Sebeiba Festival

The Sebeiba is held in Djanet over about ten days during Muharram, and it is a formal encounter between the two old quarters of the oasis, El Mizan and Zelouaz. Men from each side dress in ceremonial costume, carry swords and shields and dance facing the other group, while women of the quarter sing and beat tende drums and set the rhythm the dancers follow. The ritual is understood locally as the memory of a reconciliation that ended a conflict long ago, turned into a contest of performance rather than arms, and it is bound up with the making of the costumes and instruments. It was inscribed by UNESCO as intangible cultural heritage in 2014.

What you actually see

• Two quarters facing each other - El Mizan and Zelouaz in the ritual encounter.
• Sword and shield dancing - the men's performance in ceremonial dress.
• Women singing and drumming - the tende rhythm the dancers follow.
• Costume and instrument making - the preparation the ritual depends on.

When to go

During Muharram, which moves through the solar calendar, so the date changes each year by about eleven days. Two to three days. Flights and permits must be arranged well ahead.

Honest expectations

The date shifts annually and must be confirmed locally; getting it wrong wastes a long journey. It is a community ritual, not a show, and photography needs permission. Djanet has limited accommodation and it fills. Travel to the region requires authorisation.

Nearby

Djanet oasis surrounds it; the Tassili plateau rises above.