H’amad Amous: The acrobats of Jemaa al-Fnaa

As you unwind  in one of the cafe’s or restaurants that are lined along the edges Jemaa al-Fnaa, don’t be surprised if you catch a glimpse of a group of local acrobats who often descend towards the South-Eastern corner of the square. 

The troupe are an illustrious bunch and after vaulting and somersaulting their way through the square, they quickly disperse into the thriving crowds passing through Jemaa al-Fnaa.

So I ask a nearby local for more information surrounding the history of acrobatics in Marrakech. I’m told that that the practice of acrobatics is revered  not only in the red city but across the entire nation of Morocco. Also if an acrobat show’s unbridled natural talent, it is often said the blood of H’amad Amous could run in his or her veins.

Amous, the local Marrakshi goes on to describe is was a leader of a famous clan of acrobats in a time gone past. People would say that salt flowed through the bones of H’amad Amous and his followers and this is what allowed them to bend and propel their bodies in impossible ways.

Although the legend of Amous is encompassed by both fiction and fact, a ten minute stroll from Riad Cinnamon through the renowned souk district will take you to the beating heart of the city, Jemaa al-Fnaa where the acrobat’s of Marrakech still practice their trade to this day.

Marrakech Jemaa al Fnaa Map

» Explore the Jemaa el Fnaa Map