Morocco Final

Introduction

Morocco is a relatively small country approximately the size of California with not much to speak of save for their exotic spices and ornate architecture and the geometric aesthetic of its art. 

 A local bazaar
Fatbuu1000, The Moorish Bazaar, accessed August 26, 2016
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:The_Moorish_Bazaar.jpg

However, not much of what is now in that regard is an intrinsic part of Moroccan culture. In fact, upon examination, one can see the nuances of many cultures in the way of life, language, and art of the country including the predominant religion, subtle expressions of European lingual influences, and its overwhelming Arab style of art work. The multicultural and not uncommonly mysterious facets of the history of the Kingdom of Morocco and its denizens is a direct result of its unwritten history and oral traditions, trade relationships, and the frequency with which the country has been colonized and re-envisioned. The documented history of Morocco is filled with influxes of colonization efforts and religious inundation. As for its pre-written history, there are those who still whisper telltale accounts of the early history and lore of Berber-Moroccan culture. However, much of what could have been known of the country’s early history has died with those who told its story.

Moroccan Traditional Berber Music, accessed August 26, 2016,

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6atmpxnUo3U

Oral Tradition and Lore

            In her article, Ramirez states, “In Africa it is said that every griotte [storyteller] who dies is a whole library that burns down.” [1] This can also be said of storytellers, carrying the oral traditions in Morocco. Unfortunately, the oral tradition is a dying art in the country. Sehlaoui posits that ‘home entertainment technology’ and a lack of youth taking up the art threaten the existence of the storyteller in Morocco. [2] Resultantly, some of what has been preserved through the stories of the elders becomes lost. That which survives, undoubtedly, will likely become warped over the years in a transgenerational game of cultural ‘telephone’, adding to the looming mysteries of the country’s beginnings and historic, cultural outlook.

Yassir Chadly "Moroccan Storytelling: Divin TV Guide + Forcing your Fate" (vide0), posted March 6, 2008, accessed August 26, 2016, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3JCA10BZzj8

            

            Part of the repertoire of Morocco’s oral traditions are creation myths – stories that account for the beginnings of the world or of a particular people group. One such creation story recounts two people, born under the earth. The two met at a particular well. The meeting eventually led to a struggle regarding who should drink first, the woman who arrived first, or the man who arrived after. The man struck the woman down. It was at that moment when the woman’s robe fell open that they realized they were different. The two lay together for many days and bore 50 children, 25 male and 25 female, all of which climbed their way to the surface and became the first people “on earth”. However, the children desired mates so they took each other. In doing so, the women, who were ravenous in their mating habits, lay upon the men each time. The men later decided that it was better for man to lie upon women and in this way become their masters. [3] Though this story may not in any way be indicative of Berber (or Moroccan) coital practices, it may harken to the widely accepted male-dominant cultural façade in Africa as a whole (including Morocco) as Obbo notes in Dominant Male Ideology and Female Options: Three East African Case Studies:

The ideology of male dominance is taken for granted as representative of the true state of affairs between men and women in Africa. Whereas every researcher probably knows that ideologies are not realities, somehow that knowledge becomes insignificant when dealing with African societies. [4]

Ultimately, without a documented, widely accepted view of the origins of Berber-Moroccan culture and its indigenous people (the Berbers), few assertions can be verified – whether in discussing intrinsic aspects of the culture or the role and hierarchy of men juxtaposed to women in Berber-Moroccan culture.

Religion

            As it goes with most any creation story, each story is typically the byproduct of a particular belief system or religion. Historically, Morocco is no stranger to religious diversity and influence. As stated previously, this is the direct result of copious invasion attempts and the influence of the dominant powers prevalent at the time. The religious makeup of the country is comprised of several dominant religions: Traditional Berber Religion, Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. The religion widely understood to be first is the Traditional Berber Religion. 

Traditional Berber flag
Mysid, A Berberist Flag, updated March 5, 2006, accessed August 26. 2016
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Berbers#/media/File:Berber_flag.svg

According to Hagopian, the lack of written history and outsider access to Berber settlements make the details of the religion vague. However, it is known that the faith entails magical practices, belief in good and evil spirits (called djoun, possibly a permutation of djinn or genie), and possible ancestral worship. [5] 

Star of David
Judaism Symbol, updated July 11, 2006, accessed August 26,2016

https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:JudaismSymbol.PNG

Judaism, as per the findings of Layashi and Maddy-Weitzman, could have been prevalent in the country as early as 539 - 530 B.C., around the time of the second building of the temple of King Solomon. [6] Supposedly, invited by the Persian Emperor Cyrus the Great, the Jews left their exile in North Africa to return and rebuild King Solomon’s Temple. However, there were some that chose to remain or simply did not know there was a great reversion of Jews to the Middle East. Consequently, toward the end of the 9^th century A.D., legends of the Lost Tribes of Israel, who organized themselves into a powerful kingdom in Morocco, existed and were widely propagated, Mojuetan notes. However, only scant traces of evidence suggest that such tribes exist today or ever existed at all. [7]

An image of Christ being crucified
Bhoomika P., 'Crucifixion' a Collage by Abhinandan, updated  July 1, 2015, accessed August 26, 2016,
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Category:Crucifixes_in_art#/media/File:%27Crucifixion%27_a_collage_by_Abhinandan.jpg

            Christianity is the second largest and second most recent religion in Morocco. Christianity’s spread began with the destruction and subsequent resurrection of the North African city of Carthage approximately between 146 B.C. and 121 B.C. As Roman presence and influence permeated North Africa, and consequently Morocco, the news of “Christ” spread rapidly. [8] 

The name of Allah
Tinette, Islam Symbol Allah, updated July 11, 2006, accessed August 26, 2016
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:IslamSymbolAllah.PNG

Lastly, Islam, has by far been the most impactful religious influence in Morocco since the first Arab invasion in 7^th century A.D. Hagopian notes that “because Islam defined all the institutions of a social system, it has been claimed that those who embraced it became sufficiently integrated to form the basis of society.” [9] She goes on to note that since the introduction of Islam to the country, from “peripheral Islam” in 7^th century to “modern Islam” in mid-20th century [10], the role of Islam plays a significant part in providing a basis for the consistency of consensus on the major human elements of Morocco by way of demonstrating loyalty to the Iman as well as legitimizing the development of universal societal structures that nurture a uniform Moroccan society. [11] The common theme among all of the “Moroccan religions”, including Traditional Berber Religion which according to Hagopian was “not exclusive to the Berbers” and the features of the religion “could be found in Southern Europe and the Near East,” [12] religion was often imported to the country – like many of the traded goods to arrive on and leave Moroccan shores throughout its history.

Trade History and Significant First Contacts

            Morocco, being both a coastal and predominantly arid desert country, has relied heavily on foreign goods and trade. Some of the country’s first instances of contact with foreign nations were trade negotiations. Faure describes the process, which according to his claim dates back approximately 2,500 years, as a system whereby one party will leave goods at a designated location and a second party will arrive later to examine the goods in order to leave an equivalent contribution. Thereafter, the first group will return and either accept the goods offered by the second group or leave them until both groups have offered agreeable trades. [13] Gray and Amine state that “the history of the region of present day Morocco has been shaped by the interaction between the original Berber population and various foreign people who successively invaded the country.” [14] They go on to note that three major innovations in trade relations occurred in Moroccan history: the first innovation occurred circa 1,000 B.C. as Phoenicians introduced settled agriculture and urban civilization. The second innovation occurred circa 8^th century A.D. when Arab armies introduced Arabic, Islam, and Middle Eastern culture. Finally, the last innovation occurred in the 20^th century when the French brought modern scientific and other technological advancements to the country via the Protectorate. Ultimately, each instance of trade and contact left cultural markers and stylistic influences in the art, cuisine, and even language of the Moroccan people, further differentiating Berber-Moroccan culture. [15]

Conclusion

            Much of what remains ‘Berber’ is maintained by the Berber people and much of what is and will be lost of the culture is lost because those who carry the knowledge with them die out. Written Moroccan history is an amalgam of varying cultural influences, permutations of religious predominance, and political emulsifications resultant from numerous foreign efforts to occupy and saturate the land with their influence. In light of these foreign efforts, the modern culture of the country is quite complex, a challenge to distinguish one nuance from another and as intricate as the near signature geometric patterns and colors that adorn the art and architecture all over the country. Regardless, Moroccan culture as a whole, traditional or otherwise, is thriving and strong, just as the sinews that hold the unwritten Berber-Moroccan history and culture close to the heart of the Berber people.

Kevin Billups, Why is Morocco so "Un-African"?, 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xGklrIFoJEw

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[1] Susan Ramirez, “Storytellers and Their Listener-Readers in Silko’s ‘Storytelling’ and ‘Storyteller’,” The American Indian Quarterly 21, no. 3 (summer 1997): 333, accessed August 22, 2016, http://go.galegroup.com.ezproxy.liberty.edu:2048/ps/i.do?p=ITOF&u=vic_liberty&id=GALE|A53542735&v=2.1&it=r&sid=summon&userGroup=vic_liberty&authCount=1.

[2] Abdelilah S. Sehlaoui, “Moroccan Professional Public Storytellers: An Endangered Species,” Storytelling, Self, Society 5, no. 3 (September-December 2009): 194, accessed August 22, 2016, http://www.jstor.org/stable/41949031.

[3] Leo Frobenius and Douglas Fox, African Genesis: Folk Tales and Myths of Africa (Mineola, NY: Dover Publications, inc., 2011), 49 – 57.

[4] Christine Obbo, “Dominant Male Ideology and Female options: Three East African Case Studies,” Africa: Journal of the International African Institute 46, no. 4 (1976): 371, accessed August 22, 2016, https://www.jstor.org/stable/1159300.

[5] Elaine Hagopian, “Islam and Society-Formation in Morocco Past and Present”, Journal for the Scientific Study of Religion 3, no. 1 (1963): 71 – 72, accessed August 22, 2016, http://www.jstor.org/stable/1385007.

[6] Samir Ben-Layashi and Bruce Maddy-Weitzman, “Myth, History and Realpolitik: Morocco and Its Jewish Community,” Journal of Modern Jewish Studies 9, no. 1 (nd): 90, accessed August 22, 2016, http://dx.doi.org/ 10.1080/14725880903549293.

[7] B. A. Mojuetan, “Myth and Legend as Functional Instruments in Politics: The Establishment of the ‘Alawi Dynasty in Morocco,” The Journal of African History 16, no. 1 (1975): 17, accessed August 22, 2016, http://www.jstor.org/stable/181096.

[8] Jane Nickerson, A Short History of North Africa: From Pre-Roam Times to the Present, (NY: The Devin-Adair Company), 30 – 31.

[9] Elaine Hagopian, “Islam and Society,”70, http://www.jstor.org/stable/1385007.

[10] Elaine Hagopian, “Islam and Society,” 70, http://www.jstor.org/stable/1385007.

[11] Elaine Hagopian, “Islam and Society,” 79, http://www.jstor.org/stable/1385007.

[12] Elaine Hagopian, “Islam and Society,” 72, http://www.jstor.org/stable/1385007.

[13] Guy Faure, “Dumb Barter: A Seminal Form of Negotiation,” Negotiation Journal 27, no. 4 (nd): accessed August 23, 2016, http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com.ezproxy.liberty.edu:2048/doi/10.1111/j.1571-9979.2011.00316.x/full.

[14] Kenneth Gray and Lyn Amine, “Doing Business in Morocco,” Business Review 44, no. 3 (nd): accessed August 23, 2016, http://search.proquest.com.ezproxy.liberty.edu:2048/docview/202788669?pq-origsite=summon.

[15] Gray and Amine, “Doing Business,” http://search.proquest.com.ezproxy.liberty.edu:2048/docview/202788669?pq-origsite=summon.

Bibliography

Ben-Layashi, Samir, and Bruce Maddy-Weitzman. “Myth, History and Realpolitik: Morocco and            Its Jewish Community.” Journal of Modern Jewish Studies 9, no. 1 (2010): 90. 

           Accessed August 22, 2016. http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/14725880903549293.

Faure, Guy. “Dumb Barter: A Seminal Form of Negotiation.” Negotiation Journal 27, no. 4 (nd):             Accessed August 23, 2016. http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com.ezproxy.liberty.edu:2048/

            doi/10.1111/j.1571-9979.2011.00316.x/full.

Frobenius, Leo and Douglas Fox. African Genesis: Folk Tales and Myths of Africa. Mineola, NY:                   Dover Publications, inc, 2011.

Gray, Kenneth and Lyn Amine. “Doing Business in Morocco.” Business Review 44, no. 3 (nd):                       Accessed August 23, 2016. http://search.proquest.com.ezproxy.liberty.edu:2048/

            docview/202788669?pq-origsite=summon.

Hagopian, Elaine. “Islam and Society-Formation in Morocco Past and Present.” Journal for                             the Scientific Study of Religion 3, no. 1 (1963): 71 – 72. 

            Accessed August 22, 2016. http://www.jstor.org/stable/1385007.

Mojuetan, B. A. “Myth and Legend as Functional Instruments in Politics: The Establishment of   the              ‘Alawi Dynasty in Morocco.” The Journal of African History 16, no. 1 (1975): 17. Accessed                 August 22, 2016. http://www.jstor.org/stable/181096.

Nickerson, Jane. A Short History of North Africa: From Pre-Roam Times to the Present. NY: The                   Devin-Adair Company. nd.

Obbo, Christine. “Dominant Male Ideology and Female Options: Three East African Case                               Studies.” Africa: Journal of the International African Institute 46, no. 4 (1976): 371.                             Accessed August 22, 2016. https://www.jstor.org/stable/1159300.

Ramirez, Susan. “Storytellers and Their Listener-Readers in Silko’s ‘Storytelling’ and                                    ‘Storyteller’.” The American Indian Quarterly 21, no. 3 (summer 1997): 333.                                         Accessed August 22, 2016. http://go.galegroup.com.ezproxy.liberty.edu:2048/ps/i.do?                           p=ITOF&u=vic_liberty&id=GALE|A53542735&v=2.1&it=r&sid=summon&userGroup=vic_

            liberty&authCount=1.

Sehlaoui, Abdelilah S. “Moroccan Professional Public Storytellers: An Endangered Species.”                         Storytelling, Self, Society 5, no. 3 (September-December 2009): 194. Accessed August 22,                   2016. http://www.jstor.org/stable/41949031.

Change - Borders, Politics, National Identity

                

Maps of Morocco and its changing territorial status
Roke~commonswiki, 3 Maps Morocco, accessed August 19, 2016,
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:3_maps_morocco.PNG

         Morocco’s internal boundary is in between Algeria and Morocco. The country also has political boundaries but they were formed through war. The First Moroccan Crisis was instigated over Morocco’s status. The capital of Morocco is Rabat. [1] However, Rabat was not always the capital. After the French invaded morocco in 1912 (The First Moroccan Crisis), a treaty was signed called the treaty of Fez. This act divided Morocco into French and Spanish Protectorates. [2] As a result, the French attempted to assimilate Moroccans into French culture and educational standards. The attempt failed and was refitted with an attempt to use urban planning and colonial education to prevent cultural mixing. [3]However, Morocco regained its independence from France in 1956 as well as much of its lost territories from back from Spain thereafter circa 1956. After having been divided, Morocco returned to its pre-colonial dynasty. [4]

        In 1957, however, the Sultan Muhammad V assumed the title as king of Morocco. [5] Muhammad intended to turn Morocco into a constitutional monarchy. Given this agenda, territorial disputes resulted. Often these disputes occurred with its neighboring countries: Algeria and Mauritania. [6] As a result, the borders are eventually redrawn. However, in a prior attempt to draw new borders, Crown Prince Hassan, heir of the role of Prime Minister, Morocco’s borders were drawn in such a way that valuable resources were lost to Algeria after Morocco’s establishment as an independent country. However, in 1970, a compromise was reached whereby both nations determined to share the resources in cooperation. It was not long thereafter that another dispute between Spain and Mauritania arose over the Western Sahara. However, Spain withdrew from the dispute. The land was subsequently divided and Morocco won the northern two thirds.

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[1] “History of Morocco,” Wikipedia, modified July 3, 2016, accessed August 19, 2016, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_Morocco.

[2] “History of Morocco,” Wikipedia, modified July 3, 2016, accessed August 19, 2016, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_Morocco.

[3] “French Protectorate in Morocco,” Wikipedia, modified July 21, 2016, accessed August 19, 2016, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/French_protectorate_in_Morocco

[4] “History of Morocco,” History World, accessed August 19, 2016, http://www.historyworld.net/wrldhis/PlainTextHistories.asp?historyid=ac97

[5] “History of Morocco,” http://www.historyworld.net/wrldhis/PlainTextHistories.asp?historyid=ac97

[6] History of Morocco,” http://www.historyworld.net/wrldhis/PlainTextHistories.asp?historyid=ac97

Mission Work in Morocco

            Morocco, I found, being a relatively obscure nation compared to the scope of foci on other more notable or “active” African nations, has very few recorded instances of religious missionary efforts. However, there were a few notable instances that bear mention. Morocco’s religious population includes Muslims (predominantly), Christians, Jews, and Bábís (followers of the Baha’i faith). The most prominent religion in Morocco is Islam. It is maintained that, “according to The World Factbook maintained by the American Central Intelligence Agency, 99% of Moroccans are Muslims.” [1] 

Islamic Conquest
Islamic Conquest, accessed August 12, 2016,
http://www.wikimaroc.com/english/The-Arab-Conquest-and-Islamisation-of-Morocco_a22.html

Though we cannot consider conversion via conquest to be a means of “missions work” proper, it has historically served as a generally effective means of the spread of religion. There was a total of three major invasions during the Arab Conquest. The Maghreb (now Morocco) was overtaken in 700. By the year 711, following the invasion of Hispania, all of North Africa, including Morocco, came under Islamic authority.

In 1901, Maude Cary sailed away for Morocco to begin missions work despite receiving gross criticism from both her peers as well what was then known as the Gospel Missions Union. [2] Despite persecution from both the GMU as well as Moroccans, threats to her life, as well as the imminent threat of World War II, Cary fastidiously employed her prayers and efforts until 1951, fifty years later, her prayers and efforts resulted in the organization of a Bible institute which would train young Moroccan men.

Zaouit el Bir Dades Cemetery South Morocco
Joaoleitao, Zaouit el Bir Dades Jewish Cemetery, Ouarzazate Province, Morocco, photograph, December 31, 2008, accessed August 12, 2016,
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_the_Jews_in_Morocco#/media/File:Zaouit_el_Bir_Dades_Jewish_Cemetery_South_Morocco.jpg

        It is uncertain whether Jews settled before or after the destruction of the second temple (during the time of King Solomon) or whether they came to the Morocco to purchase large quantities of gold or some other legend story, but the noteworthy Arab scholar, Ibn Khaldun, who lived in the 14^th century, noted a significant number of Moroccan/Berber tribes that converted to Judaism prior to the Arab conquest between 581 and 693. [3] However, the earliest evidence of Jewish presence in Morocco has been approximated to be around the 2^nd century.

Baha'i House of Worship
Baha'i International Community, accessed August 12, 2016,
http://www.sacred-destinations.com/usa/chicago-bahai-house-of-worship/photos/4784-800

        For the Baha’i faith, being established in the 19^th century, missions work for the faith began in Morocco in 1946. A ten-year crusade began in order to spread the faith to the nation. The effort resulted in the establishment of schools and assemblies. However, in 1960, many Bábís were arrested. Some received death sentences. Despite international efforts and the outrage at the executions, the number of Bábís diminished significantly. It is estimated that a mere 150 – 500 followers remain in Morocco. [4]

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[1] “Religion in Morroco,” Wikipedia, last modified May 31, 2016, last accessed August 12, 2016, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Religion_in_Morocco

[2] “Maude Cary,” Wikipedia, last modified May 10, 2016, last accessed August, 12, 2016, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maude_Cary

[3] Encyclopedia Judaica, “The Virtual Jewish World: Morocco,” Jewish Virtual Library, last accessed August 12, 2016, http://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/jsource/vjw/Morocco.html

[4] “Religion in Morroco,” https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Religion_in_Morocco

First Contacts - Europe and Asia

     

In the old days, this salt was mined in huge slabs
97. Untitled, accessed August 4, 2016
http://castinet.castilleja.org/users/pmckee/africaweb/kingdoms.html

     Historically, Morocco has been a land frequented by a seemingly constant influx of immigrants, culture, and trade - not to mention, a series of religious influences (none of which stuck as prominently as Islam). The beginning of recorded history for the Nation of Morocco (as it is formally known) began with Phoenician colonizers between the 8^th and 6^th centuries BC. [1] For the Phoenicians, the establishment of settlements, salt, and ore were the main endeavors of their contact with the area. Thereafter, the Carthaginians extended their dominion across much of North Africa and developed commercial relationships with the indigenous people of the interior: the Berber people. [2] They intended to pay tribute to the Berbers in order to ensure the reliable exploitation of raw materials. However, one particularly well known historian noted a special system of trade that the Carthaginians established with the local people. 

     Herodotus described an archaic trade system used between the Carthaginians and the coastal peoples which he referred to as a silent trade or "dumb barter". [3] According to Merriam Webster, dumb barter is "a primitive system of barter in which the parties avoiding personal contact leave goods at accepted locations in return for others." [4] The Carthaginians would typically exchange their manufactured goods for gold.

Invasions of the Roman Empire
Mapmaster, Invasions of the Roman Empire, NY, accessed August 4, 2016
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_Tunisia#/media/File:Invasions_of_the_Roman_Empire_1.png

     Circa 300 BC, Romans moved into and established outposts on the coastlands of the Berber kingdoms whereby a relationship between Romans and the indigenous peoples developed: the Berber kings ruled the inlands while they allowed the Romans to control the undefined territory of the coastal outposts. However, in 2^nd century AD, Christianity was introduced and by the 4^th century AD, Romanized areas were Christianized. [5] Seventh century AD marked the beginning of the Muslim conquest of the Maghreb (the northwest region of the African continent, which includes modern day Morocco). Control of the region was successfully gained in 8^th century AD whereby the vapid and profound spread of Islam seized the Maghreb, including Morocco. [6] However, expeditions were not only led to Morocco but also from the kingdom nation. Though very small and limited in resources, some Moroccan natives ventured out and explored other lands as well.

Portrait of a Humanist
Piombo, Sebastiano, Portrait of a Humanist, January 1, 1520, painting, accessed August 4, 2016
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leo_Africanus#/media/File:Sebastiano_del_Piombo_Portrait_of_a_Humanist.jpg

Reader discussed the account of Leo Africanus. The Spanish-born Moroccan denizen made two trips into West Africa. One trip took him to the kingdom of "Tombuto" (Timbuktu) which, by many, was thought to be home to all kinds of nefarious creatures. However, Reader posits that Africanus' visit revealed a "well-ordered, prosperous, and civilized society in which learning flourished as well as trade".[7]

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[1] “History of Morocco,” Wikipedia, last modified July 3, 2016, last accessed August, 4, 2016, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_Morocco

[2] “History of Morocco,” https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_Morocco

[3] “Silent Trade,” Wikipedia, last modified May 21, 2016, last accessed August 4, 2016, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Silent_trade

[4] “Dumb Barter,” Merriam Webster, last accessed August 4, 2016, http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/dumb%20barter

[5] History of Morocco,” Wikipedia

[6] “History of North Africa,” History World, last accessed August 4, 2016, http://www.historyworld.net/wrldhis/PlainTextHistories.asp?ParagraphID=edl

[7] John Reader, Africa, (London: Hamish Hamilton Ltd.), 1997, 327

Trade in Morocco

Morocco, like many other North African lands, relies heavily on imported foreign goods - goods that come both from outside the country and outside the continent of Africa altogether. However, the Natural Resource Governance Institute holds that Morocco is the largest exporter of phosphate in the world, generating a significant source of internal revenue for its economy. [1] The country exports approximately 50 million metric tons annually which includes Western Sahara (where the bulk of the reserves are holed up). It holds a near whopping 80% of the world's phosphate reserves alone - more than two thirds of total global phosphate production, according to Bloomberg (Business).[2] Alongside phosphates, other notable resources include copper, silver, iron ore, and coal. These national resources are the main stay of Morocco's exporting empire, keeping the economy afloat in, more or less, relative good standing. However, though the phosphate export business is a flourishing cornucopia of economic sustenance for the country, the potential for self-sufficiency, even given the characteristic arid nature of its North African status, is not to be balked at.

   

     With nearly 33,000 square miles of land suitable for growing crops, one seventh of which can be irrigated, Morocco is one of the elusive few Arab countries that has the potential for near total food production self-sufficiency. The potential for gainful cultivation and irrigation of land, coupled with the country's temperate Mediterranean climate, makes it possible for Morocco to produce nearly two thirds of its own grains (wheat, barley, and corn). [3]In terms of sustainability in the North African economic world, Morocco is a force with which to be reckoned. While the use of national resources has changed very little since its colonial times, the way in which the resources are used and distributed has changed significantly.

     The Moroccan government placed economic emphasis on manufacturing raw goods for export as well as the import of foreign goods. This "tit for tat" style of economic management remained relatively unchanged until the 1980s. Since then, Moroccan economic focus shifted to privatizing its manufacturing operations, retaining more of the profits, resulting in a push to increase exports, and encouraging new private investments. As a result, Morocco has significantly lowered its foreign debt and narrowed a trade deficit resulting from trade practices years prior to the country's economic renaissance. But in the 1990s, Morocco had begun to negotiate a substantially profitable, formal trade agreement with its biggest trade partner, the European Union. [4] Over time, this agreement would create a Euro-Mediterranean free trade zone between the two entities. Though this is a momentous first step for the tiny nation, its need for a less dependent economy is of ever-growing pertinence. So Morocco sought to establish other trade agreements between it and other Middle East and North African countries and then in 2004 Subsequently, if not consequently, a trade agreement was struck between Morocco and the United States. The combination of new and expanding trade agreements, economic renaissance, and more prudent use of national resources has pushed Morocco further along the path to self-sufficiency. Over time, such strides may ultimately curtail Moroccan dependence on European goods and finally secure the country's goal of becoming more economically independent.

Bibliography

Bloomberg. "Phosphate: Morocco's White Gold." Bloomberg L.P. Last modified November 4, 2015. Accessed November 29, 2015. http://www.bloomberg.com/bw/magazine/content/10_46/b4203080895976.htm

National Resource Governance Institute. "Morroco." National Resource Governance Institute. Accessed November 29, 2015. http://www.resourcegovernance.org/countries/middle-east-and-north-africa/morocco/overview

Miller, Susan G. "Morocco." Encyclopædia Britannica. Last modified June 25, 2015. Accessed November 28, 2015. http://www.britannica.com/place/Morocco

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[1] “Morocco: Other – Middle East and North Africa," National Resource Governance Institute, last modified November 29, 2012, last accessed July 28, 2016, http://www.resourcegovernance.org/countries/middle-east-and-north-africa/morocco/overview

[2] “Phosphate: Morocco’s White Gold,“ Bloomberg, last modified November 4, 2010, accessed July 28, 2016, http://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2010-11-04/phosphate-moroccos-white-gold

[3]“Morocco: Other – Middle East and North Africa," National Resource Governance Institute, http://www.resourcegovernance.org/countries/middle-east-and-north-africa/morocco/overview 

[4] Abdallah Laroui, “Morocco,” Encyclopedia Britannica, June 13, 2016, accessed July 28, 2016, https://www.britannica.com/place/Morocco

Morocco - Religion and Lore

     

Nation of Islam Flag
Inkskape [CC-BY-2.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/deed.en)], via Wikimedia Commons
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Nation_of_Islam_flag.svg

Ringstone - symbol of the Baha'i faith
[Public Domain], via Wikimedia Commons
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Ringstone.svg

Christian symbol - Ichthus
By Frater5 [CC-BY-SA-3.0-migrated (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0)], via Wikimedia Commons
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Ichthus2.svg

     Introduced to the nation in 680 A.D., Islam is one of two newest religions in Morocco but is also the most prevalent, particularly the Sunni sect. harboring the faith of approximately 31,000,000 Moroccans. The word “Islam” is an Arabic word that conveys the idea of submission, surrender, and unwavering obedience. In particular, being that Islam is a religion, Islam stands for complete submission and unquestioning obedience to Allah [God]. This is the most widely accepted meaning of the word. However, another literal interpretation of the word Islam is “peace.” The word now is conditional as it signifies that peace of body and mind can only be achieved through submission and obedience to Allah. On the lowest end of the totem pole, but newest in its advent in the nation, claiming only roughly .1% of devotees to its roster, the Baha'i faith is also practiced. This religion, coming of age in the 19th century A.D., espouses three main tenets: Unity [one-ness] of God, unity of [major] religions (i.e. Christianity, Islam, Judaism), and unity of mankind. However, although Islam is the dominating religion in Morocco, it is not the only...nor was it the first.

     Bogaert notes that in addition to the 31,000,000 [Sunni] Muslims in Morocco, there are also 100,000 Christians present as well.[1] Dating back to 200 A.D., just a bit over one hundred years after the Roman Empire destroyed the second holy temple of Judea in 70 A.D., which served as a hub for Judaism in that time, Christianity had begun to spread in Rome. And while under the vice grip of a totalitarian Roman rule, so too did Christianity spread to the Moroccans. Christianity is Morocco's second most popular religion and also second oldest. The title holder of the most dated religion in Morocco is held by a religion whose history reaches back more than 3,500 years, and perhaps since significantly before recorded history, is Judaism claiming no more than approximately 5,000 followers. Thus far, all aforementioned religions were "established" religions - religions whose influence has claimed great nations and spread to the most populous corners of the world. However, Berber people, the arguably indigenous people to the nation of Morocco, have maintained their own religious traditions - rightly called, Traditional Berber Religion.

David Jones [CC-BY-2.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/deed.en)], via Wikimedia Commons
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Reflecting_cavern_lake.jpg

     Jimmy Kirby, a graduate student of Africana Studies of Cornell University, pairs one creation story to the Traditional Berber Religion. The story belongs to the Kabyl people of the Amazigah (Berbers). [2] The lore goes as such: There was a man and a woman who lived within the earth. They were the first and only and neither knew that the other was of the opposite sex. One day, they came to a well to drink. The man wanted to drink first but the woman insisted she drink because she arrived first. He pressed her and she struck him and he struck her back - her robe fell open and the man noticed her nakedness was different than his. When he asked what it was, she said it was good. The man laid upon her for eight days and from then on, the woman birthed 4 boys and 4 girls alternately until they had 50 children. Not knowing what to do with all of their children, the Firsts sent them all away where they discovered holes in the earth that lead to the sky. They left the underground and became the first people "on earth". 

     Belcher recounts an origin myth of the Iwillimiden people of the Tuareg, a nomadic Berber people group. The story tells of group of travelling merchants who have 7 slave girls in their caravan. Once they reached the region of Taylalt, the were joined by a holy man and some time after came to a valley. The man warned them not to camp there despite how inviting the valley appeared but the merchants disregarded the holy man. At the end of the day they reached the valley. The travelers were pleased with the campsite so they rested there over night. The next day they resumed their journey. As the journey progressed, the merchants noticed that the women had become pregnant! Each seemed to be inhabited by a spirit (likely the Jinn which inhabited the valley in which they slept). The merchants remembered the holy man's warning. At this, they abandoned the women at an oasis where they all gave birth. Their children became the Iwillimiden people of the Tuareg. [3] This story and many others have stayed with the Berbers being maintained through oral tradition. The impact of Christianity occurred around the time the Romans occupied Morocco when Christianity was spreading in Rome. However, as Islam began to spread rapidly after the Islamic Conquests, and the Romans were no longer a prevalent force in the nation, Islam very quickly became the dominant religion of Morocco.

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[1] Koenraad Bogaert, “The Revolt of Small Towns: The Meaning of Morocco’s History and the Geography of Social Protests,” Review of African Political Economy 42, no. 143 (September 2014): 136, accessed July 21, 2016, http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/03056244.2014.918536

[2] Jimmy Kirby Jr., “Creation Stories: Uniting Humanity to Induce a Holistic Understanding of the African Worldview (master’s thesis, Cornell University, 2009), 8, accessed July 21 2016, http://africana.library.cornell.edu/sites/default/files/imported/lecture/kirby.pdf .

[3] Stephen Belcher, African Myths of Origin (London: Penguin Books, 2005), 446.

Oral Traditions - Morocco

     

     Oral, non-written records in Morocco have been an integral part of its culture for over a millennium. But with the advent of social media, reality tv, and other mediums of mass media, the precious art form is dying away and there are few left who are able to tell the tales of old. Storytelling masters would often travel around the kingdom telling tales, fables, and myths in exchange for a few dirhams (Moroccan currency which is about the equivalent of a quarter), while women would rock their children to sleep with parables of virtue and moral uprightness. While some stories were written on paper, as most historical documents are, many others were passed down as oral tradition - through spoken word. It is because of the oral method of preservation that many tales are now in danger of vanishing forever.

     In Moroccan Professional Public Storytellers: An Endangered Species, Sehlaoui shares that "there is a saying in Marrakech that 'when a storyteller dies, a library burns'. For most of the stories exist only in the heads of their narrators, who take their repertoire to the grave"[1]. Moroccan public storytelling is part of a rich Moroccan oral tradition. The domain of Moroccan oral traditions and expressions encompass a variety of forms, including proverbs, riddles, tales, nursery rhymes, legends, myths, epic songs, poems, charms, prayers, chants, songs, and other dramatic performances. Storytelling, like other forms of this oral tradition, transmits knowledge, values, and collective memory and plays an essential role in the cultural vitality of Moroccan society. Sehlaoui goes on to say, "narratives serve an essential purpose: they remind us of our duties and obligations, reasserts our identity, and it reinforces our values and gives meaning to our daily goings on"[2]

     Every aspect of the language of public storytellers conveys a message. The choice of vocabulary, for example, conveys considerable sociolinguistic information. Not all unwritten history is oral tradition-based. Some forms include musical recitation or musical renditions of historical events. Attached is a clip of a piece called "The Desert Song" written by Sigmund Romberg, chronicling the uprising of the Riffs, a group of Moroccan fighters, against French colonial rule[3]. The significance of this piece is its retelling of the Rif War - a war that ultimately ended in Moroccan defeat whereby Spanish Morocco was retaken by France and Spain, who outnumbered them.

Bibliography

Sehlaoui, Abdelilah. S. Moroccan Professional Public Storytellers: An 

     Endangered Species." In Storytelling, Self, Society. Vol. 5, No. 3.
     193 - 217. Emporia, KS: Wayne State University Press, 2009.

Romberg, Sigmund. “The Desert Song” (video). Accessed July 15, 2016.                  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LgmKieKYQ8Y

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[1] Abdelilah Sehlaoui, “Moroccan professional public storytellers: An endangered species,” in Storytelling, Self, Society, (Emporia, KS: Wayne State University Press, 2009), 194.

[2] Sehlaoui, “Moroccan professional public storytellers: An endangered species,” 206

[3] Sigmund Romberg, “The Desert Song” (video), Accessed July 15, 2016, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LgmKieKYQ8Y