INTRODUCTION
This post discusses the meaning of Heritage and cultural Heritage, Moroccan culture, customs, traditions, clothing, food and Heritage sites in Morocco.
MEANING OF HERITAGE:
Heritage can be described in many ways, including tangibles such as sites, structures, and landscapes, or intangibles such as memories, sentiments, beliefs, and rituals, as well as how they are used in different cultures and nations. Heritage is typically associated with a traditional historical discourse, although it has recently expanded to include peripheral appearances, frequently emerging from people on the periphery of that discourse. Heritage is important for number of reasons, including cultural, political, and entrepreneurial reasons, as well as informative and emancipatory purposes. The use of the history by modern civilization is termed as cultural heritage.
MOROCCO CULTURE, CUSTOMS, AND TRADITIONS
Morocco is a country with a rich culture and civilization. Throughout Moroccan history, it has hosted many people coming from East (Phoenicians, Jews, and Arabs), South (Sub-Saharan Africans), and North (Romans, Andalusians).
Read: REGIONS OF MOROCCO
Morocco’s culture is inspired by Berbers, Africans, Arabs, and Jews, and is a combination of ethnic origins and religions. It has also been able to highlight its customs while concurrently rising modernism, allowing the country to display itself more visibly on the international stage. Most of the population is made up of Berbers and Arabs, with Amazigh speakers accounting nearly 30% of the population. The influence of Berbers can be seen in a variety of Moroccan doings and lifestyles. The spices used are largely Berber in origin, while the cuisine varies from region to region. Fresh fruits and vegetables are commonly consumed due to the country’s closeness to the Mediterranean. Its music features a wide range of traditional instruments, most of which are Arab or Amazigh in basis. It is the home of Andalusian traditional music, famous all over North Africa.
TRADITIONAL MOROCCAN CLOTHING
The djellaba is a full sleeve, long hooded robe worn by both men and women in Morocco. Depending on the weather, a qob on the hood shields the user from the sun or the cold. Men wear bernouse or a red cap, usually referred to as a fez, while women wear kaftan on special events. The djellaba of women is bright in colors, and the kaftans are adorned with jewels. Most of the men’s djellaba is plain and neutral in color. The kaftan, which is made up of many layers called takshita, is a symbol of elegance and sophistication. For casual wear, it’s a versatile garment that can be dressed up or down. Moroccan teenagers are rapidly abandoning traditional clothing in favor of western clothes.
MOROCCAN FOOD
Moroccan food is well made and refined. The most significant feature of its preparation is the skill to cook with spices. The food is frequently a combination of Andalusian, Arabic, and Mediterranean cuisine with some European influences. Mediterranean fruits and vegetables, as well as meat, which serves as the cuisine’s base, are among the food constituents. Cumin, oregano, caraway, and mint are all common spices. 27 different spices are used to make the Ras El Hanout spice. Couscous, a crushed durum wheat semolina dish, is the most popular Moroccan food. The most popular red meats are beef and lamb.
Pastilla, harira, and tanjia are other popular foods. Morocco’s mint green tea is the most popular beverage. Also, sharing this special mint tea with family and friends is a common practice all over the country.
MOROCCAN ART
Moroccan sculpture is inspired by suburb nations and cultures. The Berbers and Arabs, on the other hand, are credited with creating exceptional arts in the country. The iconic crimson Kasbahs fortress, which was occupied by the dominant class, is an example of their architecture. The crafts include colorful carpets and engraved gates with unique designs. Traditional Berber art and Islamic influence have also influenced current Moroccan art. The Zellij, which first flourished in the 14th century, is one of the most remarkable Islamic tile mosaics. A portrayal of riches and class, Zellij was used to embellish many houses.
FESTIVALS
Taburida, or mawsam or fantasia, is a traditional exhibition of horsemanship in the Maghreb performed during cultural festivals and for Maghrebi wedding celebrations. There are also several annual festivals that take place in Morocco, such as the Betrothal Festival in Imilshil, the rose festival in Qalaat Megouna, or the saffron festival in Taliween.
HERITAGE SITES
Heritage sites are found in Morocco than in any other African country. Morocco has nine listed monuments, two more than ancient Egypt’s wonder-strewn land, and another 13 places are up for review. The sites are:
Volubilis
The Roman ruins of Volubilis, which stem from the third century BC, are Morocco’s best preserved archaeological monument. It was founded by the native Berber people before being built by the Romans and is thought to have been the center of the kingdom of Mauretania. The city had a basilica and a temple during its peak of prosperity, but after the Romans lost hold on Volubilis, it became an Islamic colony. Volubilis had been abandoned by the 11th century. The ruins of Volubilis were first excavated in the late 1800s, revealing several well-preserved antiquities. Beautiful mosaics were discovered, and the site was meticulously repaired.
Meknes
Meknes, the lesser-visited city of Morocco’s four grand towns, is an exceptional case of Moroccan architecture and urban design influenced by both Spanish and Moorish influences. The city was created by a Berber tribe and succeeded as a metropolis under Sultan Moulay Ismael, who erected the city’s 25-kilometer-long walls in the 17th century. Non-Muslim guests are welcome to view the sultan’s opulent mausoleum, which features vividly colored courtyards and ornately adorned interiors. Meknes is only a short distance from Fes, yet due to its nearness to one of Morocco’s most well-known places; it is sometimes disregarded by travelers. El-Hedim square, a large square in Meknes’ medina, with spectacular everyday life protests comparable to Marrakech’s Djemaa el-Fnaa. The stately city gate, which is embellished with mosaics and inscriptions, leads to it.
Aït Ben Haddou
Aït Ben Haddou is a red mudbrick structure that is one of Morocco’s finest tourist attractions. It is the country’s best-known and best-preserved icon. The medieval houses known as kasbahs, home to only a few hundred residents, are encircled by tall defensive walls with commanding corner towers. The remarkable clay architecture of it ages back to the 17th century, but it is AïtBen Haddou’s more modern-day embodiments that appeal to foreign visitors. Most of the people have moved across the river into modern residences, and it is this void that lends Aït Ben Haddou its atmosphere of unidentified enchantment.
Essaouira
For its remarkable medina and European military architecture, the walled town of Essaouira, situated on Morocco’s west coast and fronting the Atlantic Ocean, was proclaimed a Heritage Site in 2001. In the late 18th century, Essaouira was developed as a tactical harbor, with its location picked for its proximity to Marrakech. A beautifully maintained medina with navigable lanes filled with colorful shops and fragrant markets is encircled by medieval-looking battlements. The Sqala du Port, located beyond the walls, overlooks a fishing harbor that has remained largely intact over time. The pleasure of visiting Essaouira is lies in its leisurely strolling, shopping, and tranquil ambiance.
Fez
Fez, Morocco’s most ancient and stunning capital captivates travelers from all over the planet. It’s an enticing blend of values, art, and history, having served as a diverse community of Berbers, Muslims from Spain and Portugal, and Arabs. The city was established in the 9th century and flourished between the 13th and 14th centuries. The medina’s primary layout has remained mostly unchanged over the millennia, and it is still the same befuddling network of lanes dotted with expanding market booths.
Marrakesh
Marrakesh, the most prominent of Morocco’s royal cities and the starting point for the bulk of our Morocco itineraries, was a powerful trading center during the 16th century’s political, economic, and cultural apex. The ancient city that you see today was founded in 1062 AD and is known for its terracotta-colored mudbrick walls and architecture, earning it the nickname “Red City”. Since the 1960s, the city has seen numerous transitions; from monarchy capital has attracted visitors. In 1985, the medina of Marrakesh was inscribed on the Heritage List for its extraordinary collection of antiquities.
Tétouan
The beautiful city of Tétouan, located between the Rif Mountains and the Mediterranean Sea, is a one-of-a-kind and ideal manifestation of Andalusian impact and Hispano-Moorish appeal. Tétouan was historically the principal idea of interaction between Andalusia and Morocco, home to Andalusian immigrants who influenced the city’s art and architecture. Tétouan’s medina was nominated as a Heritage Site in 1997, despite being unaffected by other cultural influences and remaining mostly unaffected by mass tourism. While the Tétouan medina is one of Morocco’s smallest, it is well-kept and has a generally appealing legitimacy. The widespread avenues are free from traffic and chaos, however there’s still a sense of the unusual, with local artists at work and stalls stacked high with locally grown goods.
El Jadida
The Heritage Sites of this Portuguese city once known as Mazagan, date from the 16th century and include an evocative medina, towering stone walls, and steep ramparts. The city, two hours south of Casablanca on the Atlantic coast, vividly displays the effects of European and Moroccan cultures, as well as how they were frequently integrated in urban town planning and architecture. The Old Portuguese city is small enough to see in a few hours, with wandering streets that maintain their mediaeval feel and a range of important structures such as the Grand Mosque, the abandoned synagogue, and the Church of the Assumption.
Rabat
Rabat, Morocco’s political and bureaucratic capital since the nation’s independence from France in 1956, is a remarkable mix of the contemporary and the archaic. The city was established in the 12th century and became the capital of the state after an Almohad monarch built a citadel, making it newer than other mediaeval Moroccan cities. Rabat saw a rebirth during the French colonization in the early 1900s, when it was reinstalled as the capital following a long decline and loss to Fes. The Ville Nouvelle (French new town) is currently a spectacular example of 20th-century North African urban growth, along with intriguing remnants of Rabat before the French intervened. The city includes multiple arts and monuments such as the17th-century medina and the Hassan tower, which are the only completed parts of the project to build world’s largest mosque.