There are several associations that encourage this ancestral art and, the association of popular art and social affairs in Skhour Rhamna is one of them. The rural center of Skhour Rhamna is delineated by the two large rocks that give it its name. The first is Jarf EL Beida, which lies in the east; it culminates at 713 meters above sea level. The second, Batn Zita, in the west and it rises to 642 meters above sea level. The second part of the name refers to Rhamna, ancestor of the Rahmoune Ben Akil Ben Maakal tribe. This region celebrates the annual festival of popular arts in Tbourida, Rma and Tolba in the second week of July. This festival is seen as a way to celebrate the region's ancestral history as well as its popular arts. The festival has enabled the region of Rhamna to revive the traditions of Tbourida, which had nearly disappeared. It also provided an opportunity to encourage people to breed the renowned Tbourida horses, particularly in the region of Jaafra and Ouled Abu.

Each year, around the month of June, the Royal Trophy brings together Tbourida teams from all over Morocco. The Hassan II Trophy of Traditional Equestrian Arts "Tbourida" is under the chairmanship of Her Royal Highness Princess Lalla Amina. The meeting takes place at the heart of the Royal Equestrian Polo Club "Dar Salam" in Rabat, where many medals and awards are distributed. There are other annual festivals where Tbourida teams meet yearly to compete and show their experience such as the festival of "My Abdellah" organized at the end of July. There is also the festival of "Imine Tanoute" organized on August 09th and the festival of "Al Youssoufia" organized in April right after the festival of "Oulad Amrane" that is organized in March.

Origin and history

The word Tbourida is an Arabic term that means ostentation. It derives from the word Baroud, which means the gun powder traditionally put in Jezzails. It is the event demanding both perfection and cohesion. It is a traditional art, where horse riders charge simultaneously and fire their Jezzails towards the sky at the end of the charge. Bardiya means riders in Arabic dialect and is a word derived from Tbourida, now considered to be a noble art within our Moroccan cultural heritage.

This popular art dates back to the fifteenth century and refers to the heroism of the horse riders and warriors, whose praises are sung and glorified by the Baroud with the Jezzail. "Tbourida was used in the Harkates, which means the attack of a tribe to another" said Dr. Zouzi, president of the association of popular art and social affairs in Skhour Rhamna. During those battles, the horse riders of each tribe had to defend the pride of their tribe against their opponents. To own a horse and to be a Bardi (horse rider at the Tbourida) is a huge honor for the tribe, and each tribe has its own way of demonstrating its pride. This used to be an art reserved for nobles and the wealthier members of the tribe. Nowadays, however, anyone can purchase a horse and join a Tbourida team. "It is an ancestral art that is transmitted from father to son and it is easier to become a Bardi if your relatives and ancestors were Bardi" said Dr. Zouzi.

The Tbourida today responds to specific rules in direct affiliation with its roots. In a bordered field about two hundred meters long, teams of three to twenty riders perform for the pleasure of their guests. Spaced around the ground, magnificent tents welcome the contestants and their guest during the days of each festival. Tbourida is part of the Moroccan traditional folklore and it is celebrated in several occasions including "Moussems" or festivals. This art is taught from early childhood, following the Prophet Mohamed's instruction to "teach your children swimming, archery and cavalry."

The Bardiya

Each tribe has its own team of horse riders, the Bardiya, and each team teaches its members who are willing to become a Bardi at a very young age. As an ancestral art, it is transmitted from father to son. "For us it is a tradition that we love and keep no matter where we go" said Mr. Bouchaib, a Bardi living in Italy, who comes back each year to participate in regional Tbourida festivals. The attachment of those Bardiya to their favorite hobby is so enormous that they send money monthly to their relatives to take care of the horses left in their hometown.

To become part of a Tbourida team, riders must be experienced horse riders with great agility and courage. There are four main stages a young man follows to become a Bardi.  First, at the age of six or eight, the child gives sugar, hay and water to the horse. It is a way to familiarize the child with the horse and enable him to approach it easily. At the end of this stage, the child is allowed to mount a yearling. The second stage is when the boy learns all the equestrian techniques to become a good horse rider. During the third stage the boy is in charge of preparing the Jezzails during the "Moussems" and festivals of Tbourida. It is an interesting process that requires special ability and accuracy. Once the young boy is ready, his mentor (father or grandfather) makes the decision to allow him to join the team, usually on a trial basis.  "The son follows his father everywhere and does whatever he does the way his father does it, this is how our children become good Bardi" said Mr. Hammadi, the oldest Mokaddam (leading chief of a Tbourida team) in the tribe of Beni Meskine. At this stage, the young rider participates in some training sessions but he is always in the back with a stick instead of a Jezzail. Once ready, the young boy joins the official team in some regional and local festivals and uses a Jezzail, but without powder, in order to avoid any accidental firing. Once he is well trained, the young man becomes an official Bardi or rider, and wears the official Tbourida costume.  He purchases his own fully embroidered saddle, which he puts on his horse during the Tbourida, as well as his own Jezzail.       

During the Tbourida show, riders dress entirely in white, and wear traditional trousers called "Seroual," tied with a belt, a white formal shirt called "Tshamir", and a large wool cape called "Selham," which will float like a banner during the charge. They also wear white turbans tightly wound on their heads and embroidered boots called "Tmag," which they adjust for the best performance. They have a carved box called "Dalil," which is used to carry powder. These days, they also contain a small Koran.  The horse rider carries a dagger in its sheath at his back and a long Jezzail, inlaid and decorated with ivory surrounded with silver.

The Horses

The Tbourida would be impossible without the excellence of the Moroccan horses. The Barb (Berber-Arabic) is exceptionally calm and sensitive at the same time. Very calm when resting, it gives a spirited performance when in action. It is hardy, rugged, even-tempered, and resistant to all climatic conditions. Its legs are rather small, well shaped and strong, its rear-end is firm and its neck is short. The Barb has inherited the characteristics of a horse that is efficient and pleasant to mount. Its energy is easy to control, and the Barb horse remains the most popular in the region of Skhour Rhamna. Given its strength, speed and ease, its training is common among the Bardiya of the region.

The colours of Moroccan horses are varied, and offer a stunning spectacle during the charge. There is the famous El Goumri, which is white and changes over time to a dark blue. There is also the Rial, which refers to the former Rial (Moroccan coin) because of its value, which lies in its whiteness and its beautiful white hair with spots like small stars.  There is a breed called Adham that is jet black. The horse with a bright brown colour is called El Bergui, while the sparkling brown is called Bergui El Al Mahrouk.

These horses are equipped with fully embroidered saddles that form a magnificent array of colours and traditional motifs. These saddles are generally bought in Fes or Marrakech, where artisans excel in their production and create wonderful pieces of art that transform the appearance of the horses.  According to Mr. Hammadi, there is a strong bond between rider and horse. As he puts it, "the horse breathes at the same time as its rider so if it feels his fear and his courage it will never hurt him even if the rider does". He adds saying that the horse prays god each day saying: "god you made me under the service of humans, I am now dependent on them, please let them love me more than they cherish their family and goods".

The show

There are specific rules common to all styles of Tbourida, whether a Temerad (where the horses move step by step to the end of the charge and make a half turn on the spot, and leave slowly) or El Guelba (where the horses trot to the end of the charge, make a half turn on the spot, and then leave rapidly). In fact, the style of the Tbourida differs from each region, but it remains subject to similar rules in the sense that the team is made up of several riders (between three and twenty) and one chief or "Mokaddam".

The "Mokaddam" is in general a wise older man with extensive experience. However, age is not an essential criterion to become a "Mokaddam," but rather the experience and quality of cavalry and the mastery of the rules of the Tbourida. These determine the head of the Serba (a group of riders in Arabic dialect). Furthermore, each "Mokaddam" has his own way of leading the Bardiya, and he has also his own phrases or signals to lead the group. If a rider does not follow the instructions of the "Mokaddam" correctly, the performance of all the team is endangered.  The faulty rider is obliged to walk his horse back to the tent, which is seen as a tough punishment and considered a dishonour.

The Bardiya go on a first tour called the "Tahia" to familiarize themselves with the ground, carefully wet to avoid hard injuries, as a way of testing their cohesion as a group and the behavior of their horses; the recognition ends with a salutation to the guests. Before the second step, at the beginning of the charge, the Bardiya with their towing robes try to align their horses to look as if they are dancing.

When the "Mokaddam" gives the second signal, they ride in a strict alignment for about fifty meters. It is the moment that every guest is waiting for: the "Darba" or race. The horses and their riders soar in perfect harmony, so that they seem welded to their mounts. The voice of the "Mokaddam" rallying the coordinated movement of Jezzails towards the sky is the second signal and announces the second stage. The third and last stage is the signal to fire; once the riders are ready, they synchronize their fire so that it gives an impression of a unified sound. The charge is at its climax when the horses stop. The silence is broken by the applause of the crowds, who have travelled to watch the show.

Feminine Tbourida
 
Regarded as exclusively male, Tbourida now has its Moroccan women's teams. The "Tbourida" is a real physical challenge but not for Houda Boussouna. She is a seventeen years old "Bardia" (woman horse rider) who is proud of her Bardiyates (women horse riders' team of Tbourida). She was a member of the Ismailiya Feminine Tbourida team and decided to create her own team of Feminine Tbourida in Skhour Rhamna. Encouraged by her father, she is the only horse rider of her family along with her sister. "I do not fear the horse, I think that I have the same abilities as any other Bardi" said Houda.

Each year, Houda and her team participate in the national festivals of Tbourida and compete for medals and awards with other Tbourida teams both male and female. The pressure of such a competition tests the physical endurance and spirit of "Bardiyates" (women horse riders). The Jezzails used in this celebration of ancestral tradition weigh 2.5 kilograms and are finely designed, so that young women can grip them at arm's length. There is great preparation before the race. Wearing the "Caftan" (traditional Moroccan dress) or "Jabadour" (Moroccan female costume composed of a long shirt and trousers) in a unified colour and style, carefully prepared by Houda's tailor. They then wear the famous "Tmag" (embroidered boots) different than the ones worn by the male Bardiya since these boots do not have a zip but are simple boots with a "Chachia" (traditional knot of silk ). The traditional cape "Selham" is also part of the traditional costume that the Bardiyates wear as well as a silk veil to cover their hair during the charge. They also protect their hands to avoid the glare of gun powder due to the firing of Jezzails. It is time for them to encourage each other by forming a circle one last time before the moment of truth. A bit of salt is thrown over the neck to bring luck, with ululating as a traditional sound of encouragement. The horses are there with their fully embroidered saddles forming a magnificent array of colours and traditional motifs. "There is a difference between men and women in all fields but not in the field of Tbourida" Fatima told us, one of the young horse riders. She added "there is no kind of stress that a woman cannot overcome; if a man can then a woman can too".

The "Mokaddama", is the first female leader. She mounts her horse and leads the team as any male "Mokaddam" would do.  The Bardiyates, are perfectly aligned on their dancing horses and follow the instructions of their leader correctly. It is the moment that every guest is waiting for: the "Talka" or race, where the women prove their ability. The horses and their riders ride in unison and cohesion. The voice of the "Mokaddama" tells the Bardiyates to raise their Jezzails towards the sky and is the signal the women horse riders have anticipated. At the end of the charge, the women fire simultaneously following the order of their leader. This is a show of great quality, which demands long hours of preparation and training. It is tough for women to prove themselves in a traditionally male role. In fact, these women enjoy their show and consider Tbourida as their favourite hobby.

The Tbourida is part of Moroccan cultural heritage. It is, along with the Ahwash traditional dance, one of the foremost collective gatherings taking place at every opportunity such as weddings, religious feasts and annual Moussems (festivals).
It is a feast of colours and sounds, where the beauty of gestures and the precision of movements are in exceptional harmony.