The Hijba

The Hijba
About a month before the wedding, the bride voluntarily locks herself in a room of the menzel, on a doukkana. She is thus completely cut off from the outside world, avoiding exposure to sunlight and hot air. A female relative takes care of her, applying honey (royal jelly) and soft clay all over her body daily, along with multiple washings throughout the day.

The goal? To have the whitest, softest, and most silky skin possible. At the same time, she is fed exclusively on foods that promote weight gain, aiming to become as plump and as creamy (milky-skinned) as possible, as quickly as possible.

These are the aesthetic criteria by which she will be judged when she appears in public on her wedding day. A popular saying goes: “The fair-skinned always finds a husband; it’s the dark-skinned who cause problems.”

A popular song’s refrain goes:
“Smoky gaze, black eye, neck the color of a palm heart…”
“The ankle bracelet is only pleasing if worn on a pearly ankle.”

— The Museum Curator