Morocco: A Cultural Playground

Morocco is a melting pot where cultural heritages from across the globe come together to present a united, diversified welcome mat to the world. One of the best ways Morocco highlights this is through its cultural landscapes. Visitors take full advantage of this setting by intermingling with residents and soak up all that Morocco has to offer on the cultural front.

Moroccan artists and artwork reflects an element of cultural richness. In order to achieve this, sculptures and paintings have evolved from traditional representations to contemporary creations. Traditional style stills exists. Walk the streets of Morocco to find architecture of homes and other buildings displaying traces of traditional styles. Common every day items portray a hint of traditionalism as well. Morocco tradition is alive and well today.

It is a bit of a challenge for Moroccan artists to come up with creations that exude both styles. Artist Cherkaoui relies on Arabic calligraphy studies and Berber symbolism to create traditional pieces. Common pieces include decorating the human body or other available objects. In doing this, the artist succeeds in capturing an intense vibrant representation of traditional Moroccan style.

Melehi, Belkahia and Chebaa are three artists leading the way towards bringing Moroccan art to the worldwide stage. Each of these individuals taught painting to Ecole des Beaux-Arts in 1968 to 1971. Belkahia is renowned for using available resources to portray the possibilities and creating pieces based on individual perception. His pieces showed the artistic community that art exploration could encompass a vast array of possibilities. For example, he would use Moroccan leather as a painting surface as opposed to a traditional canvas–shapes, figures and color accented with natural pigments paints and markers. By doing so, he had modern artists thinking outside the proverbial artistic box.

Kacimi is one artist who took note of this teaching. Artwork and paintings from this artist prominently featured colorful natural pigment figures and shapes on large pieces of canvas. In doing so, the artistic elements gave the illusion of taking flight off the canvas. Following suit, artist Bellamine chose to add dimensions to artwork pieces. Layers of color presented in forms that gave the pieces a transparent nature. This style of artistic painting reflected a creatively deep love by the artist for artwork creations.

Ennadre chose photography as a way to convey his feelings to the artistic world. He snapped photographs of the human body at all available opportunities. This spanned virtually every life aspect from birth to death and everything in between. Ennadre considered his photographic artwork to be a tribute to human life.


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How to Shop in a Morocco Souk

Even if shopping isn’t among your favorite activities, browsing in Morocco’s lively souks is a worthwhile cultural experience. And if you happen to enjoy shopping, then you’re really in for a treat—imagine colorful, regional handicrafts from floor to ceiling and artful displays of culinary delights. Either way, it is helpful to know what to expect before joining the clamor.

A souk is an open-air market. Many travelers tend to associate “souk” with the winding alleyways of the expansive and historic medinas in Fes and Marrakesh. While these two UNESCO World Heritage Sites are among Morocco’s iconic attractions, the neighborhood souks in large cities often offer similar goods and better prices. Many big city souks are open seven days a week, though most have limited hours on Fridays and weekends.

A countryside village might have only a shop or two open daily to sell basic necessities; however, the scene changes dramatically on the weekly “market day,” when the souk opens and residents in and around the community gather to buy and sell anything anyone might need. Expect to maneuver around bikes with baskets, load-bearing donkeys and dusty pick-up trucks.

Souks emanate an energy that can feel both invigorating and overwhelming. The packed walkways abound with opportunities to observe locals interacting with family, friends and merchants. Shopkeepers gregariously invite passersby into their stalls, eager to present their wares in hopes of securing a sale. Each seller has a specialty—leather, scarves, jewelry, spices, oils, etc.—and the goods cover every inch of the tightly packed stalls.

As soon as you start browsing, a shopkeeper will likely engage you in conversation and might even offer you some mint tea. If you’re looking at a bar of argan soap (argan oil is among Morocco’s specialties), the seller may present five additional soaps to consider and uncap bottles of oil for you to sniff. Although visitors may perceive more pressure to buy than they’re accustomed to, avoid the temptation to buy something prematurely. Take your time and peruse a variety of shops; after all, you can always return later to make your purchase.

When you’re ready to buy, haggling over the price is the next adventure. It can take a while. After the merchant states a price, make a counteroffer that is no more than half of that amount (some even suggest a counteroffer of 30% or 10% of the initial price!). On a trip to Morocco with Journey Beyond Travel, the guides are used to (and enjoy) helping travelers get good bargains if shopping is on their ‘to-do’ list. Many merchants initially respond with indignant replies about how your offer is way too low and prices like that wouldn’t allow them to support their families. While those unaccustomed to haggling might find it uncomfortable, bear in mind that this is a cultural norm in Morocco, where going back and forth several times before agreeing on a price is typical. If you know what you want to buy before visiting the souk, you might find it helpful to ask locals—such as hotel or restaurant staff—for advice about a fair price and haggling for a particular item.

Some travelers opt to hire a licensed guide when visiting a large souk, such as those in the medinas of Fes and Marrakesh. A guide not only informs you about historic sites and popular attractions within the medina, but can also help you find any specific items you want and lead you to merchants that are particularly renown for that product. If you opt to wander without a guide, be wary of guides who approach you. Unlicensed guides are often affiliated with a specific shop and will ultimately lead you there. For instance, in Fes you might encounter a young guide who offers to show you around the medina and take you to a tannery. After snapping a few photos of artisans treating leather under the sun, a shopkeeper will soon inquire about which leather goods you intend to buy. It’s not necessarily a bad thing (after all, you’ll likely see interesting sights and learn something new along the way); just remember that you have no obligation to buy anything.


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Traditional Handicrafts of Morocco

If there is but one travel tip Journey Beyond Travel can impart before your Moroccan adventure, it would be this: pack light. After all, the less you pack, the more room you’ll have for the endless number of crafts and souvenirs you’re bound to pick up along the way!

Morocco is a treasure trove of breathtaking landscapes, dynamic colors, and amazing diversity, all of which comes through in its art. Even if you think you’re not the type to get weighed down with trinkets, be prepared; your first glimpse of a Tafraouti slipper may convince you otherwise.

Moroccan handicrafts are as diverse and unique as the country itself, and the perfect memento of Fes will be altogether different from what jogs your memory back to Essaouira. What’s more, what you find will truly be in the spirit of the place. After all, Morocco has not fallen prey to mass-produced goods. Indeed, almost everything you see will have come from just a few yards away, where traditional artisans still ply their trade in small workshops and community cooperatives.

The following are just a few of the goods Morocco has on offer:

Slippers – Moroccan footwear, often called babouches, is handmade from locally produced leather. While they are ubiquitous throughout the country, Fes is the place to find some truly unique and well-made slippers. The famous Fes tanneries supply the raw materials, and you can watch as master craftsmen sew their latest creations in the small shops that line the medina alleyways. If you stay further south, Tafraout is also known for its footwear. However, unlike the more monotone Fes variety, Tafraouti slippers are embroidered in bright, almost psychedelic patterns.

Rugs – Marrakech and Fes are both excellent places to hunt down the perfect carpet. A guide can help you pick out the different patterns, colors and sizes, as well as give you some background on the origins of the many symbols and motifs in use. Don’t rush past smaller cooperatives, though. Many small towns have carpet and weaving co-ops that would happily show you their wares. In fact, if you already have something in mind, these smaller outposts are often happy to make a custom rug to order.

Lanterns – Moroccan lanterns are wonderful pieces of craftsmanship and can truly dazzle at night. Marrakech is home to most of the country’s lantern makers, but you can find them almost anywhere. Shop assistants can often help you track down certain shapes, sizes and colors, so be open and honest about what you’re looking for. Even if they don’t have it, odds are they know someone who does!

Wood Carving – This is where Essaouira truly shines. While wood carvers ply their trade throughout Morocco, there is something special to be said about the twuia wood found only on the south coast, and locals have been making good use of it for centuries. From larger chess boards and plates, to small boxes and children’s toys, sculptors have perfected the technique of drawing the beautiful from the seemingly mundane, and few visitors leave without at least a small trinket to remind them of the relaxed Moroccan sea coast.

Pottery – Moroccan pottery can vary wildly from place to place, but a few cities have truly put their mark on the ceramics trade. Safi is perhaps the most notable ceramic city, with large markets dedicated to their sale as well as a wide variety of shops and styles. Safi also offers a more relaxed atmosphere for shopping, and since the pottery is made onsite, you’re often dealing with the very men who created the plate in your hands. Outside Zagora, Tamegroute is known for its unique green-glaze pottery.

All this is to say nothing of the natural oils and dyes, knitwear, cooking supplies, tapestry, leather and innumerable other finds you’ll come across as you wander through the souks. Like so much in Morocco, you’ll get the most from your market day with an open mind and a little curiosity. Be prepared to take your time, and be open to whatever strikes your fancy!



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