3 things I discovered in Morocco
My husband and I recently traveled to Morocco and had the best time there! The people are nice, the country is beautiful and so very rich in culture! I don't think anyone can visit this place and write only one post about it. There are so many things to see, food to taste and culture to learn! I have been to many countries before, but Morocco has become my recent favourite.
The first thing I noticed upon arriving in this beautiful country was how colorful their life is. Once you exit the airport grounds, you are surrounded by vibrant colors and intricate designs. Moroccan craftsmanship is one of a kind! Their artistic and cultural expression is evident in every corner of this gorgeous place. You will see their creativity and how there is no limit to their imagination. From the lively colors of the tiles, and the intricate wood carvings, to the designs of their doors, the ingenuity is never-ending!
When we first went around town, I noticed that most of their doors were always intricately designed. They mostly had a horseshoe arch and wood carvings or zellige tilework around them. Even bathroom tiles and doors were artistically planned. It is such a treat to the eyes and to the soul to witness such beauty created by the hands of the Moroccan people. I walked around town telling my husband to learn a new skill because I wanted all the doors in our home updated with a Moroccan design. The ceilings were also beautifully enhanced. It is said that when they first constructed their homes, they worked to finish the ceilings first with paintings or tilework. So when they lay their heads down at night, they can appreciate the beauty of their work and inspire them to finish their homes with more expressive plans laid out.
The second thing I discovered in Morocco is how simple life is. As we drove through the countryside on the way to the city of Fes, we passed by numerous olive groves and saw people manually harvest olives. No fancy machines to aid them in gathering 15-20 kilos of olives from one tree. Olive trees take about five years before bearing fruit and will yield in full at around seven years. Imagine the kind of patience to do this, the knowledge that has been passed down through generations, and to teach your children to harvest traditionally. Olives are a staple in Moroccan cuisine. They are used as oils and garnish for their food. In rural areas of Morocco, they still use a traditional olive press to produce olive oil. Along the mountainside, we saw several of these olive presses and imagined ourselves having to harvest our olives to get oil for cooking and eating.
There is such an innate beauty in watching people operate this way to keep old traditions alive. I always wondered why we are always in a rush to erase the past with modern technology and modern values. Out here in the West, we are so busy hustling! People are always moving as if time is chasing us all day. There is no time to sit, or even take a breath from the stresses of life. Is it because we learned to be this way from our parents? Or is it because our culture is just different out here in the West? I think we would benefit from looking into our personal lives to see what we can change in our habits and routines and maybe find the balance between productivity and rest.
Sometimes, I think we miss the mark by disregarding old values and traditions. These are things that keep us grounded and enable us to find beauty in simplicity.
Lastly, I have found a better understanding of Islamic traditions after my visit there. I am not saying I fully understand their religious beliefs, but what I have gathered is that their values are deeply rooted in their faith. This trip has allowed me to take a peek into traditional Islamic traditions.
One of the first things you will notice in Morocco, is that the women dress conservatively, especially in the rural areas. Their traditional clothing varies in style in different cities, but most commonly, their heads are covered with a hijab, and their arms and legs are covered as well. When we were at the Fez Palais Royale, I remember seeing a young girl in a short, red dress with spaghetti straps, taking pictures with her friends. Everyone was staring at her, as she stood out like a sore thumb. I even heard one tourist say, "I guess she missed the memo." Naturally, this type of attire is common where I'm from, but not in an Islamic country, where the women mostly dress conservatively, keeping up with old traditional values.
Whenever we were in town, big or small cities, we heard the Islamic call to prayer, called the Adhan. You will hear this near mosques everywhere in Morocco. The call to prayer is broadcast five times a day. Inside the medinas, you will see their mosques bustling with people going in and out throughout the day. When we visited Hassan II Mosque in Casablanca, this was where I felt the most conviction as a woman of faith. This mosque was beautifully designed, and its grandeur holds twenty-five thousand people inside and eighty thousand outside, the biggest mosque in Morocco. Islamic faith only requires 3.5% of their income when it comes to giving and yet, the Moroccans contributed so much money to finish this mosque. It cost an estimated 585 million euros to build and was completed in 1993. Imagine what that cost would be if it was finished today.
Modern, western Christians today struggle to give money to their church. Albeit, that the Christian faith giving of tithe or 10%, might seem a lot to many people, but it doesn't shy away from the fact the Moroccans gave out of faithfulness. I had prayed at this moment of realization, that Christians would desire to give as abundantly as the Moroccans have for their mosque. Our goals as Christians can also be accomplished if we unite as a people; not as a religion divided into many denominations.
If you are ever thinking of visiting Morocco, I say go for it! My musings on this blogpost is just a tiny bit of what I experienced and of what I took home from my visit. I hope that you have also gained something from this post and that I have somewhat convinced you to pack your bags and just go! Let me know what you think!
