Omek Tannou

Omek tannou or Oumouk tangou is an ancient Tunisian tradition of invocation of the rain which was inherited from the Punic and Berber tradition. It has practically disappeared nowadays.

It is manifested in the form of a statue head of a woman similar to girls' dolls. The children walk her between the houses during a drought while singing "Oumouk tango, O women, ask God to rain" (أمك طانقو يا نساء طلبت ربي عالشتاء). This song varies according to the region because the term chta designates rain only in certain urban cities. Each housewife then pours a little water on the statuette believing that it will bring rain.

In some rural cities, a stick is used, instead of the doll, to which each woman attaches a piece of clothing and gives some Barley to the children who go away singing "Bouktambou" [Oumouk tangou deformation] give us barley, your container will be filled from the water sources (يا بو قطمبو أعطينا شعير يملا قدحكم مالغدير).[1]

References
  1. Rezgui, Sadok (1989). Les chants tunisiens. Maison tunisienne de l'édition, Tunis.
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