The Imilchil Moussem

Every year scores of people get married at the three-day moussem, the engagement festival that takes place at Imilchil every August or September, at the northern end of the Todra Gorges. The reason? Long ago Iseli and Tislit, a young man and woman from opposing tribes, fell in love. Sound familiar? It's Shakespeare with a twist. The warring tribes were so angered by their love that they separated the pair, whereupon they wept and wept until their tears formed the two lakes that rest there today. They threw themselves in and drowned. The villagers were so shocked that they vowed to honor their love henceforward, and started the ceremony in their honor.