Aisha Qandicha

Aicha Kandicha (for Moroccan Arabic dem dey call am عيشة قنديشة, wey be ʿayša qəndiša) na one popular spirit woman wey dem sabi well well for Moroccan stories and folktale. For di story, dem talk say she be fine young woman, but her leg no be like human own — e be like goat or camel leg.

Even though di way people describe her fit change small small from one place to another for Morocco, di main belief be say she dey live near water — like river, stream, or sea. People say she go use her fine beauty take attract men, come make dem craze or even kill dem.

Where di story about her start from

One man wey be researcher, Edvard Westermarck, talk say Aicha Kandicha name be something wey come from eastern side of di world. E even talk say di name fit get link with one ancient goddess wey dem dey call Qetesh for old Canaanite religion. Dis goddess, according to wetin e talk, na one woman wey dem use for temple matter, and she dey linked with one goddess wey dem call Astarte.

Westermarck believe say na Phoenician people wey carry di story enter North Africa, before di story come mix with Islamic tradition. But di part wey Westermarck talk say di goddess na fertility goddess, e no correct according to wetin modern scholars know today. Di Qetesh goddess wey Westermarck talk about, scholars now believe say she really come from Egypt, and dem no even sure say she get any link with di Canaanite goddesses.

Some people even talk say di name "Kandicha" (قنديشة) fit get connection with di Arabic word "Qirtajia" (قرطاجية), wey mean Carthaginian woman.

Another theory about who she be

Another more recent story talk say Aicha Kandicha no be spirit from beginning — say she be real woman wey live for El Jadida (one area for Morocco). Di story talk say she be one kind countess (important woman) wey help fight against di Portuguese wey come colonize Morocco. Di way she take help na say she go use her beauty take attract Portuguese soldiers, come set trap for dem so dat Moroccan fighters go fit ambush dem.

Dem talk say she start dis resistance work after her husband die. She come seduce plenty men to di point wey soldiers begin dey fear her, say she get spiritual powers. Local people begin believe say she no be ordinary woman.

Wetin people believe about her

Most of di story about Aicha Kandicha talk say she dey live near water —

For Tangier, dem talk say she dey live near di sea.

For Tétouan, na for Martil River she dey.

For Fez, na one kind drainage canal she dey near.

For Beni Ahsen people, na for Sebou River she dey.

People also believe say she dey target young men. She go either use her fine beauty take confuse dem, or she go disguise herself like di man wife so dat e no go suspect anything.

For some places like Beni Ahsen, dem talk say she dey fear steel knife and needle. Dem also believe say she get one kind spirit husband wey dem call Hammu Qayyu.

For di southern side of Morocco, especially Doukkala area, dem dey call her another name — Kharaja.

Different versions for Sufi traditions

For one Sufi religious group wey dem dey call Buffi Sufi order, dem talk say Aicha Kandicha no be only one — say different female jinn dey, and all of dem dey share di name "Aicha", but each one get her own character.

For Buffi belief, Aicha Kandicha dey always wear black cloth, her leg be like camel leg, and if pregnant woman see her, di woman fit lose her belle (miscarriage). If she possess person, di person fit begin bark like dog or bray like donkey.

Some other names wey people dey call her for different places na:

• Spicy Aicha (ʿayša s-sudaniya)

• Aicha of di Sea (ʿayša l-bəḥriya)

For Buffi belief, all dis names no be di same spirit — dem be different different spirits. But dem also believe say Lalla Aisha (another version of Aicha) no get grave or tomb. Her spirit just dey waka anywhere wey she like, and if you visit di place wey she dey, she fit help you grant your wish if you pray well.

For Modern Culture and Entertainment

Aicha Kandicha name don show for plenty books, films, and songs for Morocco.

One example na di Gnawa music wey dem call Lalla Aicha.

She even get French horror film wey dem call Kandisha.