Moroccan Culture

Rhythms of Life: Understanding Moroccan Society

To travel through Morocco is to witness a daily negotiation between the ancient and the modern, the sacred and the secular.

The Spiritual Heartbeat

Islam is not just a religion here; it is the rhythm of the day. The Adhan (call to prayer) punctuates life five times a day, a hauntingly beautiful reminder to pause. Fridays are sacred, often meaning a slower pace and closed shops until the afternoon.

Sufism plays a specifically strong role in Morocco, leading to a more mystical interpretation of Islam often expressed through music and poetry.

Music: The Soul's Language

• Gnawa: Originally brought by sub-Saharan Africans, this hypnotic trance music uses metal castanets (krakebs) and a bass lute (guembri) for spiritual healing. The Gnaoua Festival in Essaouira is world-famous.
• Andalusian: Refined classical music brought by refugees from Seville and Granada in the 15th century, featuring orchestras of violins and ouds.
• Chaabi: The "people's music" – gritty, rhythmic, and the soundtrack to every Moroccan wedding and taxi ride.

The Hammam Ritual

The Hammam (public bathhouse) is the cornerstone of community hygiene and socializing. It is where gossip is exchanged, business is discussed, and bodies are scrubbed raw with vigorous exfoliation using black soap (savon beldi). It represents purification in both a physical and spiritual sense.

Yearly Festivals