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Morocco
"Chance encounters are what keep us going." -Murakami

Wednesday, September 30, 2009

Imilchil Wedding Festival



So we rode into the Wedding Festival, tent and poles in tow, hoping to get a good spot. We were riding in the cab of a dumptruck, with a group of locals that we knew from another PCV. Along in our dump-truck were some other people riding in the back, and two steers and a calf. It was a slow ride up winding hills as the cameo was full, so the ride took longer than if we were in a transit van.

When we arrived, the general picture we saw was the above shot. A multitude of trucks, tents, animals and people. It was a super windy day, and due to the lack of trees or other flora, there was a pseudo-duststorm. It was nasty, and I was earning to get into a tent away from the blowing dust that was caking my face, eyes, hair, and teeth (yes! you can feel the layer of grit on your teeth).

The cameo parked, and my fellow PCV Liz went to go and find out where we were going to be stationed. I agreed to stay with the bulky stuff, as it was pointless to carry it anywhere. As I stood there, the guys with the cameo truck began to unload their cargo... the steers and calf. They had tied ropes onto the horns of the steers, one proper on the horns, the other around the nose area. They were tugging on the ropes trying to get the steers to get out of the trucks. They were stubborn, and wanted nothing to do with it. I was standing there, so I decided to help pull.

We finally got the first steer out. I help onto the rope, in order to keep it there and not run off. The steer was bulky, naturally, because they had fattened him up in order to sell him at the souq. He also was difficult. There were two of us to the steer, me on one rope, and another guy on the other. We were pulling in opposite directions, so the steer could not budge. But, the stubborn, husky steer resisted, and yanked and pulled us around. Another guy had a stick to hit the steer, but it was just like a fly, and barely phased the steer. He continued to wait for an opportune moment, trying to get free. He lowered his head and tried to get his horns into me (they were small horns) in order to get me to the ground and stamp on me. He also tried to lever his body into mine. My reaction was to do the same, which seems funny because I was certainly no match for the steer's immense size. This steer was difficult, but I knew if I let go the steer would go crazy.

After a few minutes of this, while the calf and the steer were being unloaded, I finally was relieved of my duty. I watched as they led the group of cows to the area they needed to go. From afar, I saw the difficult steer pulling two of the guys. I found this humorous, yet obviously a steer in a crowd is dangerous. As far as I know, all ended well.

That was just the introduction to the Imilchil Wedding Festival. The festival is due to a story. Basically, a very Romeo and Juliet story. A man and women fall in love, but are from rival tribes. They are forbidden from each other, and wept. Their tears created two lakes (Tislit and Isli), which means bride and groom. They then committed suicide in the lakes via drowning, and the tribes became friends, allowing marriage. That is the concise version (Go here to see the story)

So the festival exists for two reasons. One is so that to-be brides can choose their groom. Usually the brides are widows or divorcees, but there are also young women as well. They walk around the souq, covered completely except for their eyes. They wear the traditional colors, so they stand out. They walk around the souq and talk to people, or just eye people. The other reason for the festival in the fall, is that traditionally, winter here is hard, and it is difficult to get out. So the souq provides a way to stock up for the winter on all the good you need. Now, this part of Morocco is not as isolated as it was as little as 5 years ago, so it is no longer as full as it used to be. Regardless, it was still packed!

The point of my going to the festival was two-sided. Naturally, this is one of the most well known festivals in Morocco, and one of the largest and most traditional. I live close, so I really wanted to go and see it. In addition, some other volunteers in the area and I decided to have an informational tent about the nearby Eastern High Atlas National Park. Working with our counterparts from the Department of Water and Forests, we had a tent with informational panels and pamphlets about the EHANP, and the natural environment. We talked to local people at the festival about various environmental concerns in the area, including deforestation.

The festival was three days, and in the evenings, there were concerts in nearby Imilchil. The weather was chilly and rainy for the last two days, but that really did not put a damper on things.

As for the souq itself, it was huge (see picture). There were all sorts of fruits and vegetables, along with other random goods. In addition, there were used clothes tents and artisanal products like rugs and scarves. There were butchers to buy all kinds of chicken, sheep, goat, turkey, and beef. You could then take the meat to a griller who would cook your food, and you could eat super fresh meat!

There were also animal vendors, where you could buy various farm animals. Animals included were cattle, sheep, goats, mules, donkeys, horses, AND... CAMELS! I have never seen so many camels, and so I snapped a number of pictures.



During the souq, I happened to talk to a number of people. One of the groups I talked to were a group of want to-be brides. I was standing with another female PCV, and she was talking to them. I said hello, and they asked the women if I was her husband. She said no, and I jumped in and said that I was not married. This was followed by one of the women (I say women, but they were more than likely under 18) asking me to marry her. I had no idea what to say, so I went into my normal routine of saying that I was still too young, etc. This always gets a laugh, as I am 27, and of prime marrying age here in Morocco. Luckily for me, Men should be established with job and income, something I do not have. But this would probably be overlooked due to the fact I am American. Even still, it was really humorous.

I also bought my first touristy item, a small half wool/half cotton carpet made by artisans. The origin of the carpet is from near Meknes. It is nice and red, with very nice traditional patterns. What I love about living here is the fact I can ask where something is made, and know where it is located. I also have learned much about carpets here, and it is quite fascinating.

Overall, the Wedding fest was a great experience. If you want to see more pictures, become friends with me on facebook, or shoot me an email and i can send you the links for the pictures. I hope to be posting more in the future, and hope to be posting more controversial topics (about environment etc.). I am reading books at the moment which relate to this topic, and I wish to discuss them with you all!

Much Love, and email to say hello or come visit!
Eric

Book of the Time: Guns, Germs, and Steel - Jarod Diamond
Album of the Time: Kings of Convenience - Declaration of Dependence

Thursday, September 17, 2009

Fasting, and Breaking Fast (Part 3)

This is my third and final post in the series dealing with Ramadan. The first two posts dealt with the daily schedule, and the food of Ramadan, respectively. For this final post I will discuss Ramadan as an experience, and how I feel going through it.

For those of you who did not already know, I have been fasting completely during the month. No food and no water until the evening call to prayer. The no food thing has been easy after about the first week, your body just gets used to it. However, the no water situation can get to be tricky, especially if one is travelling, or in a hot location etc. Luckily for me, my village is in the mountains, and the hottest it gets here maybe 95 degrees. That is few and far between, and with very little humidity. So traveling was the difficult situation, which I will touch on in a minute.

There are different interpretations of the Koran, just as there are for the Bible. When it comes to Ramadan, this can make things tricky. Let me give you an example. One interpretation for Ramadan is that nothing is to pass your mouth during the fast. This includes rinsing a dry mouth with water, or brushing your teeth. I brush my teeth everyday twice (I should do it three times I know). Technically, some people view this as breaking fast. But I am not swallowing anything (water/toothpaste), so what does this actually mean. Other people say that it is okay to brush teeth or rinse mouth out and spit. The confusion also goes for traveling, as some believe if you are a certain distance away from your home you do not need to fast (you do however HAVE to make it up after Ramadan is over). Others feel that travelers should fast as well. In my travel experiences, most everyone fasts. I mean, I live in a country where people can be arrested if they are seen breaking fast in public (Moroccan citizens that is.)

As an overall experience, I was happy to fast during Ramadan, in order to see and feel what it is like. Generally, fasting helps your integration into a community. People on the street ask me all the time if I am fasting. They then confirm by saying “no water too.” They then give me a little pat on the back. We then have a little discussion about how Ramadan is a “difficult time.” Sometimes people will pick up on the lack of energy I had some days, and just pick up on the fact that I was fasting.

Health-wise, Ramadan is not good for your general health. In my case, I would fast all day, and then breaking fast, I would gorge myself, as it was my one meal of the day. Not good for the system to be deprived of food, then given everything at once. Also, most of the food I ate was carbohydrate intensive, so I was not getting my daily amount of fruits and vegetables. So to supplement, I would buy fruit like figs and just eat them at my house. Most Moroccans eat a midnight dinner as well, just before going to sleep. Eating before sleeping is also unhealthy, as your body does not digest the food as well when you are sleeping.

When it comes to water, not drinking it during the day is certainly not good for the body. Your body needs to flush out toxins and needs water to break down food. I found that the lack of water was the most trying thing at times, especially on the days where I had to travel or do work outside. One of the first days of Ramadan, I had to travel through Fes, on a day where it was 110 degrees easily. It was difficult. I can only imagine what Ramadan is like for the people in the south of the country, where it reaches 120+ degree temperatures during the day.

Overall for me, my health was pretty good. I tried to take care of myself supplementing fruits, and making sure to drink water and juices to get vitamins. I got sick one day during Ramadan, and I lost any water I had, and just became weak. I also found that in general, my focus was lacking. Maybe it was my body telling me I needed to give it important things, but I found that I could not concentrate on things for very long. So doing things like reading for extended periods, or writing emails or blogs became difficult.

I do not think that generally, most Moroccans are educated on the issues of health during Ramadan. I heard a number of times that fasting is good for your health. Maybe it is good due to the added assistance of the guy above. But certainly, Ramadan is a very unhealthy month.

There were some really great experiences during Ramadan as well. I mentioned above that people would ask me if I was fasting. I enjoyed being asked this question, as I sometimes would get the follow-up question of “why?” I would tell people that I was fasting because everyone in Morocco does it, and it is just the culture, and I respect the culture and the religion. It was a good opportunity to help integrate myself a bit more.

Also, the feeling of solidarity that I had was great (especially in the beginning.) Everyone is fasting, and so you are all in this together. I would meet people for the first time, and they would ask me about fasting, and then instantly we would have that bond. Knowing that millions of people not only in the country but around the world were fasting created this solidarity. Religions everywhere have things that create solidarity and a support network, but it was a greater extent than I had experienced before.

While most everyone was happy and fine during Ramadan, there were some situations where this was not the case. I saw fights and arguments almost everyday during Ramadan. Seemingly little things got blown out of proportion. There was a lot of yelling. People had very little patience, and would not care if people were ahead of them waiting to buy food at a store or a ticket at a bus station (generally, Moroccans are not known for their line standing skills, but during Ramadan this is exacerbated). There were times I felt like people were just using Ramadan as an excuse to blow up on each other. I mean, I was fasting, and while I felt impatient at times and irritated at times at people, I still controlled myself. So I felt the contradiction that people were fasting for religious purpose, yet they seemed to be using it as an excuse to get aggravated and relieve frustrations.

I think that is all I wanted to discuss. If you have questions about Ramadan, let me know (email me or skype, I have internet now). I learned so much in the past month about Ramadan and the religion itself. It was a great experience to be in an Islamic country during the holy month.

Much Love,
Me

Current Book: 1491 – Charles Mann
Current Music: Kid Cudi – Man on the Moon at the End of the Day

Wednesday, September 02, 2009

Fasting, and Breaking Fast (Part 2)

The food of Ramadan is completely different then I have had before coming to Morocco. While I had technically had eaten everything that is served during Ramadan while I have been in Morocco, I had yet to eat them all at the same meal. So here are the typical foods and drinks for breaking fast.

Coffee/Tea – Drank throughout the meal. Coffee basically is hot milk topped off with a bit of coffee. Tea (and coffee) is typical for Moroccan breakfasts and tea times.

Water – Self-explanatory; after fasting all day, it is important to drink water. However, common misinformation in Morocco has it that you need to drink tea/coffee first. Not sure exactly the story behind this bit.

Dates – Usually, dates are the first thing eaten when the call to prayer goes off in the evening. Morocco is famous for dates, and they are quite good.

Shabekiya – These are the cookies/pastries eaten during Ramadan. It is a mix of almond, anise, butter, and flour and sugar (probably other things as well, but I forget off hand). Cut out and folded, and then fried. After frying, it is dipped immediately into a pot of honey. Then it is taken out, sprinkled with sesame seeds, and cooled. The honey soaks into some of the pastry, making it super sweet.

Eggs – Hard Boiled eggs, either eaten on their own with a pinch of cumin and salt, or else mixed in with the Harira (soup).

Harira – Traditional Ramadan soup, a semi-spicy tomato based soup with small bits of meat, pasta, chick peas, lentils added for some good protein. Usually 2-3 bowls are eaten by people while breaking fast.

Smeeta – This is a dry almond blend, similar to what is in Shabekiya (other than flour and butter). Also eaten at the various celebrations in Morocco and during tea times.

Fat Bread – Yes, it is what is sounds like… I am not sure exactly how it is made, but basically bread that is stuffed with a mix of fat, vegetables, and spices. Reminds me of what a calzone would be like minus the sauce and the meat. Even though it sounds odd, it is fantastic.
Desert – This is the American’s addition to breaking fast. I typically eat with my site-mate, and she makes a mean desert. So sometimes she/we will cook things like apple turnovers, or a pineapple upside down cake, and bring them along. The host family enjoys them, and it is a good way to show them typical American dishes.

So overall, it may seem like a lot of little things, but you basically stuff your face and stomach. After your stomach has contracted all day and you are dehydrated, you stuff yourself until you are uncomfortable. You have a lack of calories and nutrients, and all of the sudden your body is forced to digest. It basically results in a food coma that leaves you feeling out of it for a while, and uncomfortable. I will add that typically, Moroccans also eat a dinner around 1-2am (typical Tajine type dish), before going off to sleep. I pass on that, and just break fast, and then later eat some fruit before I go off to bed. Recently grapes and figs have been the fruits of choice.

I think that basically covers the food potion of Ramadan. In my last part of this Ramadan series, I am going to discuss my thoughts about Ramadan, and the sorts of things that I see and hear around my village.

Much Love,
Me!