One of the the top 5 search terms for Morocco Time is now “moroccan insults.” While I’m not going to post a list of all the insults I know, I did learn something interesting about one of the main ones today. Rude words after the jump. For those observing Ramadan, you may want to skip it.
Archive for the ‘Language’ Category
Book Review – Behind the Courtyard Door
09
Sep
The next book up for review is Behind the Courtyard Door : The Daily Life of Tribeswomen in Northern Morocco, by Ursula Kingsmill Hart.
The author lived in Morocco as a child, but she wasn’t able to visit the more remote parts of the country until she married anthropologist David Montgomery Hart – and then she ended up living among the Aith Waryaghar, a Berber tribe from the Rif area. The book is an absolute joy to read – Ursula is down to earth, funny, and made a real effort to connect with the women from the tribe. She learned their language so well that her husband even complained that she should avoid “yakking” sessions and help him more! A photo in the front of the book shows her dressed in traditional married womens’ clothes, and my husband thought she was Berber, saying “She looks like my Mom!” Out of the dress, though, she was a very chic American blonde.
At the time of their stay in 1959-1965, many of the old traditions were still in place in the tribe, and Ursula describes them with sensitivity and humor, while still admitting her frustrations with some of the restrictions and mindsets. I enjoyed all of the little trivia she related, mostly gleaned from the women, such as what she discovered during a frank discussion on traditional birth control methods. Read the rest of this entry »
Love Among the Berbers
15
Jul
Having found a travelogue somewhere that discussed the marriage festival in Imilchil (just up the road from us in the Gorge), I decided to expand upon one of the most charming facts mentioned.
“When a bride does give consent, she may speak the magic phrase,” You have captured my liver.” Since a healthy liver aids digestion and promotes well-being, in Berber culture it’s the liver, not the heart that’s considered the location of true love.” Read the rest of this entry »