A major societal change came in 2004, with the overhaul of Morocco's Mudawanna legal code. Revising these laws guaranteed women crucial rights with regard to custody, divorce, property ownership and child support, among other protections. The direction of travel hasn't been universally smooth, however. In 2012, Moroccan society was shocked by the case of a 16-year-old girl who committed suicide after being forced to marry her rapist, drawing attention to a clause in the law that allowed a man to be 'forgiven' his crime by marrying his victim. The law was amended after a public outcry, but although the legal age of marriage remains 18 years, child marriages may still be allowed if a special dispensation is given by an Islamic judge.
The modern Moroccan woman’s outlook extends far beyond her front door, and female visitors will meet Moroccan women eager to chat, compare life experiences and share perspectives on world events. Male-female interactions are still sometimes stilted by social convention (though you’ll surely notice couples meeting in parks, at cafes and via webcam), but conversations about hijab that obsess the media in some parts of the world seem less relevant here, where you'll see a devout young woman covering her hair walking with a friend with free-flowing hair and another wrapped up in a headscarf worn purely as a fashion statement. These are young Moroccan women on the move, commuting to work on motor scooters, taking over sidewalks on arm-in-arm evening strolls, and running for key government positions.
Best-selling Moroccan feminist writer Fatima Mernissi exposes telling differences and uncanny similarities in the ideals of women in Europe and the Middle East in Scheherazade Goes West: Different Cultures, Different Harems.
Social Behaviour
At times it can feel as if there is one rule for behaviour in public and another for private. The key word is discretion. A decade ago, Morocco's gay community was beginning to seek tentative public approbation, but a conservative shift has seen a number of high-profile prosecutions (some including foreigners) and a shutting of the closet door. Morocco's relationship with alcohol can feel similarly complicated: despite the popularity of bars and a booming brewing industry aimed almost entirely at a domestic market, a traveller who accidentally clinks his bottles together while getting in a petit taxi to go to a medina is liable to be asked to get out, as medinas are seen as more socially and religiously conservative. Yet with proper discretion, there is plenty of latitude when it comes to socially acceptable behaviour.
To avoid conflict, French Resident-Général Lyautey banned non-Muslims from mosques in Morocco. Moroccans appreciated the privacy so much that they ousted the French from Morocco, and kept the ban.
Religion
Morocco is 99% Muslim. Christian and Jewish communities have existed here for centuries, although in recent years their numbers have dwindled.
Although the Moroccan constitution guarantees freedom of religion, it is illegal to proselytise for Christianity or own a Bible translated into Arabic.
The Five Pillars of Islam
Soaring minarets, shimmering mosaics, intricate calligraphy, the muezzin’s call to prayer: much of what thrills visitors in Morocco today is inspired by a deep faith in Islam. Islam is built on five pillars: shahada, the affirmation of faith in God and God’s word entrusted to the Prophet Mohammed; salat (prayer), ideally performed five times daily; zakat (charity), a moral obligation to give to those in need; sawm, the daytime fasting practised during the month of Ramadan; and haj, the pilgrimage to Mecca that is the culmination of lifelong faith for Muslims.
Farida ben Lyzaid’s film A Door to the Sky tells the story of an émigré’s return to Morocco, and her delicate balancing act between activism and tradition.
Moroccan Islam
While all Muslims agree on these basic tenets received by the Prophet Mohammed, doctrinal disagreements ensued after his death. The Umayyads challenged his son-in-law Ali’s claim to the title of caliph, or leader of the faithful. Some Muslims continued to recognise only successors of Ali; today they are known as Shiites. But in numerical terms, the Umayyad caliphate’s Sunni Muslim practice is more common today.
It was the Umayyads who brought Islam to Morocco at the end of the 7th century, and hence Morocco today is almost entirely Sunni. Morocco's ruling Alawite dynasty claims descent from the Prophet Mohammed, and King Mohammed VI holds the unusual position of Amir al-Mumineen, (Commander of the Faithful), making him the spiritual leader of the country as well as head of state.
Morocco follows the Maliki school of Sunni thought. Historically this school has been less strict, with Maliki qaids (judges) applying the sharia (religious code) according to local custom instead of absolutist rule of law. This applies mainly in the case of family law (mudawanna) such as marriage and inheritance.
THE FOREIGNERS NEXT DOOR
With an attractive climate and exchange rate, Morocco has 100,000 foreign residents – and counting. Many Moroccan emigrants from Europe and the US are returning to Morocco to live, retire or start businesses, creating a new upper-middle class. The carefree spending of returnees is a source of revenue and a certain amount of resentment for Moroccans, who grumble openly about returnees driving up costs and importing a culture of conspicuous consumption that’s unattainable and shallow.
An international vogue for riads has seen many Europeans buying and restoring historic structures – and sometimes pricing Moroccans out of the housing market and leaving medina neighbourhoods strangely empty and lifeless off-season. It’s a double-edged sword: maintenance and restoration of centuries-old medina houses is often beyond the reach of the families who live in them, and who grab with both hands the chance to upgrade to homes with modern amenities in the villes nouvelles. At the same time, others grumble that the European influx brings to mind colonial-era enclaves.
Travellers can make the exchange more equitable by venturing beyond riad walls to explore Moroccan culture, meet Moroccans on their own turf and ensure Moroccans benefit from tourism.
Marabouts & Zawiyas
An important Moroccan tradition is the custom of venerating marabouts (saints). Marabouts are devout Muslims whose acts of devotion and professions of faith are so profound, their very presence is considered to confer baraka, or grace, even after their death. Moroccans go out of their way to visit marabout mausoleums and zawiyas (shrines).
This practice of honouring marabouts is more in line with ancient Berber beliefs and Sufi mysticism than orthodox Islam, which generally discourages anything resembling idol worship. Visits to zawiyas are side trips for the many devout Moroccans who spend a lifetime preparing and planning for the haj.
Morocco, 1980–2010
Life expectancy increased by 14 years.
Expected years of schooling increased by five years.
GNI per capita increased by 86% (UNDP).
Sufism in Morocco
It's often commented that Morocco follows one of the most moderate forms of Islam. One reason for this is the strong roots that Sufism has in the country. Sufism is the mystical strand of Islam, where adherents seek perfection of worship in their quest to encounter the divine. This often involves the use of music and repetitive prayer (dhikr) to help gain spiritual enlightenment.
Sufism revolves around orders or brotherhoods known as tariqas, founded by a spiritual leader. The most famous worldwide are the Mevlevis, followers of the Sufi poet Rumi, also known as the 'whirling dervishes' of Turkey. In Morocco, two of the most important tariqas are the Tijaniyya and the Boutchichiyya. The Tijanniyya was founded in the late 18th century by al-Tijani, who died and is buried in Fes. The Boutchichiyya was founded around the same time, and today many in the order hold high-ranking positions in the Moroccan government.
Many observers cite the continued influence of Sufism in Morocco as an important bulwark against the rise of more religiously conservative and politically radical forms of Islam such as Salafism.
DRESSING TO IMPRESS IN MOROCCO
A common question is 'how best to dress as a visitor in Morocco?'
Women aren't expected to cover their head in Morocco. Some Moroccan women do and some don’t wear the hijab (headscarf). Some wear it for religious, cultural, practical or personal reasons, or alternate, wearing a head covering in the streets but taking it off at home and work. A full face-covering veil is unusual in cities, and even rarer among rural women working in the fields. Context is important. Likewise, that chic knee-length skirt you see a Moroccan woman wearing in a Marrakesh restaurant is likely to be swapped for more conservative jellaba while visiting the medina.
That said, your choice of attire may be perceived as a sign of respect for yourself and Moroccans alike. For both men and women, this means not wearing shorts, sleeveless tops or clingy clothing. If you do, some people will be embarrassed for you and the family that raised you, and avoid eye contact. So if you don’t want to miss out on some excellent company – especially among older Moroccans – dress modestly.
Moroccan Cuisine
Moroccan cuisine is a lot more than just couscous and tajines. From cooked vegetable salads and slow-cooked meats to fresh fruits and flaky pastries with orange-flower water, the flavours on offer are mouth-watering. B’saha – here’s to your health.
For anyone wanting to learn about Moroccan food (and food culture) the bible is Madame Guinaudeau's lyric Traditional Moroccan Cooking – Recipes from Fez. It evens contains a recipe for camel tajine for 20 diners!
Moroccan cuisine | BARTOSZ LUCZAK/SHUTTERSTOCK ©
Food
The food you find in Morocco is likely to be fresh, locally grown and homemade, rather than shipped in, microwaved and served semi-thawed. Most Moroccan ingredients are cultivated in small quantities the old-fashioned way, without GMOs (genetically modified organisms), chemical fertilisers, pesticides or even mechanisation. These technologies are far too costly an investment for the average small-scale Moroccan farmer, as is organic certification and labelling – so though you may not see a label on it to this effect, much of the Moroccan produce you’ll find in food markets is chemical- and GMO-free.
What's in Season in Morocco?
Autumn: Figs, pomegranates, grapes
Spring: Apricots, cherries, strawberries, peaches
Summer: Watermelon, wild artichokes, tomatoes
Winter: Oranges, mandarins, onions, beets, carrots, potatoes and other root vegetables
Produce
The splendid appearance, fragrance and flavour of Moroccan market produce will leave you with a permanent grudge against those wan, shrivelled items trying to pass themselves off as food at the supermarket. There’s a reason for this: Moroccan produce is usually harvested by hand when ripe, and bought directly from farmers in the souqs. Follow the crowds of Moroccan grandmothers and restaurant sous-chefs to the carts and stalls offering the freshest produce. Just be sure to peel, cook or thoroughly wash produce before you eat it, since your stomach may not yet be accustomed to local microbes.
Moroccan Sauces
Mhammar: paprika, cumin and butter
Mqalli: saffron, oil and ginger
Msharmal: saffron, ginger and a dash of pepper
Qadra: Smen
(seasoned butter with vegetable stock, chickpeas and/or almonds)
Meats
Carnivores and sustainability-minded eaters can finally put aside their differences and enjoy dinner together in Morocco. As you may guess from watching sheep and goats scamper over mountains and valleys in Morocco, herds live a charmed existence here – at least until dinnertime. Most of the meat you’ll enjoy in Morocco is free-range, antibiotic-free, and raised on a steady diet of grass and wild herbs. If you wonder why lamb and mutton is so much more flavourful in Morocco than the stuff back home, you’ll find your answer scampering around the High Atlas foothills.
Food Facts - Morocco's Farmers
40% of Morocco’s population lives in rural areas
39% of the country is involved in food production, mostly small-scale
18% of Morocco’s land is arable
Seasonal Variations
If there is one food you adore or a dish you detest, you might want to plan the timing of your visit to Morocco accordingly. Morocco offers an incredible bounty of produce, meats and fish, but these vary seasonally. The country’s relative lack of infrastructure and hard currency can be advantageous to visitors – hence the picturesque mountain villages that seem untouched by time, and the jackpot of dirhams you get for your euros – but this also makes importing produce tricky. This means that if you’re visiting in autumn, you may have to enjoy fresh figs instead of kiwi fruit (not exactly a hardship).
When you consider your menu options, you’ll also want to consider geography. Oualidia oysters may not be so fresh by the time they cross mountain passes to Ouarzazate, and Sefrou cherries can be hard to come by in Tiznit. So if your vacation plans revolve around lavish seafood dinners, head for the coasts; vegetarians visiting desert regions in autumn should have a high tolerance for dates.
HOW MUCH FOR A MEAL?
The following price ranges refer to the cost of an evening main course, excluding drinks and tips.
€ less than Dh70
€€ Dh70–Dh150
€€€ more than Dh150
A set meal for two including wine would typically cost Dh 250 to Dh400 in a midrange restaurant; more than Dh400 in a top-end restaurant.
Midrange and top-end restaurants are mostly found within the ville nouvelle of large cities, with a few notable exceptions in cities such as Fez, Marrakesh and Tangier.
A service charge may automatically be added to your bill in better restaurants. A TVA tax (similar to value-added tax), usually around 10%, may also be charged, but generally this is built into the price of your meal.
Quitting While You're Ahead
One final and important Moroccan dining tip: pace yourself. Moroccan meals can be lengthy and generous, and might seem a bit excessive to an unyielding waistband. Take your time and drink plenty of water throughout your meal, especially with wine and in dry climates. There are better ways to end a meal than with dehydration and bloating – namely, a dessert bastilla (multilayered pastry) with toasted almonds, cinnamon and cream. Your Moroccan hosts may urge you on like a cheerleading squad in a pie-eating contest, but obey your instincts and quit when you’re full with a heartfelt alhamdulallah! (Thanks to God!).
Moroccan Snacks
roasted corn fresh off the brazier
sandwiches of brochettes or merguez
with cumin, salt and harissa
escargot (snails) in broth
ice cream
Moroccan and French pastries
Al-ftour (Breakfast)
Even if your days back home begin with just coffee, it would be a culinary crime to skip breakfast in Morocco. Whether you grab yours on the go in the souq or sit down to a leisurely repast, you are in for a treat. Breakfasts are rarely served before 9am in guesthouses and hotels, so early risers in immediate need of coffee will probably have to head to a cafe or hit the souqs.
Vitamin-rich Moroccan argan oil is popular as a cosmetic, but also as a gourmet treat: the toasted-hazelnut flavour makes an intriguing dipping oil and exotic salad dressing.
Breakfast of Champions
As a guest in a Moroccan home, you’d be treated to the best of everything, and the best guesthouses scrupulously uphold this Moroccan tradition each morning. You’ll carb-load like a Moroccan marathoner, with some combination of the following to jumpstart your day:
Ahwa (Coffee) Ahwa is one option, but also café au lait, thé b’na na (tea with mint) or thé wa hleb (tea with milk), wa (with) or bla (without) sukur (sugar).
Aseer limoon Orange juice.
Bayd (Eggs) Cooked in omelettes, with a dash of kamun (freshly ground cumin) or zataar (cumin with toasted sesame seeds).
Beghrir Moroccan pancakes with an airy, spongy texture like crumpets, with honey or jam.
French pastries Croissants, pain au chocolat and others.
Khoobz Moroccan bread,
usually served with butter and jam or olive oil and zataar.
Rghaif Flat, buttery Moroccan pastries.
Sfenj Moroccan doughnuts (sometimes with an egg deep-fried in the hole).
EATING DURING RAMADAN
During Ramadan, most Moroccans observe the fast during the day, eating only before sunrise and after sunset. Dinner is eaten later than usual and many wake up early for a filling breakfast before dawn. Another popular strategy is to stay up most of the night, sleep as late as possible, and stretch the afternoon nap into early evening. Adapt to the local schedule, and you may thoroughly enjoy the leisurely pace, late-night festivities and manic feasts of Ramadan.
Although you will not be expected to observe the fast, eating in public view is still frowned upon. Hence many restaurants are closed during the day until lftour, the evening meal when the fast is broken – though if you call ahead to restaurants in tourist areas, you may have luck. With a little planning, there are plenty of other workarounds: load up on snacks in the market to eat indoors, make arrangements for breakfast or lunch in the privacy of your guesthouse, and ask locals about a good place to enjoy lftour.
Lonely Planet Morocco Page 85