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Popular Islamic Practice and Folk Custom within the Moroccan Tbourida
Abstract
In Morocco, tbourida arose from a male cavalry charge that is now a folkloric sport and spectacle. Today, only a handful of women compete in a crowd of thousands of men. Women’s participation engages with gendered forms of cultural heritage and sporting activity that remained exclusive to men until the early 2000s. Examining traditional equestrian tbourida in particular is an interesting focal point for understanding cultural change and practice within Moroccan Islam. On the tbourida field and within the practices, costuming, and actions of the sport, riders balance warding off the evil eye (or bad luck caused by the jealousy of others), avoid djinns (spirits that can inhabit themselves or their horses), and increasing or attracting baraka (religious charisma, blessings, or good luck). Often certain behaviours or items offer protection against the evil eye and djinns together, while certain rituals for baraka are also put in place to protect against the evil eye. Older, typically male riders continue these habits and adhere more strictly to certain practices, while the younger generation focuses solely on protecting themselves against the evil eye. Utilizing ethnographic research from three years of fieldwork, I will discuss how riders avoid the evil eye and djinn, and how riders attract or receive baraka. The goal of this presentation is to demonstrate Moroccan Islam not as timeless, but how women riders adapt and utilize these practices to negotiate and earn legitimacy on the tbourida field.
Discipline
Anthropology
Geographic Area
Morocco
Sub Area
Folklore/Folklife