Morocco – Let’s discover together Fantasia, the equestrian tradition of Morocco

Fantasia designates the different forms of equestrian events that had origins from the Berbers and dating back to the Numidian knights, still visible today in different regions of North Africa. All forms of Fantasia are grouped and have as their basic subject the Berber or the Arab-Berber horse, which ridden by knights, perform an exercise of military charge and remote shooting, using spears or rifles, all takes place in waves, (that is, departure and return), following a traditional technique used by Muslims. Discover now all our trips, tours, holidays and horse trekking in Morocco. In Morocco , a heavily agricultural and tribal country for a long time (until its Independence in 1956), this spectacular demonstration has become a religious tradition , which has been held annually for centuries in honor of a saint. From 1818 to today, in fact, the group Fantasia with a brown rifle (black powder) is a tradition inscribed in the Moroccan secular heritage and responds to very precise norms and codes.

The Fantasia is spontaneously organized by the inhabitants (mainly by simple farmers or wealthy landowners) and the knights of the tribes must first make themselves honorable in order to participate: they must have splendid trappings for their horses and be able to ritualize the mokahala , (rifle) , thus demonstrating an excellent cold blood (a sign of distinction, education and courage). As already said, tradition says that the riders and their horses must simulate a military assault , starting with the shout of “Hadar l’khayle” (the horses are ready). The start of the race and its end are given by a rifle shot in the air by the riders. To synchronize the shots, to hear only a detonation, the riders are directed by an esteemed chief of the tribe , who indicates to them the exact moment of the shot, saying the words “Hadar Lamkal” (to you the guns). Then follow the intense youyou of the women (a guttural sound clicked with the tongue) which will determine the winners. In recent years, the Moroccan authorities have also organized Fantasy contests between the different regions, where hundreds of knights participate. If you want to know all our tours in Morocco click here!