Sbûa is a religious festival celebrating the birth of the prophet of Islam and a pilgrimage to the mausoleums of the marabouts of the region. To commemorate the birth of the Prophet Mohammed, pilgrims from Zenata communities in Algeria's southwest visit mausoleums of saints.
Many inhabitants in the Saharan region of Gourara gather annually in Timimoun or various villages to celebrate Mawlid. The event is seven days and the protocol dates back to Sidi El Hadj Belkacem, the founder of the zaouia. The pilgrims end their journey at this zaouia where Sidi El Hadj Belkacem (who died in 1627) would celebrate.
In 2010, more than 200,000 people gathered in Timimoun for the popular mobilization. The baroud and the haddra are important moments of particular Sufi songs and dances. The Ahellil of Gourara is also practiced in Timimoun. Each delegation from the various ksars brings the banners of representation of their tribes to exchange through music and dance of Zenetic folklore on the last day. After three shots, participants gather in Djebel square.
Symbolically, different pilgrim groups merge around a standard-bearer who carries the standard of a saint before returning to their respective groups to begin the rituals, which are guided by the oldest pilgrims. A week before the ceremony, the women take part in the 'millstone' ritual during which the first handful of cereal used to make couscous for pilgrims is ground.
The communities consider Sbuâ to be an expression of their history and the ties that bind them, due to the beliefs and rituals that accompany it as part of the pilgrimage. In addition to celebrating Mawlid as a symbol of the unity of the tribes of this zaouia, these celebrations help promote the local wali and place of worship by replacing some pilgrimages to Mecca.
Tradition bearers are descendants of the saints and claim a lineage back to them, and children and youth are actively involved in various aspects (acts, prayers, and chants), gradually becoming their own knowledge bearers.