Chaouen blue has turned this small Rif town into one of tourists’ favourite destinations. It’s its main hallmark, but around this colour there are many questions and few certainties.. In this post we look at some interesting details that could explain its use and meanings, although to this day it’s still not clear.
Why is it used?
It’s hard to pin down the reason that led the people of Chaouen to use this colour. In fact, another tough question—whose answer would help us understand it—is: “since when has it been used?” Let’s take it step by step.
Chaouen is a relatively recent town. It was founded at the end of the 15th century (1471) by exiles from southern Spain, mainly Andalusi Muslims from the Kingdom of Granada and also Sephardic Jews who were already feeling social pressure against them in the time of the Catholic Monarchs. That’s why its maze-like, steep streets and whitewashed houses can be reminiscent of those on the other side of the Strait.
One theory about the use of blue in Chaouen is linked to this: for the Islamic community and, especially, the Jewish one, this colour is synonymous with calm, serenity, protection and even divinity, so it could be interpreted as a desire to draw closer to God.
Since when has it been used?
However, if we go back to the question of “since when has it been used?”, it’s not that simple. There are no reliable documents indicating since when blue has been used in Chaouen, let alone whether it was used from its founding. In fact, if we look at the posters and paintings of Mariano Bertuchi, a Granada-born painter who worked here during the Spanish Protectorate (the 1920s), Chaouen’s urban landscapes seem to be dominated by white limewash, with no trace of blue.
It’s also worth bearing in mind that it was common to renew the limewash on façades every spring, ahead of the hot season, so it’s possible the houses had other colours or, at least, a certain mix of them at the same time, if each owner decided to use a different one.
Other theories often mentioned to explain Chaouen’s blue include supposed effectiveness against mosquitoes, a certain ability to cool interiors, or inspiration from water, whether from the nearby Ras el-Maa waterfall or a more general reference to the Mediterranean. In this last sense, it’s true that in other places around Mare Nostrum, such as Greece, the combination of white and blue is common, but the sea’s influence on this mountain town can certainly be debated.
A more practical explanation
Without trying to refute any of the theories above, other aspects can be mentioned. For example, the possible presence of the plant Indigofera tinctoria, better known as indigo, from which blue pigment has traditionally been extracted. This colour, by the way, was already widely used for aesthetic purposes by Berber women and, although it has a dark shade, it could be ‘lightened’ when mixed with white. On the other hand, let’s not forget the long-standing tradition and continued use of so-called Moroccan nila, a dye that’s also used as a cosmetic mask, and which is extracted precisely from this plant.
And finally, today, the reason Chaouen’s blue is maintained may well be down to its distinctive character and its tourist appeal, which has been the most important economic driver of this town in recent times. Because… what would this village be without the charm of this colour? No doubt it would still exist, but it would lose that Instagrammable touch that draws so many people.
