With all eyes on Morocco’s autonomy plan adopted by the United Nations Security Council on Friday, one of its commitments is promoting the Hassani cultural heritage in the Sahara.
This element is further emphasized in Morocco’s 2011 constitution, which defines the country as “a fully sovereign Muslim State committed to its national unity and territorial integrity. The Kingdom of Morocco shall seek to preserve its diverse, indivisible national identity. Its unity is forged by the convergence of its Arab-Islamic, Amazigh, and Hassani Saharan components, nourished and enriched by its African, Andalusian, Jewish, and Mediterranean influences.”
Hassani culture, with its rich customs, traditions, artistic expressions, and intangible heritage, forms an essential pillar of Morocco’s diverse national identity.
Article 5 of the Constitution stresses that the “State shall work to preserve Hassani culture as an integral part of Morocco’s unified cultural identity….”
The Moroccan Hassani Identity:
Hassani and Beidani cultures grew out of the desert and the nomadic life it demanded. Life in such harsh conditions shaped a way of living centered on movement.
“The camel made it possible to travel long distances, carry supplies, and provide food, while the portable tent and poetry accompanied the nomads as part of their home and way of life,” said Rahal Boubrik, head of the Royal Institute of the History of Morocco, and former head of the Saharan Studies Center in Rabat.This culture spread across a vast area, from the edges of Ouad Noun to the Senegal River.
“Within this expanse, regional differences emerged: Ouad Noun reflected the influence of Amazigh communities near the Anti-Atlas, areas closer to Senegal showed contact with the Wolof, Soninke, and Bambara, and Azawad communities were shaped by the Tuareg,” added Boubrik.
Despite these variations, Hassani speakers share a strong, unifying identity.
The population, originally Sanhaji and later Arab, constantly interacted with the peoples of Sudan Al Gharbi (today’s Mali, Niger, Senegal, and Burkina Faso) as well as northern Amazigh communities and other incoming cultures, he added.
Boubrik stressed that Hassani culture is at the crossroads of civilizations, just as the Sahara itself has always been, a product of nomadic life and the unique way of living that defines the region.
Keeping Tradition Alive:
Moroccan Sahrawis remain closely tied to the traditions of their ancestors, reflected in their everyday life, from Islamic values and a sense of patriotism, traditional clothing (melhfa for women and Daraa for men), social connections, and their dialect.
Over generations, these practices have been passed down through poetry, proverbs, folktales, and other oral traditions, remaining a vital part of daily life.
Leghna, the local form of poetry, captures themes of courage, love, and resistance, keeping alive the history, values, and spirit of desert life.
Female poetry is also a key element of Moroccan Hassani identity. The Royal Moroccan Academy documented this tradition in Tabraa, a collection of 101 poems, usually just two rhyming lines, often expressing love and emotion, with live recordings and translations into Arabic and French.
Traditionally recited or sung anonymously, Tabraa gave women a private space to share their feelings, though today these voices are gradually becoming more open, according to Abdeljalil Lahjomri, Permanent Secretary of the Royal Moroccan Academy.
Azwan is another traditional form, often heard at weddings and tribal gatherings. It mixes rhythms and melodies to express happiness or nostalgia.
Al Kedra is a women’s musical ritual performed on special occasions. Women gather around a drum and sing together, with chants full of joy and pride.
The Hassani Malhoun, a form of sung poetry, uses simple and elegant language to mark important events and celebrate moral values.
Tan Tan Festival:
The Moussem of Tan Tan, recognized by UNESCO in 2008 as an Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity, is an annual Moroccan festival that celebrates cultural heritage and plays a central role in preserving and showcasing Hassani traditions.
The festival brings together more than 30 tribes to share their customs, participate in social activities such as camel trading and weddings, and display cultural performances including music, poetry, and the Fantasia horse-riding reenactment.
It also promotes Hassani culture internationally, attracts researchers and tourists, and highlights Morocco as a country of both diversity and unity.
Hassani culture, as a core part of Morocco’s diverse cultural identity, has played a significant role throughout the country’s history through exchanges with the Arab and African world, according to “The Hassani Cultural Component in Its Moroccan and African Extensions,” book published by the High Commission for Veterans and Members of the Liberation Army
It stresses that this culture highlights Morocco’s African connections, supporting the continent’s peoples and ambitions by drawing on shared historical ties and adapting them to current regional and international political realities.
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