venues. Today, this cultural event piques the interest of a diverse variety of participants, including academics, retailers, researchers, and perfume makers.
To maintain this hereditary legacy, the Al Munya Association is contemplating appealing for UNESCO recognition of the ritual distillation process.