THE VIEW FROM FEZ: July 2010

Saturday, July 31, 2010

Throne Day - Morocco's King congratulated

On the eleventh anniversary of HM King Mohammed VI taking the throne, the king received a congratulatory messages from around the world.

"Morocco has for centuries been a valued partner, friend and ally to the United States of America. I look forward to further strengthening the relationship between our two nations, as we continue to work together on our shared priorities and areas of common interest." - President Barack Hussein Obama

In this message, President Obama expressed to the Sovereign his congratulations and "warmest wishes" on this occasion.

In his message, French President Sarkozy lauded Morocco's economic and political achievements during the last year.

"In view of trade and financial globalisation, Your Kingdom asserted itself as a responsible and committed actor by devising an energy strategy, that is eco-friendly and ensures energy supply, its effective participation in the Africa-France Summit and its commitment to reforming the United Nations," President Sarkozy.

The French President also commended the relations between the two countries, adding that France remains the Kingdom's "closest ally" in achieving HM the King's vision for Morocco as well as the Euro-Mediterranean region.

HM King Mohammed VI also received a congratulatory messages from Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Bahrain, Tunisia, Mauritania, Syria, Lebanon, Iraq and Pakistan. Spain's King Juan Carlos also sent a message.

In this message, King Juan Carlos expressed, on his behalf, that of his government and the Spanish people, his best wishes of happiness for HM the King and the Royal Family and of peace and prosperity for the brotherly Moroccan people.

For his part, King Mohammed VI granted pardons or reduced sentences to nearly 1,000 people to mark his 11 years on the throne. Of the 980 prisoners who were granted clemency, five would be released immediately and the others would have their sentences or fines reduced, the Justice Ministry said.

The sovereign on Friday celebrated the 11th anniversary of his succession from his father Hassan II in the northern city of Tangier.

The king regularly pardons prisoners to mark national or religious festivals.

This year's clemency is relatively modest compared with last year, when almost 25,000 people received pardons ahead of the 10th anniversary celebrations.

A Strange postscript!

It seems that national pride in King Mohammed VI's Throne Day has spread to the far side of the earth. The View from Fez are grateful to the Canberra community blog The RiotAct for pointing this out to us. One of its readers is a regular reader of ours - so thanks!

Mysterious Moroccan missive in today’s Canberra Times
By nanzan ⋅ July 30, 2010 ⋅

Has anyone else noticed the very strange advertisement from a Moroccan journalist at the bottom of page 6 in today’s Canberra Times?

It seems to be a congratulations notice addressed to the Moroccan ambassador to Australia, on the occasion of the anniversary of the King of Morocco’s enthronement, from a Moroccan journalist, and it ends “…heartfelt congratulations for this glorious and happy Thorne day.”

Is this ad a code for something else? Does it appear in other newspapers today? Will there be others placed by other Moroccan journalists? And what’s a Thorne day?

Very strange indeed!

The response from Canberrans was worth noting:

Yes – to fathom very hard was it.
Clearly, Morocco loves David Thorne, responsible for the drawing of a seven legged spider.
It is entirely unrelated to the King’s Enthronement Anniversary.

Happy Thorne Day!
WE must all realise that the CT is not worth the paper that it printed on and they have lousy spellcheckers.

To the King of Morocco, Happy Throne day!
I just assumed it was a coded espionage-type message. Any cryptographers out there?
Come on, they wouldn’t tell you if they were.
I’d just like to express my profound admiration for the alliterative “Mysterious Moroccan missive”

NOTE: Canberra is Australia's capital and is nestled in the Australian Capital Territory, rather than one of the states.

Thursday, July 29, 2010

Moroccan Photography Competition #56

Meknes Waterman - Photographer: Enoch Latham
(Click image to enlarge)

The photography competition winners will be announced at our birthday party in October, with some wonderful prizes, including a very generous accommodation package for two in Fez, donated by the good folks at Dar El Menia, a sumptuous meal for two at Cafe Clock as well as a luxury hammam and other goodies to be announced. We will accept entries until September 30th. So get your entry in !

Submit a photograph.

Send your photograph in jpeg or gif form to: theviewfromfez@gmail.com and please put the words "photo entry" in the subject line.

View all photographs in our photojournal.

Wednesday, July 28, 2010

Moroccan Photography Competition #55

Jaws - photographer: David Cruickshank

(click image to enlarge)

Moroccan Caftans - A Royal Parade

Moroccan caftans (kaftans) are closely watched by the fashion industry around the world and now a new wave of both male and female designers are taking things a step further. As one male designer says "I am liberating Moroccan women with my designs". The old values are changing - gone are the full length dresses and the covered bust. New daring designs are making an entrance and it will be interesting to see how they are accepted.

Here is a recent compilation of Royal Caftans!

Tuesday, July 27, 2010

Fez rap music video to premiere in US

A video of popular Fez rap group, Fez City Clan, is to premiere tonight in Somerville, near Boston.

The Somerville Community Access Television is hosting what's definitely the first Moroccan Rap Music event in the town, if not in the whole of Massachusetts. The event, they say, is about introducing Moroccan rap music with its incredible language, energy, and artistry to their little bit of the world.

This is the first music video ever produced for Fez City Clan and features eye-popping graffiti special effects painstakingly crafted by ex-Hollywood special effects artist Len White of Somerville.

Fez City Clan front man is Si Simo (above) who has been rapping in Darija (Moroccan Arabic) since 1999. In 2005 the group won first prize in the rap category at the Boulevard des Jeunes Musiciens Festival and they've never looked back. They've performed at numerous concerts in Morocco and overseas in Spain, France and Norway. Their most recent performances were at Mawazine Festival in Rabat, the Fes Festival of World Sacred Music and at the Sun Festival in Marrakech.

Moroccan Photography Competition #54

Chefchaouen - Photographer: Maggie Cruickshank

Monday, July 26, 2010

Horseriding in Morocco

Riding camels in the Sahara is de rigueur, but did you know that you can also ride horses into the desert, and in plenty of other spots in Morocco, too? The View from Fez takes a look.

It's true there aren't many stables with well-looked after and well-trained horses, with and proper guides and insurance. But Maroc Rando Cheval on the Route d'Immouzer near Fez airport is a professional outfit with excellent facilities.

They not only offer horseriding trips into the Sahara, but also along the coast from Tangier to the lagoon at Moulay Bousselham (wonderful for birdwatching), into the Middle Atlas, around Volubilis and Meknes, to the thermal spa towns of Sidi Harazem and Moulay Yacoub,and into the mountains around Fez. Every Friday there's a ride around Fez; other trips are by arrangement.

riding in the Middle Atlas

The equestrian centre also offers lessons, dressage and a pony club for children. There's a clubhouse and large pool, and if you're horse-mad, you can even stay at Ryad al Faras on the same property.

See the website here.

Moroccan Photography Competition #53

"1912" -Old medina, fez

Photographer : Rita Houari
(click image to enlarge)

"The name of this picture was actually inspired from a comment I receive , the guy was thinking (because of the tones) that it was a scanned photo , taken on 1912,so I thought that it would be a good idea to put "1912" as a title!"

Moroccan Rugs - a Hit in New York

Eric Shanks lives in New York but his favourite travel destination is Morocco's spiritual centre, the Medina of Fez, and he describes The View from Fez as "the best place to keep in touch with all things Moroccan" (Thanks Eric). So, last Friday when he opened the New York Times and turned to page 21 of the arts section, he was delighted to discover that the Cavin-Morris Gallery in Chelsea had an exhibition of Moroccan rugs. He visited, was impressed and emailed us to let us know.

The exhibition, "Rags to Richess: Rugs from Morocco", features the boucherouite style. Boucherouite is a word a word derived from the Darija (Moroccan-Arabic) phrase for torn and reused clothing.

According to Holland Cotter's fine article in The New York Times: The carpets, made by women for domestic use, are basically variations on the humble rag rug, without the humility. With their zany patterns and jolting colors, these household items look dolled up and ready to party; they seem more suitable for framing than for trampling underfoot.

The style developed fairly recently, a result of socio-economic changes. Since the middle of the 20th century nomadic life in Morocco has been seriously on the wane, and production of wool from sheepherding has been much reduced. During the same period, though, Berber culture has come to the attention of the global market, and Berber carpets have been ever more in demand.

Faced with a call for increased output and a scarcity of natural materials, Berber weavers have had to rethink aspects of their craft. This has meant, among other things, supplementing wool with recycled fabrics and cheap synthetic fibers like nylon and Lurex, and various plastics.

With the synthetic fibers came new colors and chromatic intensities. Where old-fashioned vegetable dyes tend to look savory and subtle, machine dyes are emphatic and bright. The first things you notice about the Cavin-Morris show is how visually assertive it is. Yes, there are ranges of earth tones, but it’s the fire-engine reds, the Day-Glo oranges, the post-punk pinks that pop out.

Asymmetrical patterning is the norm in boucherouite work, free-form shapes the rule. One of the show’s more subdued carpets is composed of thin, broken, painterly lines of purple and green that bring to mind traces of beached algae left behind by a tide. In another rug a fairly staid stack of royal-blue and brick-brown stripes is interrupted by a set of nested turquoise and chrome-yellow diamonds that seem to have arrived from nowhere. And things get wilder from there.

Surfaces fill up with fat lozenge and chevron shapes that melt and ooze, Dalí-clock style. Top-to-bottom zigzag bars form gawky, out-of-synch chorus lines. Dense passages of pointillist speckling suggest plates of couscous or Jackson Pollock paintings.

Read more here.

“Rags to Richesse: Rugs From Morocco” runs until Aug. 20 at Cavin-Morris, 210 11th Avenue, Suite 201, at 25th Street, Chelsea; (212) 226-3768; cavinmorris.com.

You can see our guide to Moroccan Carpets and Rugs here.

Saturday, July 24, 2010

Moroccan Photography Competition #52

Photographer: Agharass
(click on image to enlarge)

Moroccan-inspired swimwear shows in Brazil

Sawf News reports that the Brazilian swimwear brand, Cia.Maritima, debuted its Moroccan-themed 2011 collection to a packed house during Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Swim on July 18, 2010 in Miami Beach, Florida.

Designer Benny Rosset and his hot Brazilian models flew in from Sao Paulo for one of the most anticipated fashion shows in Miami. Cia.Maritima has been producing swimwear for the last 20 years.

The 2011 collection draws its inspiration from Morocco and its rich combination of earthy tones, eye-catching jewels and bohemian luxuries. Offering metal and mother-of-pearl trimmings, rich prints and colorful embroidery, the new collection is defined by Benny as "vintage beach chic."

Designer Yves Saint Laurent and socialite Talitha Getty, who in the 1960s both adopted Morocco as a second homeland, fueled the season's passion for Moroccan culture. The collection's bikinis and range of cover-ups – from kaftans to harem pants to tunics – can all be traced to styles made popular by the two fashion icons.

Colors match the exotic hues found in the silks, jewels and metalworks of the Moroccan markets. Light fabrics abound, including viscose voile, cotton crepe, mesh and liganeti.

In the past top models such as Giselle Bundchen, Naomi Campbell and Karolina Kurkova have walked the runway for the brand. Blake Lively, Whitney Port and Denise Richards are among the famous celebrity clients of the Brazilian Swimwear.

While the cover-ups and jewellery featured in the show are definitely Morocco-inspired, the bikinis and even more fashionable 'mono-kinis' are unlikely to be seen on Moroccan beaches any time soon !

Moroccan starter recipe: purslane

Moroccan starters are usually feature cooked vegetables and a number are served to start the meal, rather like the meze of the eastern Mediterranean.

Back in February, The View from Fez gave recipes for several starter dishes (see them here) - here's another made with a common plant, purslane, that's found everywhere in Morocco - and elsewhere. It's Latin name is portulaca oleracea, and in Darija it's known as terjla.

Purslane thrives in poor soil and has a mild, lemony falvour. It has plenty of iron, vitamins and minerals. According to experts, purslane contains more omega-3 fatty acids than any other green leafy vegetable plant. It also contains vitamins A, C, and B, as well as iron, magnesium, calcium, and potassium. You won't find it in the supermarket, but at the herb-sellers' stalls in the medina from late spring to late autumn.

RECIPE

First wash the purslane really well. Remove any bruised leaves, but keep the stems as they can be eaten too. Drain well and chop.

To each cup of chopped purslane, add one whole clove of garlic, unpeeled. Steam the vegetables over water for around 20 minutes until the purslane is tender, by which time the garlic will be cooked inside its skin, too. Squeeze the garlic flesh out into a bowl and mash it with black pepper, a little cumin and a sprinkle of paprika.

Other flavourings are either a little preserved lemon skin, chopped finely, or some salt. Be careful with how much salt you use - add all the other ingredients first, dress with a glug or two of good olive oil and some pink olives, then taste to see if you need any salt.

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Friday, July 23, 2010

Moroccan Photography Competition #51

Agadir - Photographer: Melna Kakje.

Morocco's House of Poetry Award to Tahar Benjelloun

The 2010 Argana International Poetry Award was granted to poet and writer Tahar Benjelloun by Morocco's House of Poetry.

A statement on Tuesday by the House says the Award's jury, presided over by poet Mohamed Serghini, decided to grant this prestigious prize to Tahar Benjelloun in recognition of his talent in poetry writing and his concern over defending the noble causes of freedom, dignity and tolerance between civilizations.

Benjelloun was awarded this prize not only for his interest in promoting dialogue in the world, but also for his significant contribution to enriching Moroccan poetry, the statement said.

Benjelloun has established "a secret dialogue between novels and poems in a way that makes one feed on the other," said the jury.

The "Homme sous linceul de silence" and "Fœtus" are among Benjelloun's outstanding poetry collections. His writings touch on decisive issues such as the Palestinian cause.

The jury is made up of Larbi Messari, Abdelmajid Benjelloun, Hassan Nejmi, Abderrahmane Tankoul, Mohamed Bennani, Najib Kheddadi and Khalid Belkacem.

The Argana international poetry Award was created in 2002 by the House of Poetry in Morocco Previous winners have included the Chinese poet Bei Dao and Moroccan Mohammed Serghini.

The Argan is a unique tree which grows only in Morocco, specifically in the region south of Morocco set between the High Atlas range and the Massa basin. From afar it looks like an olive tree, but as you come closer it reveals a whole mysterious world dependent on its own.

This uniqueness in shape and fruit is what prompted us to name the award of the House of Poetry in Morocco after it.

Wednesday, July 21, 2010

From Fez - a glimpse of the recent past - Nejjarine 1983

The View from Fez would like to thank Joaquim Caudevilla from Barcelona for sending us this photograph of El-Nejjarine.

(click on image to enlarge)

Joaquim took this photograph in 1983 on slide film, long before the extraordinary fountain was restored. He also took it long before the tourist invasion of recent years. It is hard to imagine how long you would have to wait these days to get a photograph without a tour group filling the frame.

As a comparison, here (thanks to Vanessa Bonnin) is the fountain today

Another feature of this square is the beautifully restored Nejjarine Wood Museum housed in an 18th century funduq (caravanserai). For visitors to Fez, if you stand in front of the fountain, to your right you will discover the carpenters' souq where the amazingly glitzy wedding chairs are made.

Morocco - The home of Morris Dancing

There is a slow-simmering debate about the "English folk dance" known as Morris dancing. While some claim at is truly English, others say it is "Moorish". The View from Fez (lovers of all things Morris!), sent Ibn Warraq and his trusty team of researchers in search of answers. As you will discover, the Morris dancing men and women owe a lot, not only Moroccan culture, but more specifically, to Sufi ritual.

A Morris dance is a form of English folk dance usually accompanied by music. It is based on rhythmic stepping and the execution of choreographed figures by a group of dancers.

Harke, harke, I hear the dancing
And a nimble morris prancing;
The bagpipe and the morris bells
That they are not farre hence us tells;
Come let us goe thither,
And dance like friends together.

Implements such as sticks, swords, handkerchiefs and bells may also be wielded by the dancers. In a small number of dances for one or two men, steps are performed near and across a pair of clay tobacco pipes laid across each other on the floor.

"Morris Dancing first came to England in 1367 when the dance was brought back by troops in John of Gaunt's army after the battle of Najera, which is in Northern Spain." - The Dartington Morris Men

Claims like the one above and that English records, dating back to 1448, mention the Morris dance are open to dispute. There is no mention of "Morris" dancing earlier than the late 15th century, although early records such as Bishops' "Visitation Articles" mention sword dancing, guising and other dancing activities as well as mumming plays. Furthermore, the earliest records invariably mention "Morys" in a court setting, and both men and women are mentioned as dancing, and a little later in the Lord Mayors' Processions in London. It is only later that it begins to be mentioned as something performed in the parishes. There is certainly no evidence that it is a pre-Christian ritual, as is often claimed. As we shall see below, the true home of Morris dancing, is Morocco.

Most authorities accept, or assert, that the dance is Moorish in origin: The weight of testimony must be held to show Morocco as the fount and origin, no matter if the genius of our own folk—so very far removed from anything native to Africa—has, in the process of the centuries, altered it until it bears, in spirit, little resemblance to the parent stock.

The quote above is from The Morris Book by Cecil J Sharp, published in 1907 and we feel he is correct that ,while there is still some dispute as to the origin of the term "Morris," the most widely accepted theory is that the term was moorish dance, morisques in France, Moriskentanz in Germany, moreška in Croatia, and moresco, moresca or morisca in Italy and Spain, which eventually became Morris dance. Dances with similar names and some similar features are mentioned in Renaissance documents in France, Italy, Germany, Croatia, and Spain; throughout, in fact, Catholic Europe.

However, where Cecil Sharp was wrong was claiming that it has altered "until it bears, in spirit, little resemblance to the parent stock". The dances performed by Moroccan Sufis would be instantly recognisable to a well-informed Morris dancer. Not only the steps, but also the use of sticks/swords and handkerchiefs/flags. As one gob-smacked Welsh Morris man exclaimed - "It's what I dance!"

Black-face Morris

There are still Morris teams who wear "black-face", but are not always aware of the roots of the dance. Others now use colour on their faces other than black but this is as a more "politically correct" substitute.

Wikipedia has this to say: "By 1492 Ferdinand of Aragon and Isabella of Castille succeeded in driving the Moors out of Spain and unifying the country. In celebration of this a pageant known as a Moresca was devised and performed." While we think this is partially correct, we do take issue with the word "devised". If the extraordinary similarities between Morris and some Sufi dances is anything to go by, the word should have been "imitated" or "copied".

Sticks in use in a Sufi ceremony in Fez in 2010

Sticks and Swords

There seems little disagreement over the claim that the original ´Moresca´ was a sword dance and that the sticks in Morris dance are a residual of the swords in the 'Moresca'. In Morocco the sticks are still in use and for an English Morris dancer to see a Sufi dance for the first time, is to see something they recognise.

There are, in the Sufi ceremony, all the familiar moves, the cross-overs and the stick clashing and tapping. A more experienced eye will also notice the steps are very similar. For a true lover of Morris dancing, it is a revelation.

Long lost cousins - Sufi above, Morris below

An Invitation !

Having set the record straight about the origins, The View from Fez would like to issue an invitation to a Morris team to visit Morocco and dance along with one of the Sufi groups. It would be a night to remember!

Tuesday, July 20, 2010

Moroccan Photography Competition #50

Local boys cooling off in Essaouira. Photographer: Kathleen Bold (Click on image to enlarge)

Monday, July 19, 2010

Climate Change Hits Moroccan Fishermen

Rising temperatures and more frequent heat waves in the Mediterranean are contributing to an undermining of fishing activities and the quality of fish caught. Mohammed Tafraouti reports for Middle East Online.

Traditional fishing has become today a pressing issue as a sector which, if properly developed, could increase job opportunities and alleviate unemployment, particularly in coastal areas.

Workers in the sector endure vulnerable social and economic conditions owed to loss of income and the dwindling of resources, with the harshness of nature and the impacts of climate changes only exacerbating the situation.

These challenges are faced by many fishing villages on the Moroccan coasts, including the one of Saidia, one of the country’s major summer resorts and a popular destination for tourists located in the North eastern Mediterranean coast of the country. Yet, the local population continues to rely on traditional fishing and local crops. The region of Saidia-Ras El Maa houses 42600 inhabitants of whom 76% live in rural areas while city dwellers do not exceed 24%. The Saidia fishermen use small 5 to 6 meters-long boats and operate along the coast between the estuary of the Moulouya River and the city of Saidia.

Fishermen from Saidia

The ACCMA project, implemented in the framework of Climate Change Adaptation in Africa (CCAA), funded jointly by IDRC (Canada) and DFID (United Kingdom), operates in this region in an attempt to improve the potentialities of adaptation of the traditional fishing activity in coastal zones. The pursuit of such goals has become a must in order to develop the Saidia fishing site and enable fishermen to adapt to climate changes such as temperature rising and extreme weather events. The project also seeks to improve fishermen’s living and working conditions and preserve natural resources and the local marine ecosystem in its general aspect in order to develop the traditional fishing sector, facilitate adaptation and better fishing practices against the undeniable impacts of climate change on the eastern Mediterranean coast.

Climate Change and Environment Degradation

Climate change affects fishermen activities by limiting fishing days and influencing the quantity and quality of fish harvested. Other factors of impact include the tourism development in the region and which generates solid and liquid waste polluting the coast and the unfair fishing practices of larger ships.

The Mediterranean coast suffers from the rise of temperatures and a stronger recurrence of heat waves which drive fish away from warmer waters and result in turn in an intensification of the fishing activity and an expansion of the fishing perimeter following the change of seasons. These and different other factors have also affected the species of fish caught and their suitability for consumption, influencing catch volumes and the profitability for fishermen. Furthermore, the frequency and severity of increasingly unpredictable storms have seriously reduced the number of fishing days.

Dr. Abdellatif Khattabi, Coordinator of the ACCMA project and professor at the National School for Forest Engineers, pointed out that the region will experience the effects of climate change. In-depth analysis carried out in the region by the ACCMA project forecasts a clear upward trend of average annual temperature degrees, and a worsening of harsh weather conditions such as droughts and flood and more frequent and longer spells of cold and heat waves. Dr Kattabi explains that according to this study, the region records an annual increase in temperature ranging between 0.6 and 1.1 degrees, a 4% decrease in rainfall volumes, and a 10 to 14% drop in water resources. This might be coupled with the rise of sea level, higher probability of recurrent storms and a disruption of wave patterns.

Faced by such a bleak and embarrassing environmental situation and after an in-depth data processing, the ACCMA project recommended the improvement of fishermen’s living and fishing conditions and building the capacities of local communities to adapt to the negative impacts of climate change.

The Burqa Ban - an update

In a follow-up to our recent story (France to ban burqa) about the move across Europe to ban the full-face Islamic veil, the burqa, from public spaces, there have been some developments, with a clear message coming from the British government. Despite the most recent poll, which showed that 67% of British voters want a burqa ban, the British government says it will not be following France's lead.

Britain's Immigration Minister Damian Green said forbidding women in the UK from wearing certain clothing would be "rather un-British". He said such a law would run contrary to the conventions of a "tolerant and mutually respectful society".

In an interview with the Telegraph newspaper, he said it would be "undesirable" for Westminster to vote on a burka ban, and that there was no prospect of the coalition government proposing such a bill. But his comments will upset some in the British community.

Meanwhile, though wearing of the burqa is not forbidden in Morocco or other moderate Muslim countries, there are some surprising moves. Of particular interest is Syria, where around 1200 teachers who wear burqas have been moved out of the classrooms and given other jobs that do not bring them into contact with students.

Full-face veils, or niqabs, symbolise a conservatism that, many moderate Muslims and minority groups here say, is not in keeping with local tradition.

Most of Syria’s Muslim women wear open-faced headscarves – frequently white – a stark contrast from the all-enveloping black niqab. But the niqab has become increasingly common, particularly in the northern city of Aleppo, fuelling concerns that ultra-conservative interpretations of Islam are spreading.

Now the ban has been extended. According to news reports "Minister of Higher Education, Ghyath Barakat, has given his directives that women wearing niqab would not be allowed to enter the Syrian universities,"

"The Minister has totally rejected this phenomena which contradicts with the academic values and traditional morals and ethics of the Syrian society," one source told CBS News, on condition his name would not be used.

"We will not leave our daughters a prey for extremist thoughts. The Syrians have always shown through history their awareness, understanding and the ability for confronting those bad habits," the source quoted Barakat, the Syrian Minister, as telling his top assistants.

The ban, which was not made public in state-run media, does not affect the hijab, or headscarf, which is favored by the vast majority of veiled Syrian women.

(Photo credit: Louai Beshara)

According to commentators, the partial ban on burqas in Syria may be a sign that the authorities are trying to reign in hardline Islamic sentiments.

The first clear sign of renewed government action against hardline sentiments came at the end of 2008, when tight new regulations were imposed on private Islamic schools. Those measures were introduced after a deadly bombing in Damascus was traced to a private Islamic institute in the city, one described by a former student as a haven of extremist doctrine.

Odd spot! - Reality TV with an Islamic twist.

Forget Iron Chef, American Idol, Big Brother or Survivor, the latest reality TV show to hook the viewers in Malaysia is a hunt for "The Hottest Imam". Ibn Warraq reports on a show that has Malaysians swooning.

This is a story about a TV show in Malaysia, I don't think it is going to be copied in Morocco anytime soon, mind you, stranger things have happened.

They're young, tall-ish, dark and handsome and they've captured the hearts of Malyasian TV viewers mesmerized by their quest to be declared the nation's hottest up-and-coming imam.

Muslims may only make up 60% of the population, but a reality TV show appears to have the entire nation hooked. Contestants on the new reality show Imam Muda (Young Imam) are judged by one man - the former grand mufti of Malaysia's national mosque - and are ranked by their knowledge of Islamic theory, the quality of their voices citing Koran verses and intellectual feats. But they also tackle social issues involving young people, like motorcycle gang members and unmarried, pregnant teenagers. The show has it's own Facebook page and thousands of fans.

Show creator Izelan Basar says they are looking for the ideal imam - one who is well versed in spirituality and current affairs.

"There are two levels of audition. One is to ask him lots about religious knowledge and the second stage is about current issues and current affairs," he says.

"For example what do you know about the environment? What do you know about the monetary system, the economy? That is what we want. An imam who is balanced between the world we live in and the life after."

So if the contenders manage to win through, what is their reward? A university scholarship to study in Saudi Arabia, a job leading prayers at a Kuala Lumpur mosque and a trip to Mecca to perform the Haj pilgrimage.

The show is an odd mix of Hollywood razz matazz and ancient religion as the nation juggles the demands of faith and the modern world. And the show has attracted international attention with coverage in major newspapers and TV shows.

In the Wall Street Journal, one fan, Hafizul Fadly, a 27-year-old shipping analyst, enthused, "These young imams are modern, and we need that. Muslims are very progressive. After 9/11, it's good for us to show the true picture of Islam."

Thought the program has the look of Survivor meets Britain's Got Talent, the feats are unique. In one episode, contestants had to prepare unclaimed corpses for burial; an essential rite in Islam. "It's a tough contest, but if we want to be imams and lead our community, we should expect to face difficult challenges any time, any place," declared one brash contender.

The BBC tracked down some of the fans, amongst the Al Hussaini family. Syed Ja'afar Al Hussaini and his family try to watch every episode.

The Al Hussaini family

"The show is informative because I get to learn new things myself and refresh my Islamic knowledge," he says.

His four children, wife and mother-in-law gather every Friday evening to watch the prime-time programme and love it as contestants turned up at a halal slaughterhouse to inspect whether chickens were being prepared according to Muslim law.

It is a side of imams that the eldest son, Syed Muhammad Shafiq, rarely gets to see.

The 22-year-old says he would go to the mosque more if the imam was closer to his own age.

"The old generation of imams tend to only be in the mosque," he says. "They tend to only mix with the old people, because the way they think is quite orthodox."

A young imam would relate better to younger people and become a role model for them, he believes.

For the record, Malaysians, like Moroccans are Sunni. However, where a majority of Moroccans follow the Mālikī school of thought, In Malaysia the Shafi'i school is the official, legal form, although syncretist Islam with elements of Shamanism is still common in rural areas.

Moroccan Photography Competition #49

Fès: Traffic problems at the old medina. Photographer: Joaquim Caudevilla, Sabadell-Barcelone

Sunday, July 18, 2010

Tanjia: recipe for a slowcooked Moroccan feast

The View from Fez ventured into the souk this week to learn how to cook a tanjia, a traditional dish from Marrakech.

The tanjia is a classical clay pot that is used for cooking. The same word is used for both the pot and the resulting dish - rather like the word tajine. A tanjia is a well-known bachelor dish, and every man in the medina will tell you how difficult it is to make (perhaps it is, for men who don't usually cook!). Ingredients differ around Morocco - in Marrakech they don't use onions; in Fez they do.

the butcher adds meat to the tanjia

photo: Tara Stevens

First we took our tanjia to the butcher on Tala'a Kebira, and asked for 1kg of lamb on the bone. He chopped it up for us, and stuffed it into the tanjia. Meanwhile, we cut an onion into large chunks and tossed it in along with a whole head of garlic, a small preserved lemon and some salt and pepper. The butcher has his own blend of ras al hanout (mixed spices)and threw in a fistful along with some chopped parsley and fresh coriander. Then we added some oil and water, and went on our way.

our butcher prepares the parsley and coriander

photo: Tara Stevens

Our next stop was the spice seller where we added some saffron threads, cumin and some bayleaves. At the olive stall, we begged a small chilli and threw that in too. It was nearly ready for the oven.

The Ain Azleten hammam has an oven next door to heat the water, fuelled mostly by sawdust and woodchips. This was our final stop. On the step of the oven, we mixed the contents of the tanjia with a long-handled lemonwood spoon and then secured some aluminium foil over the top. Handing it to the farnatchi (the man who looks after the fire) at noon, we were told to return at 6pm when it would be cooked to perfection.

And so it was. We went back to the hammam around 6, armed with some towels in a basket for easy of carrying, and took it home. Turned out into a serving dish, it was a delicious feast - the tenderest of meat falling off the bone, quite rich with the bone marrow that had seeped into the unctuous sauce, spicy but not hot. Served with bread and a light tomato salad, it made a wonderful meal for two.

Tanjia pots cooking in the coals at the hammam oven

Here's the recipe for a Fassi tanjia. You could, of course, use beef (or even camel) instead of lamb, and experiment with apricots or almonds, adding different vegetables if you wish. If you don't have access to a tanjia and a hammam oven - a slow cooker or a very slow oven will produce the same result. Unless you can turn your oven down very low, you won't need to cook it for 6 hours.

RECIPE FOR TWO PEOPLE
1kg lamb on the bone
1 large onion, cut into chunks
1/2 preserved lemon, flesh discarded
small head of garlic
salt and pepper
1 tbsp cumin
1 tbsp ras al hanout
1 tbsp loosely packed saffon threads
5 bay leaves
half a small bunch each of parsley and coriander, roughly chopped
a small piece or fresh ginger or a small red chilli
200ml water
100ml good olive oil

Mix all the ingredients in a tangia. Seal the top with foil, and cook in the hammam oven for around 6 hours.

With our thanks to Gail Leonard at Fez Food. Contact Gail to find out about foodie tours of the medina, including cooking your own tanjia.

See our complete list of Moroccan recipes here : The View from Fez Recipe List

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Saturday, July 17, 2010

Fighting fundamentalism with circus skills

When the Nomad Theatre Association was formed in 2006, its founders, Mohamed el-Assouni and his wife, Soumia, probably didn't expect opposition from "the bearded ones" - Moroccans' derogatory term for the countries small but ultra-conservative Islamic fundamentalists. Yet as soon as the company installed a water and electricity connection to their workshop in Rabat, it was dug up and destroyed. As Assouni recalls, ""The bearded ones ripped out the pipe and cable in the night," he said. "Yes sir, we are in conflict with those people. We don't deliberately disturb them, but they say we corrupt the local children."

This "corruption" involved tightrope walking, trampoline skills, puppet making, tumbling and street theatre - dangerous stuff. And all this activity supported by up Morocco's National Human Development Initiative (INDH), Germany's Goethe Institute and the French government.

Yet the theatre school has gone from strength to strength with more than 250 enrolled students and is now getting accolades for its work. And the children can not get enough. "Even when the school is shut you'll see lots of the kids nearby, practicing their dance moves or stilt walking," says 25-year-old dance instructor Khalid Haissi, who turned down a circus job in Europe to join the school.

Photo: Eve Coulon-Pfeiffer

What is impressive about this venture is that it is located in the neighborhood of Douar Mika (Plastic Village), one of the poorest areas on the outskirts of Rabat. Douar Mika is not a pretty area and the poverty is endemic.

For Assouni and his fellow teachers, the local children are at risk from all sides. On one hand the dangers of drugs and alcohol and on the other, religious fundamentalism imported from the Middle East on the other.

As Assouni tells it, "I tell myself that if I save four or five of these children with every residence we do, that's enough. Save? Yes, I mean that. They are at risk of being lost to the streets."

Friday, July 16, 2010

Bouchra Ouizguen - Morocco's contemporary dance pioneer

Contemporary dance is hugely popular around the world and yet extremely rare in Morocco. But that may be about to change with an international success that recently hit the stage at a German festival.

Four women are on stage. Three of them are Aitas - traditional Moroccan wedding dancers adored by men, but often ostracized by their families and the rest of society. The other is Bouchra Ouizguen, the pioneering founder of Morocco's first and only contemporary dance company, Anania.

The work is entittled "Madame Plaza,and is one of 32 performances from 25 different countries currently being showcased by Germany's prestigious Theater der Welt (Theatre of the World) festival.

It is a brave piece. Bouchra Ouizguen's intimate portrait of a feminine world which exists in defiance of family pressure and social prejudice. It is also a tribute to the three women Ouizguen has chosen to work with: Kabboura Ait Ben Hmad, Fatima El Hanna and Naima Sahmoud.

A century ago, Aitas enjoyed a privileged position in Moroccan society. Prized for their beauty and musical accomplishments, they enjoyed respect from men and women, rich and poor alike.

Nowadays, however, Aitas have a very different status. Still a key feature of village ceremonies and festivals, the Aitas find themselves regarded as little better than dancing prostitutes. Men make lewd advances, and women treat them with suspicion.

One of the few practitioners of contemporary dance working in Morocco today, Ouizguen feels a deep comradeship with the Aitas. In a way, she feels, it is the Aitas who have led the way for her own pioneering career path.

"In Morocco," Ouizguen says, "the status of 'artist' is not recognized. It was difficult for me to decide to become an artist, but when these women started out 30 years or so ago, it was even harder. I find their choice extremely admirable. In fact, I take my hat off to them!"

Hats off to Ouizguen as well as she puts Morocco's contemporary dance on the world stage.

Are Islamists targeting Morocco's Amazigh Movement?

Have the islamists become so embolden that they now have the Amazigh Movement in their crosshair? - Morocco Board News

The View from Fez thanks the Morocco Board News Service for alerting us to a disturbing story. According to the service, Moroccan Organizations of human rights on Wednesday urged the Ministry of Islamic Affairs to investigate an imam who has allegedly made "insulting" statements towards the Amazigh language, in a mosque in Rabat. The Amazigh are the native inhabitants of North Africa.

The incendiary sermon was allegedly held after a prayer at the « Al Fath » mosque in the section of Yacoub el Mansour in Rabat.

The ministry defended the imam and denied the veracity of the news. According to the Moroccan Organization of Human Rights (OMDH), the imam in question has compared the "Amazigh movement" to Zionism in a sermon at a mosque in the capital city of Rabat. The NGO did not report the exact words used by the imam but it has requested an investigation to clarify the matter. 

"If Ahmed Tawfiq, the Moroccan Minister of Islamic Affairs, does not open an investigation of this particular imam, we will follow through with a civil suite” said the president of the OMDH, Ms. Amina Bouayach. The OMDH has "condemned the dangerous statements made by this imam and cautioned about the political and religious consequences that are liable to follow."

The Amazigh Network for Citizenship has denounced the incident in an open letter to minister Ahmed Tawfiq and to his counterparts at the Justice ministry, Mr. Tayeb Mohamed Naciri.  

The ministry of religious Affairs was quick to react. In a statement that was sent to the official press agency, MAP, the Ministry denied the reports published by the OMDH and by the Moroccan Association for Human Rights (AMDH)’s president Khadija Ryadi.

The person to whom those words have been linked "is not an imam but a preacher that is employed by the local Rabat council of ulema (theologians)”, said the ministry. Forty worshipers that were present during the sermon have "categorically denied the media reports" in written statements submitted to the Ministry of Islamic Affairs. According to the witnesses, “there were no insults to the Amazigh language or a link made between the Amazigh movement and Zionism”. 

According to witnesses, the speaker mentioned the importance of the Arabic language in the teaching of the Quran, stressing that "some letters in the Tifinagh, the Amazigh language alphabet, could have a Phoenician origin.  The Ministry said that the preacher himself is fluent in the Amazigh language due to his roots (from the city of Taliouine, between Agadir and Ouarzazate in the Souss region in southern Morocco).

Islam and the Amazigh movement are sensitive issues in Morocco. The detractors of the Amazigh movement argue that since the Quran is written in Arabic, the Arabic language is the only one that should be an official language of Morocco.
The Amazigh activists do not see any correlation between one’s faith and one’s language and they point to many Muslim countries with languages others than Arabic.

This incident also follows a recent wave of deportations of Christian “proselytizers” by the Moroccan government that some analysts think is due to pressures from Moroccan islamists.  

Have the islamists become so emboldened that they now have the Amazigh Movement in their crosshairs?

Thursday, July 15, 2010

France votes to ban the burqa

An Islamophobic pro-ban poster

The French decision to ban the burqa in public places has raised a heated debate far beyond Frances's frontiers. On one hand there are the civil libertarians who claim that liberté, égalité and fraternité no longer describes the country, while others (around 70% of the population) support the ban. This may well be a sign of things to come in other European countries. According to recent polls, 71% of Germans support a ban, 62% in the UK and 59% in Spain.

Back in April, when the Belgian Lower House voted overwhelmingly to ban the burqa, the law’s author, Daniel Bacquelaine, a Liberal, said a burqa is incompatible with basic security as everyone in public must be recognizable and clashes with the principles of an emancipated society that respects the rights of all.

In Belgium, local rules ban the burqa, but enforcement is spotty and the new law would outlaw it on a national level. Last year, the city of Brussels fined only 29 women - down from 33 in 2008 - for wearing a burqa—type dress.

In January, Denmark’s centre-right government called the burqa and the niqab out of step with Danish values. It held off on a ban after finding that only two or three women in Denmark, a nation of 5.5 million people, wear burqas and perhaps 200 wear niqabs.

French Values?

According to one French lawmaker who supported the law, it is a way to assert French values and help to better integrate Muslim communities into the national way of life.

She said being forced to wear the niqab or the burqa "amounts to being cut off from society and rejecting the very spirit of the French republic that is founded on a desire to live together. At a time where our societies are becoming more global and complex, the French people are pondering the future of their nation. Our responsibility is to show vigilance and reaffirm our commonly-shared values".

And the view from the street? "If a motorbike rider has to take his or her helmet off to enter a bank, then the same should hold for the burqa".

Researchers point out that while there are only 5 million or so Muslims living in France, only 1,900 are thought to have adopted the full burqa. Head scarves are far more common. However, another view suggests that as so few women among the French Muslim community, the new law is xenophobic and pandering to the far-right anti-immigrant vote. It is certainly a distraction from the economic problems besetting the country.

Tourists Targeted

The law, if passed by the upper house, as expected, will also apply to tourists visiting the country. One can expect a drop off of Saudi visitors. On the other hand, a travel agent told The View from Fez that a majority of Muslim female tourists swap their traditional clothes for Paris chic at the "drop of a burqa".

The Nekkaz Ploy

The French Government may find the law hard to enforce. Police have already expressed disquiet, saying the social implications of attempting to fine women in public could be problematic. And to add oil to the simmering fire, a French businessman, Rachid Nekkaz, is offering to pay the fines imposed on women who do not comply. It is a brave stance, and serves as a warning to governments that think they can punish people into social conformity. It is an intriguing 21st-century take on civil disobedience; in this case, he is encouraging people to flout the law with the promise that they won’t pay a price. Dissidents have found patrons before, but it is novel that an entire class of possible offenders, thanks to generous donors, may escape a law’s penalties. Mr. Nekkaz is essentially underwriting civil disobedience.

Mr. Nekkaz accepts the bill’s ban on the full-length burka and face-covering niqab in publicly run buildings; it’s the prospect of forbidding it on public streets that riles him: “a violation of constitutional principles,” he calls it. Mr. Nekkaz and his wife have put up €200,000 for the project, and he hopes to raise €800,000 more.

In a recent FT Harris Poll, when respondents were asked if they would support the burka ban if it were accompanied by a clampdown on wearing all religious icons such as the Christian crucifix and the Jewish cappel, only 22 per cent of French people said they supported such a move. In Britain, just 9 per cent of people said they would back such a move.

While the majority of French citizens feel burka is abhorrent and can trap a woman in a virtual prison. Banning it everywhere, however, will do little to emancipate women, and could force more of them into seclusion.

The View from Fez welcomes your comments on this issue.

Wednesday, July 14, 2010

Moroccan Photography Competition #48

Photographer: Sanaa Bouchikhi

Monday, July 12, 2010

Moroccan Photography Competition #47

Photographer Tom Mullins

South of Tangiers, in Assilah, a child looks over the turrets onto the rocks below. Prisoners were thrown from the tower behind him onto those rocks by El Rassouli, the Berber chief played with an oddly Scottish accent by Sean Connery in "The Wind and The Lion." The tower and fortress now host an annual art festival.

The photography competition winners will be announced at our birthday party in October, with some wonderful prizes, including a very generous accommodation package for two in Fez, donated by the good folks at Dar El Menia, a sumptuous meal for two at Cafe Clock as well as a luxury hammam and other goodies to be announced. We will accept entries until September 30th. So get your entry in !

Submit a photograph.

Send your photograph in jpeg or gif form to: theviewfromfez@gmail.com and please put the words "photo entry" in the subject line.

View all photographs in our photojournal.

THE VIEW FROM FEZ ~ YOUR WINDOW INTO MOROCCO

The View from Fez aims to promote interest and understanding of life in Fez in particular and Morocco in general. The View from Fez is produced in Fez by the registered company: The View from Fez (Pat: 40461390). Our contributors are based in the Fez Medina and in other centres around Morocco. We welcome contributions from writers and photographers across the country.

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