When someone asks me where I come from, love, warmth, royalty, fun, delicious food, rich culture, and colourful cities are what come to my mind, and one word sums it all up: Morocco. Then, I spend the next two minutes of the conversation answering the “tell me more about it” question. I will spare you the details of Morocco being located in the north-western part of Africa and the fact that Moroccans speak at least two languages. Let me tell you exactly what it means to be from Morocco.
Morocco, or Al Maghreb in Arabic, has been my home for 23 years, yet I keep on discovering more about the country. Although we all belong to one land, Moroccans from different regions have their own unique culture, food, traditional clothes, and different dialects, if not languages. This is because the country is home to both Amazigh and Arab people. Historically, Amazigh are the native people of Morocco; they have their own language called Tamazight, which is entirely different from Arabic.
Morocco was colonized by both France and Spain for several decades in the 20th century. Essentially, Spain colonized the northern part of Morocco while France ruled over the central and southern parts. Even though we managed to gain independence in 1956, this colonization left a lasting impact on us. French is now an official language that is used widely throughout the country, and despite Spanish not being an official language, many people from the northern area speak it. Moreover, with the spread of pop culture and Hollywood movies since the 2000s, many Moroccans speak English as well.
In a nutshell, the Moroccan dialect is a sweet mix of Arabic, Tamazight, French, Spanish, and English, with Arabic and French being the dominant languages. In fact, my friends and I joke all the time about how we consistently use at least three languages in one sentence.
The architecture is one of my favourite aspects of Morocco; I would describe it as majestic, colourful, and unique. This style is present everywhere in the country, including mosques, houses, fountains, historical monuments, and administrative buildings, among others. The architecture is a blend of Arabic, Amazigh, and Andalusian symbols, as well as Arabic calligraphy. I admire the vibrant colours in Moroccan architecture: you’ll often see surfaces adorned with red, green, blue, and white tiles, creating striking, intricate patterns that bring the buildings to life. If I had to choose one building to represent the architecture in Morocco, it would be Hassan II mosque, one of the largest mosques in Africa, which took several years to build with the contributions of thousands of artisans. If you were physically there, your point of view would be a beautifully adorned mosque in green and white, standing majestically on the edge of the Atlantic Ocean, with one of the tallest minarets in the world (210 metres or 689 feet).
One fun fact about Morocco is that almost every city is known for a specific colour. For instance, Casablanca — which translates to white house — encompasses buildings entirely painted in white. On the other hand, Marrakech — one of the most famous tourist destinations — is coated in red. The buildings in Chefchaouen — wait for it — are painted in mesmerizing shades of blue. In fact, some tourists travel to Chefchaouen just to take photos with Instagrammable backgrounds. I hate to break it to you, but I was not an exception.
Beautiful beaches are another aspect that would get you moving from one city to another. Thanks to its strategic location, Morocco has coastlines along two major bodies of water: the Atlantic Ocean to the west and the Mediterranean Sea to the north. The Atlantic coast is known for its long and sandy beaches, while the Mediterranean beaches are characterized by calm, warm waters. One of the dreamiest beaches that I have ever been to is Imessouane Beach, located between Essaouira and Agadir. Surrounded by little mountains, shining with its golden sand and the bluest and clearest water possible, this beach holds a special place in my heart.
If I had to travel to Morocco for one and only one reason, it would be the food. A recent poll celebrated Moroccan cuisine as the best in the world, according to fans worldwide. The cuisine is known for its royal dishes such as Pastilla, Couscous, Rfissa, and Seffa, among others. One of the things that I find most interesting about our food is the mixture of sweet and salty flavours in several dishes. For instance, Seffa medfouna, my all-time favourite dish, is made with steamed and sweetened vermicelli layered with a filling of chicken. This dish is known for its unique presentation, as the vermicelli is shaped into a mound and topped with chicken, nuts, and a dusting of powdered sugar and cinnamon, creating a delightful contrast of flavours.
Being away from home has made me value all of these aspects a lot more. For the longest time, I have taken Moroccan architecture, culture, and food for granted. But now I fully take the chance of being an international student in Canada to share my culture with other people, learn how to cook my own food since my mom is not around the corner, and discover others’ cultures as well. In fact, I believe I am learning a lot more about my culture being away from home, as I get asked questions about my culture that I have never thought about. Every once in a while, I call my parents to confirm why we celebrate particular events or why we eat certain foods on a specific day, just to be able to answer others’ questions. And I am enjoying it so far!
Morocco is a perfect blend of beautiful beaches, a unique culture, royal and delicious food, and majestic views. So, if you are thinking of a destination for your next vacation, you know where to go!
Chifaa Bouzid is a staff writer for the Cascade, currently pursuing a postgraduate diploma in International Business at UFV. She holds a bachelor's degree in Computer Science and has a keen interest in writing and social media management, blending her technical skills with creative storytelling.
