Morocco is
called "Al Maghreb Al Aksa"—"the farthest land of the
setting sun". Very rich in their merging cultures because of their
complexity of roots. Moroccans are Berbers, Arabs, Spanish, French and speak
all those languages. They are sharp, fast, sweet and rude, primitive and
intellectual, very informal and welcoming, great artisans, musicians and
storytellers, and are surrounded by deserts, Snow Mountains, and the oceans.
In Magical Morocco w/ local dancers (click to
enlarge).
What to
see-a Folklore Show and a "Fantasia" at the "Rest
Ali" in Marrakesh, which is a magnificent 1001 Arabian Nights
Palace were we are welcomed by different groups of dancers and drummers in
costumes from different regions, are spread through the magnificent gardens
of the palace. A Moroccan feast is included and the "Fantasia" is
a war exercise in which men on horseback perform acrobatic feats and fire
their rifles during a gallop, all at the same time. The dancers and
musicians go around the tables and pull people to dance with them. In Berber
tribes, music is intimately linked with poetry and dance passing on their
culture from generation to generation.
The
different dance groups were—"the ahaidous" associated with
harvest in alternate circle of men and woman, "the guedra" a
blessing transdance, where the dancer removes layers of veil..."the
Taskiounine" a dance of warriors, "the gnaouas" men musicians
and dancers acrobats...the Rai, North African rap—the young modern Bedouin
version..."the chleuhs men dancers with huge castanets called "karakab"
used to dispel evil spirits.
The
dancers women look as little girls, hold hands most of the time, as a line
dance style, have very subtle movements and do most shimmies boulders. They
are in a covered costume, turbans and lots of Berber jewelry.
The men
are excellent and really impressed me in their dance and instruments, and
looked great in their costumes, beat out the rhythm with their feet and clap
their hands energetically.
A faded
belly dancer gave us only one move through the whole dance. At least we got
one m
The Souks in
Marrakesh and Fez
The Square Jemaa El Fna is the heart of Marrakesh. It's a huge souk
and the largest entertainment square in Morocco. We can see fun costumed
water sellers, trained monkeys, serpent charmers, healers and medicine men,
dancers, acrobats and drummers, young girls from the mountains applying
henna, story and fortunetellers, and by night the square transforms into the
largest restaurant, in rows and rows of smoky shish kabob and delicious
Moroccan food, with the sound of mizmar and drums on the background.
The best
souk is in Fez! It's the largest and the most complete medina and wonderful
to get lost in the 9,200 twisted streets and lanes that have been there for
centuries. We have to share these tiny streets with hundred of donkeys, the
smell of urine and others, bicycles and tones of tourists. It is a pleasure
for the eyes and the senses. We see caftans, babouches, leather, colorful
carpets, wool belts, Henna, spices, rose water, kajal and so much jewelry.
It takes long hours, patience and stress to bargain and to get to a common
price. They could sell much more if they had marked prices. But it is part
of their culture to bargain.
The
Berber Jewelry most in silver is the most beautiful. I loved the ambar,
symbol of wealth and protect against sorcery, and the coral and shells
symbolize fertility. It is influenced by Arab, Moorish Spain, but
essentially by Berbers. The jewelry for them identifies clans, symbolizes
wealth, reflects cultural tradition, have protective medicinal and magical
properties; they would contain charms bought from magicians to protect from
the evil eye-warding off disease and accidents. All talismans represents
designs of animals, suns moons and stars, dots, lines and crosses which have
supernatural powers. The most popular are "the Hand of Fatima"
(the prophet's daughter) is the symbol to ward off the evil eye and we see
it everywhere. The open hand represents the #5 is believed to have the same
effect as poking the fingers into the evil eye with the words (khamsa fi
ainek-five in your eyes), and the fibulas are elaborate brooches in
triangular shaped for fastening garments.
Tattoo-Although
most of the women are face covered, we can see tattoos that are believed to
have healing powers, to protect from illness, designing a tattoo in the body
part where there was an injury, to ward off the evil eye, can indicate the
woman social group, and can recognize a tribe by their different design. The
Berber women tattoo their chin to prevent evil spirit to enter the nose and
the mouth.
Henna is
a magical, vital herb to cleanse, beautify, to calm stomachaches and to
protect. We can see it all over and in Marrakesh in the square they hassle
you to henna your hands. (aprox. $3 to $4). They are very fast and most of
them use a seringue, and after the application they use the following
recipe: garlic-pepper, lemon and sugar.
The
Gypsies or the Roms? The first Gypsies tribes migrated from India West
through Afghanistan and Persia and through the Mediterranean. They
divided-some went north via Turkey, into Europe and reached Spain through
France and others went to Egypt. The word Gypsy is old English abbreviation
of Egyptian or Gyptians. The Romany population has been made up of various
different peoples who have come together for different reasons and share a
common language the "Romany".
The Roms
are multiple in their creativity. For hundreds of years they had made their
livings as public performers, fortune telling, woodcarving, horse dealers,
metalworking and Circus, transmitting their stories and dancing in their
traveling, evolving and taking on the flavor of each culture where they had
lived. Roms refuse to conform to the values of society and meet hostility in
the countries where they have settled. Music and Dance is part of their
daily life and play an important role in celebrating the creative
adaptability despite centuries of discrimination.
Egypt
In
Egyptian villages, a professional dancer is known as a Ghaziya or Ghawazee,
which means "Invaders of the Heart". They are the gypsies of
Egypt. Their dance is very earthy, wear long colorful dresses, hip coins,
zills, and heavy make up. The Belly Dance movements traveled from country to
country. Sinuous arms, head sliding are common moves of India, Persia,
Turkey and Arabic dance. Finger hands are significant in Indian as well as
Andaluzia in the Flamenco. This word means "fugitive peasant" (fellah+mengu).
Flamenco is a combination of gypsy and Spanish dance moves with a strong
oriental flavor. The Zambra Mora is a little form of flamenco that has a
strong oriental feeling. This blending derives of the presence of the Arabs
in Spain for eight centuries.
Gypsies
who performed in the markets, were rewarded by coins tossed at their feet
and having nowhere safe to keep, the dancers would incorporate them into
their dresses, sewing coins on the head pieces, blouses or shawls.
We
celebrate the gypsies (Rom) of the world in our dance. We celebrate their
spirit free and lively. They are the invaders of the heart, the travelers,
wanderers, dreamers, bohemians, creative artists, multiple in their art, the
new discovery, the independence, outsiders, the non conventional, adaptable
and discriminated, tolerant and wild fire, tormented, passionate, sensual,
the pride, the freedom, the non conformist, dancers, fortune tellers, the
mystical, magical, intense artists traveling, evolving and taking on the
flavor of each culture where they had lived and brought us the dance. To be
a gypsy in our heart is to be free. To be free is to express our essence.
France
I 've
been to one of the largest Gypsy (Rom) festivals, which takes place in
Saintes Marie de la Mer in South of France in May. For 3 days, The Roms come
in a pilgrimage from Spain, France, and Italy to worship their patron Saint—"Sarah
the Black". For the duration of the Festival, they dance, sing, baptize
their children in the main church, light thousands of candles, bring out the
statue of the Saint from the Cathedral and take here in a procession through
the narrow streets of Ste. Marie to the ocean and bless the Saint and pray.
The crypt of the church is reserved exclusively for the Roms. They adorn the
Saint with flowers, scarves, and write their wishes in little papers, pray
and sleep on the floor by her feet. They dance day and night on the streets,
and go to the corridas.
The
Gypsy Soul is what but the tormented passion, the pride, freedom, the
strength of a tribe, the wild fire, the playing, the flirting, the loose,
restless and sensual, the expression of our dance. When we dance we
celebrate the sacred within, the untamed heart, the strength of the Tribe,
the dance of freedom, the roots of our gypsy soul. We celebrate the dance
with dance.
Pensic,
Pennsylvania
