Women in Morocco

Prior to the spread of Islam into Morocco, which brought along with it the Arab conquest, Morocco was part of a region inhabited mostly by a non-Arab Amazigh population.Various Amazigh tribes during the 4th, 5th, and 6th century were noted to have been matrilineal, such as the Tuareg tribes of North Africa. As such, Amazigh women were noted to have taken on significant roles in local communities. This was especially evident through the figure of Kahina, who was a noted Amazigh female military leader who fought against the Arab and Muslim expansion into North Africa.
As part of a broader French imperialist project that justified the colonization of Morocco and the Maghreb region in general, European narratives on Moroccan women were fixated on Orientalist images. Dominant narratives described Moroccan women as docile, oppressed, and in need of being saved. Consequently, Moroccan women’s experience of life under colonialism was a result of multiple intersections of power and patriarchy. For example, following a growing trend of French land expropriation, which drove rural Moroccan families out of their homes and land, many Moroccan women migrated to the urban areas in search of economic opportunity, especially in Casablanca.Upon migrating to Casablanca, many Moroccan women were forced into prostitution, namely due to their lack of formal identification documents—a policy that the French instituted.



Just as Moroccan women were subject to a gendered form of colonialism, their resistance was gendered as well. The oral traditions of Moroccan women were a unique form of disseminating stories of resistance, oftentimes inspired by existing Islamic oral traditions of female warriors who fought in early Islamic history, such as the stories of Hind and Sukayna. Moroccan women, especially those involved in the armed resistance primarily in the northern Rif region, adopted their own experiences of fighting against colonialism to existing frameworks of oral traditions that address women in war. The storytelling of these events played a significant role in shaping memories and conceptualizing post-colonial identities among women.

In addition to the oral traditions of women involved in armed resistance, a role that mostly lower class women took up, upper class Moroccan women were heavily involved in the nationalist politics of resisting colonialism. The Istiqlal Party was the primary mobilizing political force in Morocco that rallied against French colonial rule. The party included the participation of various elite Moroccan women from wealthy and educated families, such as Malika Al-Fassi, from the still influential Al-Fassi family.There was a close collaboration between women like Malika Al-Fassi, who were important figures in the political resistance, and women such as Fatima Roudania, a working-class armed resistance fighter. The wealthier women involved with the Istiqlal Party provided educational services to lower class women involved in the armed resistance, assisted in the proliferation of nationalist literature and knowledge production, and provided protection by hiding women who were fighting against the French.

Many of the Moroccan women involved in resisting French colonialism oftentimes looked to the public presence of women in other struggles of resistance in the region for inspiration, such as in Algeria and Palestine, including women like Djamila Bouhired and Leila Khaled.
Amazigh women have had a lasting position in Moroccan folklore, a position that predates the Arab and Muslim conquest of the Maghreb region. It is believed that the tale of Aisha Qandisha has existed since at least the 7th century.[6] There are several variations of Aisha Qandisha’s name, among which include Lalla Aicha and Aicha Hamdouchia. Stemming from the pre-Islamic era of Morocco, Aisha Qandisha is said to have been a female demon that takes the shape of multiple beings, including a half-goat.Aicha Qandisha, unlike other demons in Moroccan folklore, appears mostly in men’s dreams and is said to make a man impotent. Such folklore remains widely popular in Morocco today.


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Traditional dress of Morocco

Morocco is the gem of the North Africa having coastlines on both the North Atlantic Ocean and the Mediterranean Sea. Morocco has tremendous culture due to the inhabitation of the multi-ethnic population. While traveling to Morocco, the colors of indigenous Berber community and Jewish and Muslim populace can easily be observed. The country is a reasonably huge country and its every part has its own cultural recognition.

The Moroccan society is not conservative because Morocco is a peaceful and tourist friendly country. Morocco has no particular rules and regulation about the clothing but the Moroccans have kept alive the custom to wear the traditional dress of Morocco.


Moroccans are overall a stylish and smart nation and they prefer to dress up with fashionable and impressive clothing. Both men and women wear a same traditional attire which is called djellaba; a long, loose, hooded garment with full sleeves.


The women of Morocco also wear Caftan or Kaftan which is without a hood unlike the djellaba. This dress is particularly decorated with the typical woman embroidery upon the dress openings and arms. Kaftan is usually worn on the festive occasions and wedding ceremonies by the Moroccan women.


Another traditional cloak made with a delicate fabric and mostly in white color is known as “Haik” which is used by the Moroccan village women. In addition to that Gandora is also used by the Moroccan women which have heavy and fancy stitching and adornments.


For all of the Moroccan women the bright colored silks and other dainty fabrics are favorites. The craftsmen and tailors apply their special skills to make the women dresses attractive and graceful. The women of high class also use a traditional belt which has golden embroidery and exquisite decorations along the edges.

 Abernousse is a traditional red cap for the Moroccan men which they normally use in special occasions. Abernousse is commonly referred to as a Fez. Both men and women use Balgha, the typical Moroccan slippers without heels and often dyed with yellow.

The traditional dress of Morocco is the true reflection of the charming and fascinated Moroccan heritage. People of every class in Morocco are very conscious about their dress codes. The traditional loose fitting outfits are commonly worn by the folk artists during their presentations while the modern Moroccan population is also much influenced with the Western style of dressing.

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Moroccan cuisine

Moroccan cuisine is typically a mix of Mediterranean, Arabic, Andalusian and Berber cuisine.

Morocco produces a large range of Mediterranean fruits and vegetables and even some tropical ones. Common meats include beef, goat, mutton and lamb, chicken and seafood, which serve as a base for the cuisine. Characteristic flavorings include lemon pickle, cold-pressed, unrefined olive oil and dried fruits. As in Mediterranean cuisine in general, the staple ingredients include wheat, used for bread and couscous, and olive oil; the third Mediterranean staple, the grape, is eaten as a dessert, though a certain amount of wine is made in the country.


Spices are used extensively in Moroccan food. Although spices have been imported to Morocco through the Arabs for thousands of years, many ingredients — like saffron from Talaouine, mint and olives from Meknes, and oranges and lemons from Fes — are home-grown. Common spices include qarfa (cinnamon), kamoun (cumin), kharqoum (turmeric), skinjbir (ginger), libzar (pepper), tahmira/felfla hemra (paprika), sesame seeds, qesbour (coriander), zaafran beldi (saffron), massia (mace), qronfel (cloves), basbas (fennel), Nnafaâ (anise), elgouza (nutmeg), zaâter (oregano), felfla soudania (cayenne pepper), and Ourka sidna moussa (bay laurel). 27 spices are combined to form the "celebrated" Moroccan spice mixture ras el hanout.

A typical lunch meal begins with a series of hot and cold salads, followed by a tagine or Dwaz. Bread is eaten with every meal. Often, for a formal meal, a lamb or chicken dish is next, followed by couscous topped with meat and vegetables. A cup of sweet mint tea usually ends the meal. Moroccans either eat with fork, knife and spoon or with their hands using bread as a utensil depending on the dish served. The consumption of pork and alcohol is not common due to religious restrictions.

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Cuisine of Morocco

Moroccan cuisine is home to Berber, and Moorish, . It is known for dishes like couscous, tajine, pastilla, and others. Spices such as cinnamon are used in Moroccan cooking
Moroccan cuisine is extremely diverse, thanks to Morocco's interaction with other cultures and nations over the centuries. Moroccan cuisine has been subject to Berber, Moorish, Mediterranean, and Arab influences. The cooks in the royal kitchens of Fez, Meknes, Marrakesh, Rabat and Tetouan refined it over the centuries and created the basis for what is known as Moroccan cuisine today.




Ingredients
Morocco produces a large range of Mediterranean fruits and vegetables and even some tropical ones. Common meats include mutton and lamb, beef, chicken, camel, rabbit and seafood, which serve as a base for the cuisine. Characteristic flavorings include lemon pickle, cold-pressed, unrefined olive oil and dried fruits. It is also known for being far more heavily spiced than Middle Eastern cuisine.

Spices and other flavorings
Spices are used extensively in Moroccan food. Although spices have been imported to Morocco for thousands of years, many ingredients, like saffron from Tiliouine, mint and olives from Meknes, and oranges and lemons from Fez, are home-grown. Common spices include karfa (cinnamon), kamoun (cumin), kharkoum (turmeric), skinjbir (ginger), libzar (pepper),tahmira (paprika), anise seed, sesame seeds, qesbour (coriander), and zaafran beldi (saffron). Common herbs include mint and 'maadnous'(parsley.)

Structure of meals
The midday meal is the main meal, except during the holy month of Ramadan. A typical meal begins with a series of hot and cold salads, followed by a tagine. Bread is eaten with every meal. Often, for a formal meal, a lamb or chicken dish is next, followed by couscous topped with meat and vegetables. A cup of sweet mint tea usually ends the meal. Moroccans usually eat with their hands and use bread as a utensil. The consumption of pork and alcohol are considered Haraam, and are prohibited per Muslim dietary restrictions.

Sweets like halwa are popular, as well as other sweets. Cuisines from neighboring countries also influence the country's culinary traditions.


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Moroccan Artists and their Initiatives

Artists born in Morocco or with Moroccan origins include such as Mounir Fatmi. Other artists include Latifa Echackhch, Mohamed El Baz, Bouchra Khalili, Majida Khattari, Mehdi-Georges Lahlou, and the young Younes Baba-Ali.[citation needed]

There are several initiatives from Moroccan artists to help developing a contemporary art market in the country. For example, artists such as Hassan Darsi created La Source du Lion in 1995, an art studio who welcomes artists-in-residence, and Yto Barrada founded the Cinémathèque de Tanger in 2006, which is dedicated to promote Moroccan cinematographic culture. A group of Moroccan artists called Collectif 212 features Moroccan artists such as Amina Benbouchta, Hassan Echair, Jamila Lamrani, Safâa Erruas and Younès Rahmoun. This group is committed to develop more artistic experiences and collaborates with other promising artists such Hicham Benohoud.

There are also promising local artists such as Batoul Shim and Karim Rafi, who both participated in the project "Working for Change", a project trying to act within the fabric of Moroccan society, during the 2011 Venice Biennale.

Ethnic groups and languages of Morocco

Morocco is considered by some as an Arab-Amazigh country. Others insist on the Amazigh-African identity of Morocco.

Classical Arabic and Tamazight are official language of Morocco.Classical Arabic rather than a mother tongue, and is used in a limited and formal socio-economic and cultural range of activities (like newspapers and official documents), in competition with French.The most common spoken languages of Morocco are Tamazight and Moroccan Arabic.

Linguistically, Amazigh belongs to the Afro-Asiatic group, and has many variants. The three main varieties used in Morocco are Shilha, Central Atlas Tamazight, and Riff (also called Tamazight by its speakers). Collectively, they are known as Shelha in Moroccan Arabic, and as Barbaria in the Classical Arabic used in the Middle East. The terms Barbar and Shelha are considered offensive by most Berber activists, who prefer the term Tamazigh.

Shilha (also known locally as Soussia) is spoken in southwest Morocco, in an area between Sidi Ifni in the south, Agadir in the north, and Marrakesh and the Draa/Sous valleys in the east. Central Atlas Tamazight is spoken in the Middle Atlas, between Taza, Khemisset, Azilal, and Errachidia. Riff is spoken in the Rif area of northern Morocco in towns like Nador, Al Hoceima, Ajdir, Tétouan, Taourirt, and Taza.

Most Amazigh embraced Islam quickly, though their non-Arab ethnic and linguistic distinction has resisted the Arab-Islamic influence. Hundreds of Amazigh (Berber) associations have been created to defend their culture and identity in the last few decades in Morocco and Algeria. Newsstands and bookstores in all the major cities are filled with new Berber publications that provide articles and essays about the Amazigh culture and art. In 1994, the state-owned TV station RTM (now TVM) started broadcasting a daily, 10-minute-long news bulletin in the 3 Berber dialects. Berber activists are repeatedly demanding a 50% share of broadcasting time in standardized Berber (Tamazight) on all state-owned TV channels. There is also a national Tamazight channel in Morocco, called Tamazight TV. It opened in 2010, and broadcasts for over 13 hours a day, with an extended broadcast on weekends.


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The traditional dress and Culture of Morocco

The Culture of Morocco has changed throughout Moroccan history, Morocco has hosted many peoples, in addition to the indigenous Berbers,coming from the East Phoenicians,Arabs, South (Sub-Saharan African), and North (Romans, Andalusians both Muslims and Jewish). Morocco also has many dresses like the caftan which is worn worldwide today.

The majority of Morocco's population is Berber and Arab by identity. At least a third of the population speaks the Amazigh language. During the Islamic expansion, some Arabs came to Morocco and settled in the flat regions, such as Tadla and Doukkala. For example, there are groups called Charkawa and Arbawa who settled in Morocco from Arabia. The Charkawa claimed to be descended from Umar ibn Al-Khattab, the second caliph of Islam.


The traditional dress for men and women is called djellaba; a long, loose, hooded garment with full sleeves. The djellaba has a hood that comes to a point called a qob. The qob protects the wearer from the sun or in colder climates, like the mountains, the qob keeps in body heat and protects the face from falling snow. For special occasions, men also wear a red cap called a bernousse, more commonly referred to as a Fez. Women wear kaftans decorated with ornaments. Nearly all men, and most women, wear balgha (بلغه) —- soft leather slippers with no heel, often dyed yellow. Women also wear high-heeled sandals, often with silver or gold tinsel.

The distinction between a djellaba and a kaftan is the hood on the djellaba, while a kaftan does not. Most women’s djellabas are brightly colored and have ornate patterns, stitching, or beading, while men's djellabas are usually plainer and colored neutrally.




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