KELAAT M'GOUNA

KELAAT M'GOUNA

Kelaat M'Gouna (or El Kelaâ of Mgouna) is inhabited overwhelmingly by a Berber population. This vibrant city has long been an economic, commercial and social for the population living in the area. She is best known for its "Rose Festival" held each year in May.
The so-called Day Roses (n lfichta Lord in Berber) is organized in May of each year and becoming better known throughout the world (49th festival this year ...). This festival, which lasts two days, has just celebrated the arrival of roses and Dades valleys Mgoun. During this moussem El Kelâa M'gouna double population.
It is popular with Moroccans living in other cities of the country came to discover a region known for its perfumes and cosmetics made with rose water and for the hospitality and warmth of its people. Two large factories of cosmetics are located in Kelaâ. Are made of rose water, cream rose, the essential oil of rose ... and many other products ... delicately scented are marketed and delivered worldwide ...
The Rose Valley extends between Kelaa M'gouna whose name means "fortress M'gouna" and Boumalne Dades. The entrance is marked at Imassine by huge round rocks, which seem posed balanced on the floor. This is a long series of small villages and traditional mud houses, whose wealth is hidden in invisible gardens of the road, roses whose smell spreads throughout the month of May, a few days before harvest.
The Rose festival (moussem)
It is traditionally held the second weekend in May. Men and women dressed in their best costumes gather to celebrate and dance. The people of Kelaa M'Gouna sprinkle their visitors rose water and rose petals are launching their settling on their clothes. The evenings are held in many rose gardens where everyone meets to dance and to elect Miss Roses. An unmarried girl will be elected queen for a day.
It scrolls on a decorated chariot and fragrant, enthusiastic spectators cheering and rose petals scattered on the ground where she goes. Folk dances such as Ahidous the sword dance and bee dance enliven the nights festivities.
The bee dance
This folk dance symbolizes the woman and man bee beekeeper and drums and flutes rhythm cadence. This representation shows that the beekeeper can not live without bees which in turn can live without flowers. The unity of nature is experienced in its essence.
The rose from Kelaa of Mgouna
In the center of the satellite photo, vegetable gardens that grow the roses of the city of Kelaat M'gouna
The rose found in this valley is called la rosa damascena, resistant to cold and drought. She was introduced by pilgrims returning from Mecca in the tenth century whose seeds have fallen along the way and since, roses adorn and perfume fragrance of the valley. It was cultivated for local consumption as rose water, but also for export and perfume industry.
La Rosa Damaskina (originally from Damascus) is grown in the Dades Valley, often bordering fields. Harvesting takes place in April and May, early morning. Small and very fragrant, it is renowned for its medicinal and cosmetic virtues, its authenticity and its powerful natural flavor ...
By mid-May, at dawn, the women adorn themselves in gandoura where precious flowers will be filed, one by one pick these "Rosa Damascena." Harvest is in 3 to 4 000 tonnes a year, during a week that ends with the moussem roses.
The collection is completed, the festivities begin and will last three days. The people of all the neighboring villages come together to Kelaa M'Gouna. Exhibitions of handicrafts (jewelry, carpets, ...) and agricultural, musical events and competitions complete the Rose Festival.
It takes 1 kg of petals to extract one liter of rose water. But for petrol it takes 5 tons of petals for 1 liter! This explains the extremely high cost to about 5 to € 6,000 per liter in wholesale price. The petals should be vented several times a day to prevent fermentation.
source: http: //www.ecoliers-berberes.info/