Meknes- Following the storm of harsh criticism mocking the Jellaba – a typical Moroccan women dress- that she was wore at a White House reception held during the US-Africa Summit held in Washingtonlast week, Nabila Benkirane, wife of AbelIlah Benkirane, Head of Government, thanked, via her Facebook account, all those who defended her dress during the ceremony.
According to Alyoum24, Nabila Benkirane wrote in French on her Facebook account: "First, I would like to thank warmly in my name and on behalf of the craftsmen and craftswomen who live humbly on craftsmanship. Thank you for having defended wearing the national dress, which for some is only used for the market or bereavement."
"Thank you for having defended the resistance against cultural colonialism that leads us to deny our identity," she added.
Addressing people who mocked the “inharmonious” colors of her Jellaba, Benkirane’s wife said: "do not worry, we were in a real festival of African colors," adding that "For these people, the country is no longer evaluated by its policy and its position but rather by the dress of X or Y."
Reacting to the buzz created over Benkirane's Jellaba, Charafat Afilal, Minister Delegate to the Minister of Energy, Mines, Water and Environment, in charge of water previously spoke out against people who levelled harsh criticism towards Mrs. Benkirane’s attire, saying that the Jellaba is “an authentic attire deep rooted in the Moroccan culture and represents the Moroccan identity.”
While some Facebook users appreciated the way Nabila Benkirane represented the majority of Moroccan women, the lady’s Jellaba did not go without criticism, which ranged from expressions of disapproval of “unfashionable look” of her attire to even mocking expression attacking her in person.