What Are the Rituals of Saharan Hospitality?
Hassani hospitality in short: a welcome of dates and milk, tea brewed over embers and served in three glasses, and floor seating in the tent or the majlis.
In short: in Hassani culture, guests are welcomed with dates and milk, then tea is brewed over embers and served unhurriedly in three glasses, with everyone seated on the floor of a tent or majlis around the tea tray. Hosting there means, above all, giving your time.
Tea and its three “J”s
People of the desert sum up tea etiquette in three Arabic words starting with the letter jim: al-jamaa, company, as tea is never drunk alone; al-jarr, slowness, with long conversation; and al-jamr, embers, over which it gently brews. It is made by the “qayyam”, an honour rather than a chore: he pours it from a height to raise the foam and serves three glasses, from strongest to sweetest; around Dakhla a fourth is sometimes added.
Tea brewed over embers and poured from a height. Photo: Issam Barhoumi, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0. Source
The khaima and floor seating
For Hassanis, the tent stands for family and generosity. Woven from hair and wool, it is laid with mats and rugs, with embroidered leather cushions to lean on. Around the tray everyone sits at the same level, and the majlis becomes a place for stories, poetry and news.
A traditional tent in the dunes. Photo: Ji-Elle, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0. Source
Dates, milk and fragrance
The welcome starts with dates and milk; camel milk is highly prized, and “zrig”, milk diluted with water and sweetened, is a favourite. Incense and perfume mark celebrations, and the “derraa” and “melhfa” remain the dress of the majlis.
From the tent to your living room
The spirit of the tent lives on in the Sahrawi majlis: mattresses and backrests along the walls around the tea table. At Dakhla Majalis we handcraft these majlis and tents in Dakhla.
Tent and majlis made by Dakhla Majalis.
Tea time on a Dakhla Majalis majlis.
Frequently asked questions
What are the three “J”s of tea?
Company, slowness and embers: drink together, brew without hurry, cook over charcoal.
Why three glasses?
It is an inherited custom: the glasses go from strongest to sweetest.
Does a Sahrawi majlis suit a modern home?
Yes, it is made to measure; design it and see the price instantly with the design tool.
Do you deliver to my city?
Yes, to every city in Morocco; see the delivery page.