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5/22/2006 - Street Life in Fes by Kay Dilday

KAD FRANCE Kay Dilday Institute Fellow studying relationships French North African immigrants France North Africa Street Life Fes By K A Dilday May FES Morocco I having terrible writing newsletter When I midst something reach conclusions Morocco specifically Fes swirling around weakened state typical digestive reactions bacteria I quite enough words paper accurately I impressions false accurate I start unconnected ephemeral prove First foremost although I never thought myself particularly prissy traveling Morocco meant transcending American tions cleanliness hygiene It means eating sandwich although street vendor stuffed everything eggplant lettuce beets hands hands money knows whatever Morocco place where store leaves bucket water attached outside everyone drinks It place where market spits shoes trying spittle goatskin But I describe Fes itself should I I talking about visit I Paris ICWA Trustee David Hap cousin Judith April I wanted around neighborhood bordered Barbes street synonymous Arab Parisian lexicon trendier artsy neighborhood I wanted David Judith neighborhood walked around shops closing I realized gives Barbes neighborhood distinctive other nationness spirit commerce In addition actual shops selling inexpen goods Bangladesh China Morocco independent entrepreneurs prowl streets thrusting watches bottles perfume offering That constant commerce large first Westerner Fes Be driver airport discount surrounding cities carrying homemade wooden boxes filled clippers packages scissors shine equipment cloves garlic Morocco relentless entrepreneurs To Fassis people Fes Westerners consumers anything Moroccan would carpet perhaps enough family month In favorite ments I Western vendor razor wooden crate Then I watched vendor small razor resell percent markup That superfi Morocco greets first arrive ville nouvelle newer Fes The while still ruled spirit merce otherworldly I otherworldly quality I first walked through Medina complicated Arabic medina point seemingly during period medina known distinguishing constructed colonialists during years Morocco French protectorate Fes reputed distinct medinas Morocco oldest dating It center activ Morocco although ceded place larger cities Rabat Casablanca Marrakesh Tangier The ville nouvelle where I staying charming amenities reliably running water large boulevards modern buildings It predominantly French wealthy Moroccans moved ville protectorate leaving medina I alone Friday morning I started walking since favorite I asked someone would suggest I Finally I relented driver dropped Baab R Baab means Arabic center medina I decided though I likely quieter Friday observed prayer Islam Prayer quotidian Muslims prayer rings mosque times But Friday morning important prayer I walked through commerce observance order The mosques likely streets calls slender walled streets I eerily quiet lentless summer would begin weeks Even though I warned I unprepared closeness walls mules donkeys being narrow streets deliveries thatched coverings relentless labyrinthine streets prepared would claustrophobic trapped After twists turns streets jumping overladen donkeys I quickly deciding medina alive This slumbering empty daunting first entry emptiness stand I jammed crowded medina residents traveling ville nouvelle resolved again On return I noticed women behind counters shops medina rarely aggressive Street corner entrepreneurs women The women I approach those asking change That situation aspects Fes Morocco complicated gender dynamics During first Morocco Marock controversial opened About young woman barely opened several months earlier France banned Morocco until I cover Tel Quel weekly newsmag azine written French cross between Time The New Yorker The coverline Marock taboos Marock directed written Leila Marrak Paris based filmmaker Casa Don close donkey medina KAD blanca Casa I Moroccans Ms Marrakchi emigrated Morocco She wealthy class Casablancans inter views about wanted growing I Friday evening showing after opened Since generated press troversy I wondering I needed tickets afternoon Both Moroccan woman theater going group Zinab Brian American doctoral student Fes nearly studying social movements through music found proposition amusing Zinab seemed surprised anyone would question Brian New Yorker understood times Rex large theater center ville nouvelle never people there When there roughly minutes before began about seven other people entered theater Zinab leading marched directly front Her rudeness prised Why right front people block Brian friends difference between Moroccans Americans theater people Americans others Moroccans cluster Did I asked Because where people By beginning least after about minutes people audience though number continued expand decrease throughout evening people entered exited No seemed bound possibility beginning might understand perhaps right The stories exist world applies Marock which definitely borrowed Shakespeare Ro Juliet It tells tragic Ghita Youri teenage lovers across Morocco religious divides Ghita Muslim family Youri Moroc Jewish family The article Tel Quel named taboos Marock Moroccan screens difficult They I their words The Jew Muslim The arrogant bourgeoisie Lack respect prayer Parties alcohol Eating during Ramadan Love transcends Interestingly though article mention gender taboos I still trying through those Ghita wears clothes scenes The opens kissing scene followed several frank Tame stuff American standards kissing scenes woman cover She during first intimate scene though worked courage return covered during Zinab Fassi woman group firecracker woman wears headscarf though years story I still hoping insisted Moroccan could Those Moroccan values Yet director Moroccan origin In Ghita If Paris together every What parents They replies skirting question The obviously autobiographical extent I The director lived Paris since early there school according articles about married Sephardic Jew The subject newsletter friend Abdel Taia promised introduce Ms Marrakchi I return Paris I hoping start decipher really women On Moroccans insist there restric tions women headscarves conservative dress matter personal choice conserva liberal Muslims comfortably alongside other Indeed cover which definite statement about gender Islam spiritual leader Morocco I asked someone I should dress Paris It women dress sleeveless blouses length skirts while other women cover their heads leave their unveiled Perhaps about would think women dress however please The semblance complete liberation easily think women Morocco about freely But I other Western women I INSTITUTE OF CURRENT WORLD AFFAIRS dressing sleeves pants skirts easiest ensure tranquil across whispered solicitations As weather hotter I become furious about Growing Mississippi I I usually weather badly Yet dressed sleeve shirts pants I Hotter I sight abandoned short sleeveless summer dresses bottom makes furious Despite claims Fassis liberal attitude resta urants women almost invisible When I first arrived Fes I staying myself hotel I quite where I often traveled myself usually I coffee watch people figure But where I inviting tables inviting cafes overflowed groups making welcoming Women alone inside upstairs there floors How would I world Fes there How would I anything I wondered I finally found I particularly pretty proprietor beckoned outside table corner where I protectorate I coffee several times young helped looking through guidebook street Abdou former officer Moroccan studying hairdress Do women boites nightclubs together I asked Of course Morocco progres place replied Yet every Westerner I nightclub women there prostitutes Morocco quite progressive people would believe Something complicated going Moroccan psyche people reluctant admit There disconnect Morocco between about gender roles really Marock showed sexual young woman scantily manner seemed almost aggressive presentation The director definitely something about women Why Zinab certain Moroccan could Are attitudes different Casablanca compared Fes That would normal large cities latitude range behavior Could behavior among moneyed class differs people modest circumstances I think meeting Leila Marrackchi chooses France writes films about Morocco instrumental figuring divide secret conduct Moroccans reluctant reveal outsiders perhaps certain themselves There unlock I first Morocco first visit medina I turned corners labyrinth On second attempt I wound around around I still complexities medina I across turning corners I could And I discovered points thatched roofs confines thousand walls I looked I could Institute Fellows chosen basis character previous experience promise They young professionals funded spend minimum twoyear carrying designedprograms study writing outside United States The Fellows required report their findings experiencesfrom field month They write subject formally informally The result unique reporting analysis periodic assessment interna tional events issues Author Dilday Kay Title ICWA Letters Europe Russia ISSN Imprint Institute Current World Affairs Hanover NH Material Type Serial Language English Frequency Monthly Other Regions South Asia East Asia The Americas Mideast North Africa Sub Saharan Africa ICWA Letters ISSN published Institute Current World Affairs Inc exempt operating foundation incorporated New York State offices located West Wheelock Street Hanover NH 03755 The letters provided charge members ICWA available libraries professional researchers subscription Phone Fax E Mail valley Web address Executive Director Steven Butler Program Assistant Brent Jacobson Administrative Publications Manager Ellen Kozak Institute Current WorldAffairs The Crane Rogers Foundation The Information contained publication reprinted republished without express consent Institute Current World Affairs