WikiChallenge
2022-2023

The melhfa is a long veil about 4.5 meters long and 1.6 meters wide. It's a traditional garment worn by Sahraoui women wherever they go, wrapped around them from head to toe. But not all melhfas are the same: there are those for festivals and ceremonies, and those worn every day. "Lemlahef" is the plural for melhfa in the Hassanya language. These traditional garments are comfortable and suitable for the desert, as they are designed to withstand the hot, dry climate and protect against the cold, sand and sun. Most of these garments are roomy and light, in summery colors that match the desert climate. The garment has been around since the 11th century. Along the Atlantic coast, in the Sahel region, from southern Morocco to Senegal, the women of these regions perform the same ritual, draping themselves in cloths of the same size and arranged in a similar manner. Ce costume traditionnel est confortable et adapté au désert, car il est conçu pour convenir au climat chaud et sec, elle protège à la fois du froid, du sable et du soleil. La plupart de ces vêtements sont spacieux et légers et de couleurs estivales qui correspondent au climat du désert. Ce vêtement existe depuis le XIe siècle. Le long de la côte atlantique, au niveau du Sahel, du sud de Maroc jusqu’aux terres du Sénégal, les femmes de ces régions procèdent au même rituel, se drapent d’étoffes de même taille et disposées de manière similaire.