Political Joke
October 12,l 2007
Kenitra, Morocco
I read a very funny joke that circulated during the First Gulf War (1990-1991). Morocco had changed sides and a SCUD missile aimed at Paris. When they launched it-the missile wouldn't leave the launch pad. The engineers went out and took the missile apart and found that instead of a warhead-the missile was filled with 10,000 Moroccan hiding in it trying to sneak into France without a passport.
Even Mustafa found that funny. |
Djemma el Fna
Marrakech, Morocco
October 14-15, 2007
"With the Djemma el Fna, Marrakech would just become another Moroccan city."
Paul Bowles
The heart of the old walled section of Marrakech is the Djemma el Fna. It is a triangle shaped 'square' easily 1/2 a mile across. It is the cultural, economic and tourist center of the city of Marrakech. Declared a World Heritage site in 2001 for being "a masterful piece of oral and intangible heritage of humanity," the square is an amazing collection of shops, street barbers, dentists, dancers, food stalls, snake charmers, fortune tellers and henna artists.
Again, with many old terms, no one is exactly sure of its origins. Djemma could mean both "mosque" or "assembly"-so it is a matter of interpretation. Two possible meanings are:
. One translation could be "the mosque of nothing"-the Saadian's once planned to build an enormous mosque here but it was never carried through-the dynasty was overthrown before even the cornerstone was laid.
Another translation could be "the assembly of the dead." The square was the location of public executions up till the 19th century and where the heads were displayed afterwards to ward off potential criminals and revolutionaries. |
Djemma el Fna during the day.
|
Djemma el Fna at night. The center of the square are enormous food stalls where various specialties are for sale. The square is heaven to a meat eater and the smoke is all from grilling meats.
|
The Chicken souq where you could buy live chickens to be slaughtered and plucked clean in front of you. Souqs are traditionally divided into areas where all the shops sell a specific good like carpets, clothing, jewelry. I was able to wander through the Souq Zarabia where up until 1912 black Africans captured on raids in Mali, Guinea and Sudan were brought and sold like cattle. Budgett Meakin witnessed an auction in 1900 and reported that two children sold for 5 pounds apiece, an eight year old girl sold for 8 pounds 10 shillings and was told a true 'beauty' could fetch 130-150 pounds.
|
This stall that Mustafa and I ate at specialized in cow brains and tanjia Marrakshiya. Tanjia is an earthenware earn that is filled with meat and spices then buried in the fires of a Hammam-a communal public bath. The meat is left there for a couple of hours then removed from the fire and served with bread for soaking up the juices and clarified butter. The sections I received for dinner were from the spinal cord I think.
|
The most significant mosque in Marrakech is the Koutoubia. The minaret is a perfect 5:1 ration of height to width-the classic portions for Moroccan or Moorish design. The other two minarets of this type are in Rabat and Granada, Spain (I have visited all three.) There are no other major landmarks that can be seen from all over the city. The mosque was completed by Sultan Yacoub el Mansour around 1150. n At the top are three great spheres made of copper. The story is that they were originally made of gold and were a gift of Yacoub's wife as penance for breaking her fast three hours early during Ramadan. There is a white koubba right next door which contains the tomb of Fatima Zohra. Tradition is that she was a woman by day and a white dove by night and many children today are still named after her.
|
Mustafa with the snakes. He is even more afraid of snakes than I am. Ironically, they thought he was a Moroccan immigrant back to visit family-not a native.
|
A swarma stand near the Djemma el Fna. This was the best swarama I have ever had.
|
Ethical Travel
Kenitra Morocco
Traveling in a significantly poorer country presents some difficult ethical challenges. The differences in wealth, and all that power implied in that, is very evident in a third world country. My salary, as a simple high school teacher, is equivalent to a member of parliament here in Morocco. My hotel in Marrakech was about $10.00 per night and the money often seems more like monopoly money than "real" money. These are just a few of the situations I have been thinking about for the last two weeks:
1. Should you give money to kids who ask for it? They normally only want 1 durham-about 12 cents-and probably could use the money. On the other hand if you give them money, you simply encourage them to continue to beg. How about people who obviously are poor and need the money-professional beggars-who will often display their handicap to prove their credentials as beggars. There is really no social safety net to care for these people. Do I have any responsibility to help them?
2. We were entering the Jardin Menara and there was no one in the entrance gate. When we walked into the tower, the keeper asked us for 10Dh a piece to visit the roof of the tower-the normal entrance fee. However, he didn't give us a ticket meaning that he pocked the 10Dh. However, he only gets paid 1000-1500Dh a month for this job which is not enough to support a family so it is understood that some of the entrance fee he will pocket, so long as he doesn't get greed. However, the Ministry of Tourism depends on these entrance fees (10 DH is about $1.20) to upgrade and maintain its facilities. Should I have asked for a ticket, guaranteeing the money went to the Ministry? |
Everything in this shop, and the two next door, are made out of old tires. You see this in a lot of poorer countries-where everything is recycled-except for plastic bags.
|
3. The Snake Guys. At the Djemma el Fna, there are snake charmers that play a flute or drum that captivates King Cobra snakes. The snakes appear to dance to the music-they are really following the movement of the flute-and are a hallmark of the square-along with fortune tellers or story tellers, and are important to drawing people to the square-both tourists (lots of germans and french were there) and Marrakech residents (the only people utilizing the fortune tellers-which are suppose to be forbidden under islam, only God can know the future-were Moroccans). However, the story is that the mouths of the snakes are sown shut so they can't bite anyone and the snakes starve to death. However, the charmers depend on donations from individuals to survive. Is it ethical to patronize them?
4. Cheapest vs. Responsible Shopping. I pay what I call the "western tax" every-time I buy something in a suq. What this means is that I am paying a little bit more than a Moroccan would simply because I am not Moroccan and I can. Prices in the suqs can greatly vary-Mustafa went looking for ginseng from Korea to make hunja (see the food entry) at home. One shop wanted 200Dh a kilo and we walked a little further and the another guy wanted only 40Dh a kilo. I did purchase two frames from a guy who makes things out of recycled tires-Mustafa thinks I paid too much. Later we went to an Artist collective where there is no bargaining and you pay what is on the sticker but the price is much higher. Should I be seeking the cheapest price or who will benefit the most from my purchase? |
The three legged cat of Marrakech
|
Saadian Tombs
Marrakech, Morocco
October 14, 2007
The Saadian tombs were walled up when Moulay Ismail destroyed the adjoining Badi palace. While he stripped the Palace clean, probably a superstition about looting the dead caused him not to destroy the tombs. In 1917, the French did an aerial survey of Marrakech and discovered them hidden away. The French Governor General ordered a passageway to be cut out of the wall of the kasbah mosque and they were rediscovered.
It was build by Sultan Ahmed el Mansour in 1557 and Saadian Sultans were buried here till 1792, when the last Sultan, Moulay Yazid or "The Mad Sultan" was interned. In a history of cruel rulers, Yazid excelled, rebelling against his father, fought Spain and brutally suppressed a revolt supporting his brother against him in Marrakech. He was killed by a rebel counterattack in this revolt. It is a beautiful, quiet place with three areas of tombs.
The first mausoleum was built into the side of the Kasbah to house the body of El Mansour. One side contains the bodies of Saadian princes and was originally a prayer hall. Yazid's body is also buried in this room, with the ironic inscription "and the works of peace they have accomplished will make them enter the holy gardens."
The second mausoleum-in the center of the courtyard, is devoted to female Saadians, built for the mother of El Mansor, Lalla Messouda. The founder of the Saadian dynasty is also buried in this mausoleum - Mohammed ech Sheikh. He was killed by Turkish mercenaries in the Atlas mountains-while his torso is interned here, his head was salted and returned to Istanbul for display.
The courtyard is filled with Saadian princes, princesses, retainers, general and other retainers. Most are unknown today. 100 are buried in the courtyard and 66 are buried in the mausoleums.
The walls are filled with epitaphs and extracts of the Quran and rather depressing quotations like "every soul shall know death," "Death will find you wherever you are, even in a fortified tower" or my favorite:
O mausoleum , built out of mercy, tho whose
walls are the shadow of heaven
the breath of asceticism is wafted from thy tombs
like a fragrance
though thy death
the light of faith has been dimmed
the seven sphere are fraught with darkness
and the columns of glory
broken with pain."
The Saadian dynasty rarely had peace and was constantly wracked with civil wars. |
The courtyard of the Saadian tombs.
|
In front of the tomb of Lalla Messouda.
|
The minrab of El Mansour's Mausoleum.
|
Mausoleum Cat on the tomb of a Saadian retainer.
|
An archway leading to the tomb of Mohammed ech Sheikh
|
El Badi Palace
Marrakech, Morocco
October 14, 2007
The El Badi Palace was built by Ahmed el Mansour, shortly after he came to power. His father won the battle of Three Kings at Ksar el Kebir in 1578 where the young Portuguese king Dom Sebastiao was killed along with the Sultan and the crown prince. Almost all of Portugal's nobles were either killed or captured-those that were captured were ransomed back. Ahmed came to the thrown and was titled "el Mansour" meaning "The Victorious." The wealth obtained from the ransom financed the building of the palace.
El Mansor went on to other great feats over the 25 years of his rule. He seized the gold route across the Sahara, eventually taking Timbuktu-a sacking that the city has never recovered from. He controlled the gold, silver and slave trade with Italy, Spain and Britain. The gold he brought back nicknamed him "Ed Dahbi" or the golden.
The El Badi palace took Known as "The Incomparable" - it was so magnificent. It was built between 1578-1602. Its center pool is 90 meters long. The courtyard itself is 130 meters long and almost as wide.
El Ifrani, a Saadian chronicler, stated "El Mansour made workmen come from all the different countries...he paid for the marble sent from Italy in sugar, pound for pound, awarded his workers very generously...and paid attention even to the entertainment of their children, so that the artisans might devote themselves entirely to their work without being distracted by any other preoccupation."
chronicler
The palace was destroyed by Moulay Ismail when he took the city. His workers spent twelve years looting the palace-pulling all the tile work off the walls and carting it back to his own palace in Meknes. Ismail was a different kind of builder, starving and beating his workers. Those that died building his palace were buried in the walls.
The story that surrounds the palace is that when it was finished, El Mansour asked the court jester for his opinion-he replied "Sidi, this will make a magnificent ruin." |
The Koubba el Hamsiniya from the far end of the pool.
|
The palace had four sunken gardens filled with tangerine, lemon, almond and olive trees.
|
The Badi palace from a rebuilt tower.
|
In the entrance way to the Koubba el Hamsiniya-the Fifty Pavilion-either for the fact it had 50 columns or it was 50 square cubits-you pick. Montaigue, the french philosopher, saw these columns be carved in Italy during a visit there. He traded sugar for carved marble-pound for pound.
|
Jardin Menara
Marrakesh, Morocco
October 15, 2007
The Menara is an olive grove next to the Marrakech airport and a Royal Morocco Air Force base. Mustafa spent the last year of his high school education living on the base with his brother, preparing for the baccalarat.
The Menara has a simple layout-a long rectangular pool with stands at one end and a minzah at the other end. Its Minzah-or pavilion overlooks the surrounding olive groves and pool. It was a peaceful place with families just walking among the trees and the Atlas mountains in the background. |
The entrance to the minzah of Jardin Menara. The man in the gandoura is the caretaker
|
The Minzah of Jardin Menara
|
Camels for rent. Its popular to roam around the olive grove on a camel.
|
Mohammed VI
King of Morocco
October 13, 2007
The current King is Mohammed the Sixth. His first official mission in 1974 was to the funeral in Paris for President Pompidou. He studied law at the law school of Mohammed V University and earned a doctorate in law University of Nice in 1993, specialization in law concerning the European Union and the Maghreb states. While working on his doctorate, he interned at private office of Jacques Delores, President of the European Commission. Shortly after he returned to Morocco, he was named Général d Division of the Army (1994)-theoretically 2nd in command at that time but has never commanded soldiers in the field. He may be the first King of Morocco not to have battlefield experience.
On July 23, 1999 his father, Hassan II died The first thing that is done to install a new holds a bay'a where the family-militaryt-politicans come before the new king and swear their allegiance. The current King has maintained the same power base that his father did with close ties to the rural nobility, old civil service families like the Benjellouns and the military. The old families have all sent their children to technical schools in France and have been trained to lead. The difference between here and America is that theses individuals often hold high positions in both the government and in major corporations in the country.
Under Mohmamed's father the state used terror as part of its control of the population. This has a long history of in Morocco. Previous Kings, called Sultans at the time, would brutally suppress any dissent and use these opportunities to show the population who is boss. The most brutal of these displays of state violence was the salt torture. Rebel leaders palms were cut open and salt pored into the wounds. The hand was then forced into a fist and wrapped in wet sheepskin. When the leather dried-it would render the hand useless for the rest of the individuals life. Heads were often displayed in public places and at least two bandits were placed in Iron cages and paraded around the country before their execution. When Mohammed and later his son Hassan took power, this political violence was used against those who opposed the state. The worst were secret prisons in remote parts of the Sahara fringes (not unlike our CIA prisons)-the most famous being Tazmamart in the High Atlas-Those involved in the Skhirat coup of 1971 were locked up there till 1987 when some of the family of General Oufkir escaped- and were able to contact a lawyer before they were recaptured. They were finally released in 1991 and emigrated to France in 1996 (There's an excellent book retelling this by the daughter of General Oufkir called Stolen Lives: Twenty Years in a Desert Jail-it was even an Oprah Book Choice. The final group that Hassan persecuted were Saharawies who opposed Morocco's Green March-the invasion of the Western Sahara. More on that later-November 6th is the anniversary of the green march. "I have always said that, in this country, the rights of man stopped at the question of the sahara. Anyone who said that the Sahara was not Moroccan could not benefit from the rights of man" said King Hussan II.
One of the first acts of the new King as sweeping presidential pardons of political prisoners. Most of the individuals imprisoned by Hassan II were released and given compensation. When I asked about current political prisoners, the only group that might be being held right now are the Islamist but no one has been able to tell me for sure. I did however read that in 2004, athorities steeped in and arrested the heavy metal bands of Nekros, Infected Brains, an Reborn for "moral depravity" and "un-islamic" music. Then again-I did see a guy wearing a System of a Down T-shirt riding a moped.
Mohammed VI took power right around the time a number of other leaders in the Middle East were succeeded by the new generation That includes King Abdullah of Jordan Emir of Bahrein Hamid bin Isa al-Khalifa and Bashar Al-Asad (while not a monarch in name, is one in practice). All three are western trained, educated and progressive.
The monarchy is unusual in two ways. First of all, it is the only monarch in the world to survive colonization. The Alowite monarchy was usurped by the French in the 1920's and King Mohammed the 5th later became a symbol of Moroccan anti-colonialism and independence. Secondly, the king is not only the secular leader-he is also the amir al-Muminin (commander of the faithful) and is nominally in charge of . The Alowite family are Shereef-decendents of the prophet Mohammed (PBUH).
unusual-both kiing and
Mustafa is frustrated with calling the King the Commander of the Faithful. He likes the King and feels he is trying to do a good job. However, he feels the King doesn't live up to his title by smoking and drinking champagne (I couldn't find any evidence of Mohammed drinking alchol and tobacco is not restricted by the Koran-it just is according to Mustafa.) He wasn't really able to explain to me what his objection to Mohammed fulfilling both roles.
"The Moroccan constitution, in all its different versions, was clear about the relationship between religion, legitimacy and masculinity." By law, the King must be a man, the amir al-Muminin (commander of the faithful) and a Constitutional Monarch. (see my entry on current Moroccan politics for the current powers of the king.) Even prominent women in society rarely if ever play a role in this governmental institution.
The current king is walking a tight rope both locally and internationally. He is probably the most western leaning Islamic leader in the world today-partially due to Morocco's dependance on agricultural exports to the EU. He is also viewed as a prominent US alliey in Africa and the Islamic world. He is also a major player in the most important issue to most Muslims worldwide: the Palestinian question. He has hosted meetings between the Palestinians and Israelis while not loosing his Islamic credentials. He has also been a champion of the idea of a Palestinian Jerusalem.
He faces one major issue today in Morocco- Unemployment: Large percentages of the Moroccan population is unemployed. These are not just uneducated peasants migrating to the cities in search of a better life, but individuals with baccalaureates and advanced degrees. There are tales of doctors failing to find employment after passing their boards. In the past, the unemployment has fallen most heavily on the rural population and the uneducated. This is not true today. Starting in 1991, Morocco has seen sever rioting involving high school and college students along with college graduates. The level of desperation is clear. Thousands of Moroccans hand over their life savings and place themselves in sever debt to try to sneak into Europe. Many do not survive the journey and those that do are horribly exploited. Abdelkader, Mustafa's brother-in-law is currently unemployed and has little hopes for a future. The individuals who were involved in the bombings in Casablanca and the more recent ones in Madrid all come from this population. |
The tomb of Mohammed the V. The smaller tomb in the upper left and corner is the tomb of his son Hassan II.
|
The entrance to the courtyard of the Kasbah Mosque near Bab Agnaou. Notice the storks on the wall.
|
A side-street off the Rue Riad Zitoun El Djedid
|
The minaret of the Kasbah Mosque.
|
A door in the old city of Marrakech.
|
A door in the old city of Marrakech.
|
The tire recycling shop. Everything in the shop was made out of old tires, including the penguin in the corner.
|
A herbalist selling potions for whatever ails you.
|
READ MORE-RETURN TO MY HOMEPAGE AND CLICK ON MOROCCO BLOG PART IV
|
|
; "35682/p845688622_25620.jpg")
; "35682/p964424052_25621.jpg")
; "35682/p619605775_25622.jpg")
; "35682/p987806665_25623.jpg")
; "35682/p336158087_25625.jpg")
; "35682/p289142987_25630.jpg")
; "35682/p147543863_25631.jpg")
; "35682/p142270973_25633.jpg")
; "35682/p200535595_25636.jpg")
; "35682/p7987944_25642.jpg")
; "35682/p86305821_25643.jpg")
; "35682/p1449117637_25644.jpg")
; "35682/p724299066_25646.jpg")
; "35682/p180491456_25647.jpg")
; "35682/p1138190870_25648.jpg")
; "35682/p801908563_25649.jpg")
; "35682/p1936606831_25650.jpg")
; "35682/p1466810086_25651.jpg")
; "35682/p123437635_25653.jpg")
; "35682/p1179420817_25654.jpg")
; "35682/p856584197_25655.jpg")
; "35682/p1856714014_25710.jpg")
; "35682/p348659286_25712.jpg")
; "35682/p1528811778_25713.jpg")
; "35682/p824582417_25714.jpg")
; "35682/p915620305_25715.jpg")
; "35682/p310653391_25717.jpg")
; "35682/p352546402_25718.jpg")
; "35682/p67338465_25722.jpg")
; "35682/p98207291_25723.jpg")
; "35682/p1485273327_25724.jpg")
; "35682/p180154014_25725.jpg")
; "35682/p690012338_25726.jpg")
; "35682/p863752470_25727.jpg")
; "35682/p751318294_25732.jpg")