Skills of Knitting Haik and Burnous in Figuig

For centuries, the women of Figuig’s oases and ksour have passed down their expertise in crafting unique garments, particularly the haik for women and the buous for men. Figuig’s haik is a rectangular piece of white woollen clothing, measuring between five to six metres in length and at least one and a half metres in width. Women drape it around their entire bodies, from head to foot. It is crafted using high-quality wool sheared from sheep in Bouarfa, Bouarguem, Aïn Béni Mathar, and Tendrara. Summer styles are soft and lightweight, while those used in colder weather are coarser and heavier. The buous is typically a long, sleeveless cloak with a hood. The finest buous produced in Figuig is made from black wool, prized for its quality. After men shear the wool, women wash it in a process enriched by special rituals featuring artistic songs and melodies. They then dry, comb, spin, and knit the wool using traditional looms. In the past, a bride’s dowry was often judged by her skills in preparing wool and knitting haik and buous. As Moroccan society has undergone profound changes, wearing the haik and buous has become more common among the elders of the region. To celebrate and revitalise this traditional attire, Figuig’s craftswomen have introduced new colours and designed a mode buous style for women. They have also encouraged young girls to embrace their heritage by wearing the traditional garments of their grandmothers.