HFLA F ENTABT! Party in Entabt, a douar about an hour's walk from my town. The trainer who has been going there several times a week asked me if I wanted to go with her for their year-end party, so I said sure. Of course, why wouldn't I know by now that it would be an 8-hour deal! I'm not sure how hot it was during the walk (we left at noon) but last evening when I returned, it was 96 degrees in my house. Here is a photo of two of the women next to a guy they knew who is carrying some round cakes we took (in the plastic sack) for them. I had camera, water and a few other things in my day pack. I was nearly soaking wet (from sweat) by the
time we arrived, which was time for tea! So we were served tea
and bread, and later had the cake and soda, then even later went to two different houseswhere we were served meals! These long cotton flannet nightgown looking articles of clothing are commonly worn by women around here...they throw their jellaba on over it when they go outside. I swear they have different thermostats than me; some also had on a layer of clothes on under these gowns!

After the initial tea and bread, the music came on, by dvds on the TV, and the dancing began They had on traditional dance dress
that they took turns wearing, but from about 30 girls sitting around in the small room, probably 8 were dancing at one time, and they would tie a scarf around their hips and shake it! Belly dancing is not done in Morocco except at a few tourist places in the big cities, but they do have their own brand of dance pattern that involves lots of shaking and jiggling. Of course, women are always separate from the men when it's at a wedding or public gathering.

At one of the houses they brought out the drums (the large one being a cut-off top of a barret and got going with rhythm. They are
so poor, but they sure know how to have a great time when they get together.

Today there was a similar doing at the neddy, but only a few of the girls really got into the dancing. They got me dancing with them, and then decided I should wear one of the traditional garbs. I was out there and shaking it like they probably haven't seen verymany 65-year old women do. Still wasn't able to quite get their moves down though; suppose age might have something to do with it?!