For centuries, tattoos were a common Amazigh tradition for both men and women. To celebrate this unique tradition, the French Institute of Casablanca showcased this ancestral tradition in its gallery, as per Voa Afrique outlet, which shared a video of the exhibition of Moroccan women’s portraits sporting tattoos. The collection is entitled “Femmes Sage” (“Wise Women”).
Each tattoo that Moroccan Amazigh women wore and still wear contains a distinct and significant meaning. War, chivalry, nature, and other themes display women as being either married or single.
Circa 1990, Moroccans’ attitudes toward tattooing began to change, particularly among women.
The French Institute of Casablanca Director Gaëtan Pellan said that the general idea of the exhibition is to pay homage to Moroccan women–specifically mothers and grandmothers–who engage in specific customs and traditions by bearing this cultural symbol.
In his Rabat studio, Nabil Ammoura conveyed to Voa Afrique while visiting the exhibition that the majority of his customers are women. Tattooing is a form of expression, of rebellion, and also of asking for what cannot be asked from society within cultural norms.
Zineb, one of Nabil’s customers, explains that tattooing is a way of gaining strength. She has endured some very difficult situations, and her two tattoos (one on her back, the other on her stomach) are a testament to her strength and serenity.
There are no exact figures on the number of tattoo studios in Morocco, but what is certain is that there are at least ten studios in Rabat alone.