Melhfa

Have you ever seen these women draped in colorful veils fluttering in the wind in the streets of southern Morocco? This is the melhfa, a Saharan garment that has been worn by desert women since the 11th century. Behind this 4-meter veil lies a thousand-year-old history that stretches from India to the Sahara.

The melhfa, a garment born of the desert

This Saharan garment measures between 3.5 and 4 meters long and 1.60 meters wide. Women living in the desert wrap it around their bodies from head to toe in an ancestral ritual. First around the body, then over the shoulders, then the hair, finally folding the end over the left shoulder.

This garment is not just aesthetic. In the desert, where temperatures soar to 40 degrees, the loose fabric protects against the scorching sun, the sandy wind and the stifling heat. The lightweight material allows cool air to circulate around the body, making life bearable even in the heatwave.

The traditional melhfa and its variations

The traditional melhfa, also known as"Nila", has a fascinating history. This deep, almost black indigo fabric originally comes from India (Chandor region of Hindustan). It then crossed Afghanistan, Persia and Syria before arriving in the Sahara via caravan routes inmedieval times.

What's special about Nila? It releases a blue residue that rubs off on the skin. Far from being a defect, this was its primary quality. In fact, this residue naturally protected the skin from the sun's rays and sandstorms. Women also used it as a natural make-up for lips and eyelids.

Until the middle of the 20th century, a roll of Nila cloth was worth as much as a full-grown dromedary. In fact, it was the most beautiful gift a man could bring back to his wife from the souk. Even today, older women and formal ceremonies demand the Nila melhfa as a symbol of authenticity.

Times are changing. Today's young Sahrawi women prefer melhfas in bright, cheerful colors. Gone are the austere blacks and navy blues of yesteryear. These shimmering hues reflect changing tastes while respecting tradition.

Depending on quality, a melhfa today costs between 40 and 8,000 dirhams. The most expensive, often imported from the Emirates, Mauritania or India, are reserved for weddings and special occasions.

A learning ritual that starts early

Wearing this Saharan outfit requires a real know-how. Young girls start with the"Etalab", a thin, transparent melhfa to get used to the gestures. Their first melhfa is usually pink. As they grow older, they gradually switch to darker colors and thicker fabrics like"Galith".

Beyond its use, this outfit also has a history. In the 19th century, in the face of Spanish colonialism, Saharan women continued to wear it in public as a form of cultural resistance.

Today, the melhfa remains the symbol ofSaharan identity, handed down from generation to generation. World haute couture draws inspiration from it, photographers capture it, but it retains its essence, namely Saharan elegance at its most authentic.