Aisha Qandicha
Aicha Kandicha is a female myth in Moroccan folklore. She is often described as a beautiful young woman with the legs of a hoofed animal, such as a goat or camel. She is said to live near water and use her beauty to lure men, then harm them or drive them to madness.
Descriptions differ by region, but she is generally thought to prey on young men who are drawn to her. Her home is usually a body of water: in Tangier it’s the sea, in Tetouan the Martil, in Fez a drainage canal, and among the Beni Ahsen the Sebou River.
Many ideas exist about where her name comes from. Some old theories linked her to ancient deities like Qetesh or Astarte, but modern scholars disagree with these connections. Other suggestions say the name comes from Arabic or Hebrew words meaning sacred, or that she grew from a real Moroccan countess who resisted the Portuguese and became a legendary figure.
In southern Morocco she is sometimes called Kharaja. In the Buffi Sufi tradition she is one of several female Aicha jinn, each with a different personality. Buffis describe her as wearing black, with camel-like feet, and as causing miscarriages or making possessed people bray or bark. Some tales refer to other names like Spicy Aicha or Aicha of the Sea, but these may be separate beings in Buffi belief.
Locally, she is said to have a husband or companion named Hammu Qayyu. Aicha Kandicha has appeared in Moroccan culture, including books, songs, and films, such as the Gnawa tune Lalla Aicha and the French horror film Kandisha.
In some beliefs, Lalla Aisha is a different spirit with no tomb; her soul wanders, and her blessing can grant wishes.
This page was last edited on 3 February 2026, at 05:56 (CET).