What is "bzou"

Bzou is a town in the northwest corner of Morocco’s Azilal Province, just off the main road between the major cities of Beni-Mellal and Marrakesh. The sprawling commune of Bzou is composed of various Berber (a mix of Tashelhit and Tamazight) and Arabic speaking douwars tucked into the foothills of the High Atlas Mountains. The main, Arabic speaking cluster of douwars (Lamdarssa, Douwar Shms, Foum Sheaba) forms Bzou's heart; on its flanks are an assortment of smaller, generally Berber douwars up in the surrounding mountains and cradling the banks of the river Oued el Abid.

With a population of approximately 4200 people in its center and 14,505 in the commune as a whole, Bzou is regionally and nationally famous for its production of the highest quality fabric used in the tailoring of a specific piece of traditional Moroccan clothing known as Djellaba. Additionally, Bzou produces a considerable amount of olives, olive oil, and honey. Economically speaking, Bzou is heavily dependent on this basic agriculture and the extremely labor-intensive, handmade fabric for which it is famous.