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Meet The Last of The Moroccan Potters

Published July 11th, 2019 - 11:29 GMT

Beautiful handcrafted pottery made by Mama Aicha rarely sells in Morocco anymore, but thanks to social media her ancient technique is drawing students from around the world to the foothills of the Rif mountains.

Moroccan potter Aicha Tabiz, also known as Mama Aicha, works in a pottery workshop near the village of Ourtzagh in the foothills of the Rif mountains, according to AFP.

The tribe counted around 90 potters at the end of 1990s. Now, only a half-dozen remain.

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Moroccan potter Aicha Tabiz, also known as Mama Aicha, holds one of her works near the village of Ourtzagh in the foothills of the Rif mountains on June 12, 2019. Like everywhere in the Rif mountains, women potters from the Sless tribe, to which Aicha Tabiz's family belongs, are vanishing. The tribe counted around 90 potters at the end of 1990s. Now, only a half-dozen remain. FADEL SENNA / AFP

Moroccan potter Aicha Tabiz, also known as Mama Aicha, holds one of her works near the village of Ourtzagh in the foothills of the Rif mountains on June 12, 2019. Like everywhere in the Rif mountains, women potters from the Sless tribe, to which Aicha Tabiz's family belongs, are vanishing. The tribe counted around 90 potters at the end of 1990s. Now, only a half-dozen remain. FADEL SENNA / AFP

Moroccan potter Aicha Tabiz (L), also known as Mama Aicha, sits next to British apprentice Kim West (R), 33, during a pottery workshop near the village of Ourtzagh in the foothills of the Rif mountains on June 12, 2019. FADEL SENNA / AFP

Moroccan potter Aicha Tabiz (L), also known as Mama Aicha, sits next to British apprentice Kim West (R), 33, during a pottery workshop near the village of Ourtzagh in the foothills of the Rif mountains on June 12, 2019. FADEL SENNA / AFP

Moroccan potter Fatima Harama from the M'tioua tribe works on pottery near the village of Ourtzagh in the region of Taounate on june 11, 2019 The Sumano association, which promotes Moroccan tribal women's handicrafts, places orders with the potters, buys the works, transports them to Spain and sells them at 20 times the local price on its website, promising to redistribute the income locally "when the business becomes profitable". FADEL SENNA / AFP

Moroccan potter Fatima Harama from the M'tioua tribe works on pottery near the village of Ourtzagh in the region of Taounate on june 11, 2019 The Sumano association, which promotes Moroccan tribal women's handicrafts, places orders with the potters, buys the works, transports them to Spain and sells them at 20 times the local price on its website, promising to redistribute the income locally "when the business becomes profitable". FADEL SENNA / AFP

The Sumano association, which promotes Moroccan tribal women's handicrafts, places orders with the potters, buys the works, transports them to Spain and sells them at 20 times the local price on its website, promising to redistribute the income locally "when the business becomes profitable". FADEL SENNA / AFP

The Sumano association, which promotes Moroccan tribal women's handicrafts, places orders with the potters, buys the works, transports them to Spain and sells them at 20 times the local price on its website, promising to redistribute the income locally "when the business becomes profitable". FADEL SENNA / AFP

A neighbour watches as Moroccan potter Houda Oumal (C) sitting next to her mother Fatima Harama (R) paints with natural pigments on one of her pieces of pottery, near the village of Ourtzagh in the region of Taounate on june 11, 2019. FADEL SENNA / AFP

A neighbour watches as Moroccan potter Houda Oumal (C) sitting next to her mother Fatima Harama (R) paints with natural pigments on one of her pieces of pottery, near the village of Ourtzagh in the region of Taounate on june 11, 2019. FADEL SENNA / AFP

Moroccan potter Aicha Tabiz (L), also known as Mama Aicha, sits next to British apprentice Kim West (R), 33, during a pottery workshop near the village of Ourtzagh in the foothills of the Rif mountains on June 12, 2019. FADEL SENNA / AFP

Moroccan potter Aicha Tabiz (L), also known as Mama Aicha, sits next to British apprentice Kim West (R), 33, during a pottery workshop near the village of Ourtzagh in the foothills of the Rif mountains on June 12, 2019. FADEL SENNA / AFP

Moroccan potter Houda Oumal from the M'tioua tribe carries one of her pottery works near the village of Ourtzagh in the region of Taounate on june 11, 2019. FADEL SENNA / AFP

Moroccan potter Houda Oumal from the M'tioua tribe carries one of her pottery works near the village of Ourtzagh in the region of Taounate on june 11, 2019. FADEL SENNA / AFP

The tribe counted around 90 potters at the end of 1990s. Now, only a half-dozen remain. FADEL SENNA / AFP

The tribe counted around 90 potters at the end of 1990s. Now, only a half-dozen remain. FADEL SENNA / AFP

Moroccan potter Aicha Tabiz, also known as Mama Aicha, holds one of her works near the village of Ourtzagh in the foothills of the Rif mountains on June 12, 2019. Like everywhere in the Rif mountains, women potters from the Sless tribe, to which Aicha Tabiz's family belongs, are vanishing. The tribe counted around 90 potters at the end of 1990s. Now, only a half-dozen remain. FADEL SENNA / AFP
Moroccan potter Aicha Tabiz (L), also known as Mama Aicha, sits next to British apprentice Kim West (R), 33, during a pottery workshop near the village of Ourtzagh in the foothills of the Rif mountains on June 12, 2019. FADEL SENNA / AFP
Moroccan potter Fatima Harama from the M'tioua tribe works on pottery near the village of Ourtzagh in the region of Taounate on june 11, 2019 The Sumano association, which promotes Moroccan tribal women's handicrafts, places orders with the potters, buys the works, transports them to Spain and sells them at 20 times the local price on its website, promising to redistribute the income locally "when the business becomes profitable". FADEL SENNA / AFP
The Sumano association, which promotes Moroccan tribal women's handicrafts, places orders with the potters, buys the works, transports them to Spain and sells them at 20 times the local price on its website, promising to redistribute the income locally "when the business becomes profitable". FADEL SENNA / AFP
A neighbour watches as Moroccan potter Houda Oumal (C) sitting next to her mother Fatima Harama (R) paints with natural pigments on one of her pieces of pottery, near the village of Ourtzagh in the region of Taounate on june 11, 2019. FADEL SENNA / AFP
Moroccan potter Aicha Tabiz (L), also known as Mama Aicha, sits next to British apprentice Kim West (R), 33, during a pottery workshop near the village of Ourtzagh in the foothills of the Rif mountains on June 12, 2019. FADEL SENNA / AFP
Moroccan potter Houda Oumal from the M'tioua tribe carries one of her pottery works near the village of Ourtzagh in the region of Taounate on june 11, 2019. FADEL SENNA / AFP
The tribe counted around 90 potters at the end of 1990s. Now, only a half-dozen remain. FADEL SENNA / AFP
Moroccan potter Aicha Tabiz, also known as Mama Aicha, holds one of her works near the village of Ourtzagh in the foothills of the Rif mountains on June 12, 2019. Like everywhere in the Rif mountains, women potters from the Sless tribe, to which Aicha Tabiz's family belongs, are vanishing. The tribe counted around 90 potters at the end of 1990s. Now, only a half-dozen remain. FADEL SENNA / AFP
Moroccan potter Aicha Tabiz, also known as Mama Aicha, holds one of her works near the village of Ourtzagh in the foothills of the Rif mountains on June 12, 2019. Like everywhere in the Rif mountains, women potters from the Sless tribe, to which Aicha Tabiz's family belongs, are vanishing. The tribe counted around 90 potters at the end of 1990s. Now, only a half-dozen remain. FADEL SENNA / AFP
Moroccan potter Aicha Tabiz (L), also known as Mama Aicha, sits next to British apprentice Kim West (R), 33, during a pottery workshop near the village of Ourtzagh in the foothills of the Rif mountains on June 12, 2019. FADEL SENNA / AFP
Moroccan potter Aicha Tabiz (L), also known as Mama Aicha, sits next to British apprentice Kim West (R), 33, during a pottery workshop near the village of Ourtzagh in the foothills of the Rif mountains on June 12, 2019. FADEL SENNA / AFP
Moroccan potter Fatima Harama from the M'tioua tribe works on pottery near the village of Ourtzagh in the region of Taounate on june 11, 2019 The Sumano association, which promotes Moroccan tribal women's handicrafts, places orders with the potters, buys the works, transports them to Spain and sells them at 20 times the local price on its website, promising to redistribute the income locally "when the business becomes profitable". FADEL SENNA / AFP
Moroccan potter Fatima Harama from the M'tioua tribe works on pottery near the village of Ourtzagh in the region of Taounate on june 11, 2019 The Sumano association, which promotes Moroccan tribal women's handicrafts, places orders with the potters, buys the works, transports them to Spain and sells them at 20 times the local price on its website, promising to redistribute the income locally "when the business becomes profitable". FADEL SENNA / AFP
The Sumano association, which promotes Moroccan tribal women's handicrafts, places orders with the potters, buys the works, transports them to Spain and sells them at 20 times the local price on its website, promising to redistribute the income locally "when the business becomes profitable". FADEL SENNA / AFP
The Sumano association, which promotes Moroccan tribal women's handicrafts, places orders with the potters, buys the works, transports them to Spain and sells them at 20 times the local price on its website, promising to redistribute the income locally "when the business becomes profitable". FADEL SENNA / AFP
A neighbour watches as Moroccan potter Houda Oumal (C) sitting next to her mother Fatima Harama (R) paints with natural pigments on one of her pieces of pottery, near the village of Ourtzagh in the region of Taounate on june 11, 2019. FADEL SENNA / AFP
A neighbour watches as Moroccan potter Houda Oumal (C) sitting next to her mother Fatima Harama (R) paints with natural pigments on one of her pieces of pottery, near the village of Ourtzagh in the region of Taounate on june 11, 2019. FADEL SENNA / AFP
Moroccan potter Aicha Tabiz (L), also known as Mama Aicha, sits next to British apprentice Kim West (R), 33, during a pottery workshop near the village of Ourtzagh in the foothills of the Rif mountains on June 12, 2019. FADEL SENNA / AFP
Moroccan potter Aicha Tabiz (L), also known as Mama Aicha, sits next to British apprentice Kim West (R), 33, during a pottery workshop near the village of Ourtzagh in the foothills of the Rif mountains on June 12, 2019. FADEL SENNA / AFP
Moroccan potter Houda Oumal from the M'tioua tribe carries one of her pottery works near the village of Ourtzagh in the region of Taounate on june 11, 2019. FADEL SENNA / AFP
Moroccan potter Houda Oumal from the M'tioua tribe carries one of her pottery works near the village of Ourtzagh in the region of Taounate on june 11, 2019. FADEL SENNA / AFP
The tribe counted around 90 potters at the end of 1990s. Now, only a half-dozen remain. FADEL SENNA / AFP
The tribe counted around 90 potters at the end of 1990s. Now, only a half-dozen remain. FADEL SENNA / AFP

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