The bedouins had come from afar -- as far away as Timbuktu and even farther. They had been lured from the North to the South, from oasis to oasis, for the Moussem de Tan Tan. Along the way they stayed in tents, known as khayma. These were no ordinary structures, oh no. Some had strange and beautiful patchwork insides made gleaming by the sun. The bedouin women are the makers and the keepers of the khayma.
We -- the onlookers at the Moussem de Tan Tan -- stayed in very fine khayma. We dined in this one with walls made out of shimmering sequinned wedding blankets. We would have made any bride jealous, I'm sure.
The floors were covered in red vintage Moroccan carpets, like some variegated artist's installation.
The khayma are grouped together in frigs, like tented villages. All handmade out of goat and camel hair.
And inside the khayma were the greatest treasure of all, of course.
Perhaps the applause should be for them, the lovely tent-makers.
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