Country file · Africa

Cryptids of Morocco

What cryptids are in Morocco? The best-known is Aisha Qandisha.

Morocco’s folklore revolves around jinn and other spirits of rivers, springs and caves. The most famous is Aisha Qandisha, a seductive, hoofed female spirit said to haunt water, who is also tied to the Hamadsha and Gnawa rites.

  • 1 cryptid
  • 2 recorded sightings

Cryptids reported in Morocco

Spectral · Oral tradition

Aisha Qandisha

Rivers and coasts of Morocco A seductive, hoof-footed female jinn of Moroccan folklore who haunts water and drives men mad, and who is also a figure in Hamadsha and Gnawa rites. Folklore

The legends of Morocco

This is a living religious and cultural tradition, so it should be approached with respect and not as a creature claim.

Hotspots

  • Sebou river and Tangier

    Places associated with Aisha Qandisha in the tradition.

Sightings timeline

  1. 1926
    Westermarck’s Ritual and Belief in Morocco Aisha Qandisha

    Edvard Westermarck’s study recorded local beliefs about Aicha Qandisha and proposed an Eastern origin for the name.

  2. 2020
    Film Kandisha Aisha Qandisha

    A French horror film built on the legend brought it to international attention.

Nearby

Senegal1 cryptidGhana1 cryptidCameroon3 cryptidsRepublic of the Congo3 cryptidsDR Congo3 cryptidsUganda1 cryptid