The View from Fez team wishes all readers a very successful 2009.
Tags: Moroccan Morocco Fes, Maghreb news
Wednesday, December 31, 2008
New strategy to protect tourism in Morocco
Minister of Tourism & Crafts, Mohamed Boussaid, has announced a strategy aimed to protect tourism to Morocco from the effects of global economic decline.
Mohamed Boussaid, Minister of Tourism & CraftsThe World Tourism Organisation has forecast that growth in global demand for tourism in 2009 will be 0%, as compared with 2% in 2008. But Morocco's government has a new plan - dubbed CAP 2009 - that is aimed at retaining current market share and even conquering new markets. Visitors for 2008 are expected to rise by 7% to 7.9 million, and the King has said that the objective is 10 million tourists by 2010.
CAP 2009 was approved at a cabinet meeting held on 17 December and publicly announced the following week. It encapsulates a range of new strategic measures to counter the impact of the global financial situation. The prime tourism areas of Marrakech, Fez, Casablanca and Agadir are priority regions and will be promoted to potential visitors from Europe, the Gulf and Russia. It's also seen as important to develop domestic tourism and encourage tourist loyalty. Boosting Morocco's image will help to maintain large-scale investment projects in tourism.
Boussaid believes that Morocco has a number of advantages as a tourist destination. "Morocco is a nearby destination for European travellers in particular and offers a high-quality product, attractive prices and short vacation packages," he said.
CAP 2009 will be funded by a budget increase of 10% (50 million dirhams) in the 2009 budget. The president of the Casablanca Regional Tourism Council, Said Mouhid, explains that this budget will make it possible to work towards specific targets, in particular entry to new markets.
The chief executive of the Moroccan National Tourism Office, Abdelhamid Addou, says that Royal Air Maroc (RAM) and the National Airports Authority (ONDA) must play their part in implementing CAP 2009. "The ONDA has announced adjustments to airport taxes on chartered flights. We have also always counted on the support of RAM with specific actions in certain outbound markets," he said.
All of the planned measures were drafted in agreement with the Ministry of Tourism and Crafts, the Moroccan National Tourism Office (ONMT), National Tourism Federation (FNT), Tourism Monitoring Centre and Regional Tourism Centres to respond to the possible consequences of the global situation.
Tags: Moroccan Morocco Fes, Maghreb news
Tuesday, December 30, 2008
Happy Islamic New Year!
The View From Fez wishes all our readers the best of good fortune, health and happiness in the year to come.
King Mohammed VI has sent a message of congratulation to the heads of state of other Islamic countries in honour of the New Year.
“This is an opportunity for us to celebrate an historic event with high spiritual and civilizational significance, which calls on us to remember the noble human values that Islam has brought to all humanity. These values include the belief in one God, brotherhood, justice, peace, virtuous acts and dialog among nations and peoples.”
Tags: Moroccan Morocco Fes, Maghreb newsMoroccans demonstrate
There have been two recent sets of demonstrations, each over very different issues. Yesterday Moroccans in the main cities staged sit-ins condemning the Israeli raids on Gaza. Both Moroccan and Palestinian flags were carried, as thousands of demonstrators expressed their solidarity with the Palestinian people.On Christmas Day another type of demonstration occurred at the University Hassan II, Faculty of Letters, Mohammedia when a group of students protested after talks between the university administration and the National Union of Moroccan Students (UNEM) broke down. UNEM was attempting to delay the dates of final examinations. According to one of the students involved, exams usually take place in the first half of January, and the administration had announced in October that this year they would be held on December 25. Police were called to the demonstration, and 15 students arrested.
Tags: Moroccan Morocco Fes, Maghreb news
All power to Ouarzazate
Anyone who has lived in Morocco for any length of time is familiar with the high cost of electricity. So it's good news that this week an agreement between the French and Moroccan governments has arranged for the construction of 200,000 solar panels in Ouarzazate to supply electricity to homes in the region.
In addition to agreements to co-operate in training, research and industrial development, the Moroccan Minster of Industry, Trade and New Technologies Ahmed Réda Chami and French counterpart Luc Chatel signed an accord in Rabat on Friday regarding the solar panel construction. As Ouarzazate has an abundance of sunshine, it makes perfect sense.
In addition to agreements to co-operate in training, research and industrial development, the Moroccan Minster of Industry, Trade and New Technologies Ahmed Réda Chami and French counterpart Luc Chatel signed an accord in Rabat on Friday regarding the solar panel construction. As Ouarzazate has an abundance of sunshine, it makes perfect sense.
Tags: Moroccan Morocco Fes, Maghreb news
Monday, December 29, 2008
Human rights on the agenda
Morocco intends to make respect for human rights a central part of governmental policy, Interior Minister Chakib Benmoussa told the Human Rights Advisory Council in Rabat.
Sarah Touahri reports on Magharebia.com that the meeting, held on December 23, was timed to coincide with the 60th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
Benmoussa outlined the 2008-2012 action plan and assessed Morocco's progress in safeguarding public interests and personal rights.
"There can be no development without democracy and no democracy without respect for human rights," he said, adding that further measures are on the way.
While admitting that the forces of law and order may sometimes overstep their mark, the Interior Minister said Morocco's new five-year plan to balance public safety and personal freedoms was off to a good start.
Benmoussa said that measures have been taken to train new officers at the Royal Institute for Local Administration in communication techniques, good governance and human rights policies. And a committee to oversee the role of ethics and human resources development has also been put in place. Action will be taken against officials who fail to perform their duties.
Tags: Moroccan Morocco Fes, Maghreb news
Moroccan government condemns Gaza violence
The foreign ministry has said that, "The Kingdom of Morocco strongly condemns the massive Israeli military operations which have claimed, this morning, the lives of dozens of Palestinian brothers in Gaza strip, and strongly condemns the disproportionate use of force and the tragic escalation of violence."
"The Kingdom of Morocco calls for the immediate halt of the hostilities which, beyond the significant loss of life, exposes the region once again to escalation, violence and divisions,"
"In this painful moment, King Mohammed VI, Chairman of Al-Quds Committee offers his heartfelt condolences to the families of the innocent Palestinian victims," said the communiqué.
"The King also calls on the Security Council and the international Quartet to shoulder their responsibilities in order to ensure the halt of violence and the necessary continuation of dialogue and negotiation between all parties concerned."
British tourism set to increase
We suspect they will dress a little more fashionably than these tourists near Tangier in 1965, but more British travellers will be heading to Morocco this year according to travel industry sources.
Abby Alford from the Western Mail reports that travellers are turning their backs on expensive food and accommodation in Spain, France and Greece, where the pound does not go as far as it used to, and turning to alternative resorts in Turkey and Tunisia and Morocco in north Africa.
Independent travel agent Sam Smith, the vice-chairman of Abta in South Wales, said that around 40% more people had booked to visit those destinations next year than in 2008.
“People still want to go on holiday despite the credit crunch, but are spending their money wisely. For instance, you will get a five-star hotel in Tunisia for the price of a three-star hotel in Spain,” he said.
Airlines such as Ryanair and easyJet have increased flights to Morocco and Turkey in the past 18 months, with some tour operators responding to the pressure by cutting the cost of breaks to Spain.
Tags: Moroccan Morocco Fes, Maghreb news
Morocco set for increase in British tourism
Tags: Moroccan Morocco Fes, Maghreb news
We suspect they will dress a little more fashionably than these tourists near Tangier in 1965, but more British travellers will be heading to Morocco this year according to travel industry sources.
Abby Alford from the Western Mail reports that travellers are turning their backs on expensive food and accommodation in Spain, France and Greece, where the pound does not go as far as it used to, and turning to alternative resorts in Turkey and Tunisia and Morocco in north Africa.
Independent travel agent Sam Smith, the vice-chairman of Abta in South Wales, said that around 40% more people had booked to visit those destinations next year than in 2008.
“People still want to go on holiday despite the credit crunch, but are spending their money wisely. For instance, you will get a five-star hotel in Tunisia for the price of a three-star hotel in Spain,” he said.
Airlines such as Ryanair and easyJet have increased flights to Morocco and Turkey in the past 18 months, with some tour operators responding to the pressure by cutting the cost of breaks to Spain.
http://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/wales-news/2008/12/29/the-weak-pound-is-leading-welsh-sunseekers-to-shun-traditional-european-destinations-for-more-exotic-locations-travel-industry-experts-said-yesterday-91466-22564544/
British visitors to Morocco set to rise
Tags: Moroccan Morocco Fes, Maghreb news
Tourism from Britain is expected to increase up to 40% this year, according to travel industry experts.
Abby Alford of the Western Mail reports that the weak pound is leading the British to shun traditional European destinations for more exotic locations for their 2009 holidays.
Parts of North Africa, the Middle East and Turkey have been dubbed by the travel trade as the “Costa del Kasbah”.
Travellers are turning their backs on expensive food and accommodation in Spain, France and Greece, where the pound does not go as far as it used to, and turning to alternative resorts in Turkey and Tunisia and Morocco, said independent travel agent Sam Smith, the vice-chairman of Abta in South Wales.
He said that holiday bookings to those destinations were up this year by around 40% on 2008.
“People still want to go on holiday despite the credit crunch, but are spending their money wisely. For instance, you will get a five-star hotel in Tunisia for the price of a three-star hotel in Spain,” said Mr Smith.
At its all-time low in 2000, the euro was worth 57p on foreign currency markets – today it is worth about 96p.
A spokesman said: “With the position of the currencies unlikely to get much better, we expect people will continue to look farther afield to north Africa and Turkey, which offer much better value for money and where you can still find dinner for two for £20.”
Airlines such as Ryanair and easyJet have increased flights to Morocco and Turkey in the past 18 months, with some tour operators responding to the pressure by cutting the cost of breaks to Spain.
Tourism from Britain is expected to increase up to 40% this year, according to travel industry experts.
Abby Alford of the Western Mail reports that the weak pound is leading the British to shun traditional European destinations for more exotic locations for their 2009 holidays.
Parts of North Africa, the Middle East and Turkey have been dubbed by the travel trade as the “Costa del Kasbah”.
Travellers are turning their backs on expensive food and accommodation in Spain, France and Greece, where the pound does not go as far as it used to, and turning to alternative resorts in Turkey and Tunisia and Morocco, said independent travel agent Sam Smith, the vice-chairman of Abta in South Wales.
He said that holiday bookings to those destinations were up this year by around 40% on 2008.
“People still want to go on holiday despite the credit crunch, but are spending their money wisely. For instance, you will get a five-star hotel in Tunisia for the price of a three-star hotel in Spain,” said Mr Smith.
At its all-time low in 2000, the euro was worth 57p on foreign currency markets – today it is worth about 96p.
A spokesman said: “With the position of the currencies unlikely to get much better, we expect people will continue to look farther afield to north Africa and Turkey, which offer much better value for money and where you can still find dinner for two for £20.”
Airlines such as Ryanair and easyJet have increased flights to Morocco and Turkey in the past 18 months, with some tour operators responding to the pressure by cutting the cost of breaks to Spain.
Tourist killed in Morocco bus crash
A British national has been killed in a horror bus crash in Marrakesh, just two days after a family Christmas.
Last Saturday Gary Porter, 31, from Northern Ireland died after the vehicle in which he and his wife were travelling was involved in an accident as they were being transferred from Marrakesh airport to their resort hotel.
Mr Porter's wife Natalie, 30, was injured in the accident in which a number of people are believed to have been killed. Reports say that up to six people may have died.
The couple had been married for five years after meeting in Bristol during their student years. They lived in Warwick where they both practiced as dentists.
They had travelled back to Northern Ireland for Christmas with the Porter family, and then headed off to Marrakesh last Saturday.
Mr Porter's sister-in-law said that, "He was just the nicest possible fella. He was so good with the children and always was the life and soul of the party. This is such a shock.
"My husband is flying over to England tonight and then on to Morocco to try and see what has to be done."
Tags: Moroccan Morocco Fes, Maghreb news
Tuesday, December 23, 2008
This week at the Clock
Mike and the team at Cafe Clock wishes everyone a great festive season.
Here are the events happening this week at Cafe Clock:
Wednesday 24 Dec : 10 a.m.
Darija : ( Level 1+2 )
50 dh ( Discounts Available)
Thursday 25 Dec : from noon
Christmas Day @ the Clock
Christmas menu, films, song and games
250 dh
Reserve a table
Friday 26 Dec :
Our usual menu although :
Smoked salmon, scrambled eggs and bloody Mary's for those in need.
Saturday 27 : 6 p.m.
General Knowledge Quiz
Create a team - 20 dh / Participant
Win Prizes
Sunday 28 Dec : 11 a.m – 12:30 am
Oriental Dance @ the Clock with Fes choreographer and dancer Asmae Kouli. ( 30 dh). Reserve a Place
Sunday 28 Dec : 3 - 5 p.m. Calligraphy @ the Clock
Discover the sacred art of Arabic calligraphy with teacher and artists Mohammed Charkaoui. (150 dh, discounts available)
Reserve a Place.
Sunday 28 Dec : 6 p.m. ( 20 dh )
Sunday Sunset Concert
The Bloody Boys
Talented original acoustic song
Tags: Moroccan Morocco Fes, Maghreb news
Sunday, December 21, 2008
Beautiful People of Morocco
Young Canadian volunteer and freelance writer, Elena Fenrick is this month's guest columnist and writes about her three-month adventure in Morocco. The article was first published in the Edmonton Journal and is reprinted with permission of the author.Beautiful people of Morocco
With a vibrant culture, rich in contrasts, Morocco claims a unique spot in both Africa and the Arab world. Ancient tradition merges daily with pop culture and modernity. This is a country where nomadic Saharan guides are Celine Dion fans and veiled women eat McArabia sandwiches at McDonald's.
In the Anti-Atlas mountains, "Long Live King Mohamed VI" is spelled out in Arabic script formed by white rocks. Near the same mountains, on the outskirts of an oasis town, several disabled Moroccans drive high-tech motorized wheelchairs across a stony plateau.
I was fortunate enough to call this gorgeous land of contrasts "home" for three months as a Cross-Cultural Solutions volunteer. Headquartered in New York, CCS operates home bases in 12 countries around the world.
After graduating from high school in 2007, I wanted to travel and experience living somewhere other than Lloydminster.
Morocco was at the top of my list of places to see, it being a unique fusion of Mediterranean, African and Middle Eastern culture. I wanted to experience the Arab world for myself rather than stereotyping a society based on media portrayal.
CCS Morocco's home base is located in Rabat, the country's political capital and current imperial city. Gorgeously situated on both the Atlantic Ocean and Bou Regreg River, remainders of the French Protectorate are still visibly ingrained in the architecture and style. Only a fortress-like wall separates the Ville Nouveau (new city) from the ancient Medina (old city).
Ranging in ages from eight to 82, nearly 50 volunteers went through the house during my 12-week stay. Each seemed to be on both a personal journey and a quest for a greater good in the world. Hearing their wealth of travel experiences made me want to see and do everything, all at once.
The home-base staff is composed entirely of Moroccans, which helped me to feel less like a tourist and more like a part of the country. We were educated on different aspects of culture, people, language and religion through speakers, field trips and activities.
Before arriving in Morocco, we'd been given information about our volunteer placement. Honestly, I was apprehensive about working at a children's hospital, but I went in with a determination to not let it scare me.
There was nothing to be afraid of.
We were warmly welcomed, even by the mothers who had spent weeks at their child's bedside. Many of these women were from rural areas and spoke only Arabic. I couldn't understand their words, but I did understand that they were both the toughest and most personable people that I'd ever known. Communicating was an interesting challenge, with more than a few hilarious misunderstandings.
Our days in the oncology ward were spent colouring, painting, playing board games and doing puzzles with kids, all of which promoted a constant exchange of English and Arabic.
Though grief and sadness also existed in the ward, the positive attitude of the children shocked me. These kids seemed wise beyond their years, yet most were able to temporarily dispel their fears by laughing and socializing.
Day-to-day life in Morocco was an adventure.
Traffic in Rabat is hectic, and the fast-moving city buses are often crammed wall-to-wall with passengers of all ages. Tickets are cheap at only four dirhams (roughly 56 cents Cdn), and foreigners who take the city bus usually leave with some memorable stories and observations.
On the weekends, volunteers have the option of travelling about the country. For me, this included trips to the Sahara desert dunes near M'Hamid and to Fez, the country's "spiritual capital."
Buying a train ticket to Fez is an easy transaction; getting on the correct train is not quite as easy. (Six of us spent a half-hour stranded in Kenitra, waiting for the train we should have taken.)
Fez was fantastic and fulfilled my childhood dream of being in Disney's Aladdin. The Medina, famous for its tanneries and one of the world's oldest universities, comprises thousands of medieval streets and alleyways.
Our guide led us to an Amazigh (Berber) carpet house, a women's co-operative that produced silk scarves, a herbal pharmacy and the famed tanneries.
In my opinion, Morocco's greatest asset is its people. Family is a priority to them, and time isn't measured as rigidly as it is in Canada.
The genuine kindness of strangers was a recurring theme wherever we went. People wanted to help us. Yes, there were those who wanted to sell us something such as a henna tattoo or their guiding services. But, many were simply curious about why we were there and wished to show hospitality to foreigners.
The local shop owners in the souk (marketplace) and waiters at certain cafes began to exchange pleasant greetings with us. When I brought a few friends back to a specific jewellery shop, the owner recognized me and gave me a tiny, silver Hand of Fatima necklace as commission.
In a pilot project, some of the volunteers met regularly with a group of students from Mohamed V University. To help them with their English, we discussed a wide variety of topics and saw Morocco from their perspective.
Getting to know the students was a great opportunity for cultural understanding. Most hadn't personally known any North Americans before, and some thought that westerners wouldn't like them because they are Muslim. We explained that we were their friends and wanted to learn about their country and Islam.
One girl explained to us the phenomenon of educated Moroccans going to live abroad. Instead, her intent is to use her education within Morocco to help strengthen the economy and create jobs.
Morocco deals with huge issues such as poverty, unemployment and high rural illiteracy rates.
Organizations such as CCS or the Peace Corps can't solve these issues, but they can make a difference. Helping cultures to better understand and appreciate each other creates friendships that can lead to lasting, positive change in all areas of society.
Before going to Morocco, I hadn't travelled alone and was paranoid and suspicious of strangers. Turning on the TV or picking up a newspaper can give people a thousand reasons to be afraid of the world.
Yes, there are valid reasons to be cautious, but it's so easy to forget about random kindness and compassion.
Though I was the volunteer who was "helping others," the people of Morocco taught me much more than I taught them.
Tags: Moroccan Morocco Fes, Maghreb news
The Fez Tanneries - Aziza Chaouni responds
Recently we ran a story about the work of Aziza Chaouni, the Aga Khan Research and Teaching Fellow at Harvard University's Graduate School of Design. One aspect of her work is a plan to remediate the Fez Tanneries. (Read the story here: Tanneries). The story evoked many interesting responses in comments and emails and now here is Aziza's response.
I will attempt to give a few answers. First, it seems that I should clarify the proposed scheme, which has been misunderstood since not yet fully published, and which is the result of more than 4 years of research in my home town, Fez.
First, the scheme was based on a thorough analysis and interviews of locals who live in a radius of 500 m from the tanneries as well as along the river. We discussed with them their views of the tanneries as well as possible programs to replace it.
Second, we extensively discussed with the tanners themselves possible alternative futures and transformation of the space. It appears that most of them suffer from diseases pertaining to years of using chemical dyes, and would like to switch jobs or work in a better environment. All of them expressed anger at the tourists taking pictures of them all day long, they told us they felt like being in "animals in a zoo" I quote. We also were told that a dozen people died already after being exposed to so much pollution.
Third, we did soil tests of the tanneries and found an extremely high levels of Chromium 3, so simply switching to natural dyes is not an alternatives at all, the place need to depolluted first.
Thus, the problem we had to solve was the following: how do you remediate such a place with a low budget? One solution is phytoremediation, which takes time but is very efficient. Finally, I would like to stress that once the place is remediated, parts of the tanneries could return to a natural dye system. The new hybrid typology will offer what the Medina lacks most: a green public space + a new, clean and vibrant leather centre.
I think stating that public gardens will become dumps because we are a developing country (implied by some readers) is a bit insulting, why don't we try instead through education, municipal lobbying and NGO involvement try to change the current status quo? Don't we Moroccans deserve better public spaces, instead of archaic spaces commodified for tourist consumption?
Finally, let me return to the role of history and economic development in this scheme. A team of economists from Harvard and Fez worked with us to propose a new form of leather economic model for the tanneries, that is not based on dying but on craft. The tanneries building surrounding the public garden will be turned into a new typology of leather craft interface: it will house studios for craftsmen as well as artist/designer temporary residences, which will allow for the production of crafts products with a higher added value.
The interaction between old and new in design and craft, will create a synergy where leather that is organically dyed will be used to reinvent the Fassi artisanat, which we all know is encountering today a large crisis. This craft model has been developed and has proven very successful in Jordan (http://www.rscn.org.jo/) The dying phase of leather will be moved to Ain Nokbi, where space and adequate infrastructure can easily treat the dangerous waste, thus jobs are not lost.
In other words, the artisans will be integrated to this project but in a manner that is more in touch with today's needs and environmental standards, and which privileges the actual well beings of the local inhabitants.
At last, this tannery proposal is part of larger master plan to clean the Fez river and better the water quality of the Sebou river basin. In that respect it should not be seen in isolation.
I would like to conclude that the driving force behind this project is a belief that the soul of Fez is its people and their liveliness, which has throughout the centuries been constantly evolving and adapting to their contexts. Thus, I believe in a process of preservation which is adaptive on one hand and on the other hand benefits the population, not freezing them into time, but projecting them into the future while still keeping the soul of the city intact. I admit it is a very difficult task, which is still a work in progress and will keep me thinking for decades to come...
I am so pleased to see your reactions to my research work, thanks for taking the time to voice your opinions. If anyone wants to reach me please email me at : chaouni_a@ald.utoronto.ca
Aziza Chaouni's websites: Extramuro & Kuochaouni
The View from Fez would like to thank Aziza for contributing her response.
First, the scheme was based on a thorough analysis and interviews of locals who live in a radius of 500 m from the tanneries as well as along the river. We discussed with them their views of the tanneries as well as possible programs to replace it.
Second, we extensively discussed with the tanners themselves possible alternative futures and transformation of the space. It appears that most of them suffer from diseases pertaining to years of using chemical dyes, and would like to switch jobs or work in a better environment. All of them expressed anger at the tourists taking pictures of them all day long, they told us they felt like being in "animals in a zoo" I quote. We also were told that a dozen people died already after being exposed to so much pollution.
Third, we did soil tests of the tanneries and found an extremely high levels of Chromium 3, so simply switching to natural dyes is not an alternatives at all, the place need to depolluted first.
Thus, the problem we had to solve was the following: how do you remediate such a place with a low budget? One solution is phytoremediation, which takes time but is very efficient. Finally, I would like to stress that once the place is remediated, parts of the tanneries could return to a natural dye system. The new hybrid typology will offer what the Medina lacks most: a green public space + a new, clean and vibrant leather centre.
I think stating that public gardens will become dumps because we are a developing country (implied by some readers) is a bit insulting, why don't we try instead through education, municipal lobbying and NGO involvement try to change the current status quo? Don't we Moroccans deserve better public spaces, instead of archaic spaces commodified for tourist consumption?
Finally, let me return to the role of history and economic development in this scheme. A team of economists from Harvard and Fez worked with us to propose a new form of leather economic model for the tanneries, that is not based on dying but on craft. The tanneries building surrounding the public garden will be turned into a new typology of leather craft interface: it will house studios for craftsmen as well as artist/designer temporary residences, which will allow for the production of crafts products with a higher added value.
The interaction between old and new in design and craft, will create a synergy where leather that is organically dyed will be used to reinvent the Fassi artisanat, which we all know is encountering today a large crisis. This craft model has been developed and has proven very successful in Jordan (http://www.rscn.org.jo/) The dying phase of leather will be moved to Ain Nokbi, where space and adequate infrastructure can easily treat the dangerous waste, thus jobs are not lost.
In other words, the artisans will be integrated to this project but in a manner that is more in touch with today's needs and environmental standards, and which privileges the actual well beings of the local inhabitants.
At last, this tannery proposal is part of larger master plan to clean the Fez river and better the water quality of the Sebou river basin. In that respect it should not be seen in isolation.
I would like to conclude that the driving force behind this project is a belief that the soul of Fez is its people and their liveliness, which has throughout the centuries been constantly evolving and adapting to their contexts. Thus, I believe in a process of preservation which is adaptive on one hand and on the other hand benefits the population, not freezing them into time, but projecting them into the future while still keeping the soul of the city intact. I admit it is a very difficult task, which is still a work in progress and will keep me thinking for decades to come...
I am so pleased to see your reactions to my research work, thanks for taking the time to voice your opinions. If anyone wants to reach me please email me at : chaouni_a@ald.utoronto.ca
Aziza Chaouni's websites: Extramuro & Kuochaouni
The View from Fez would like to thank Aziza for contributing her response.
Tags: Moroccan Morocco Fes, Maghreb news
Wednesday, December 17, 2008
Festivities at Cafe Clock
Mike and Jess and the team at Cafe Clock present a wonderful array of activities to see you through til the new year.
On the cultural side, here's the programme for the coming week:
Wed 17 Dec : 10 am – noon
Darija Conversation ( Level 1 + 2 )
50 dh ( Discounts Available )
Wed 17 Dec : 4 pm
Honey Tasting @ the Clock
Thurs 16 Dec : 9am – 10am
Yoga @ the Clock
Bring a Mat : 50 dh ( discounts available )
Thurs 18 Dec : 6pm ( Free )
Film : Once - Irish musical written and directed by John Carney.
Sun 21 Dec : 11am – 12:30pm
Oriental Dance @ the Clock with Fes choreographer and dancer Asmae Kouli.
( 30 dh). Reserve a Place
Sun 21 Dec : 2 pm
English Conversation Group. ( 50 dh – Discounts Available )
Sun 21 Dec : 3 - 5 pm Calligraphy @ the Clock
Discover the sacred art of Arabic calligraphy with teacher and artists Mohammed Charkaoui. ( 150 dh, discounts available)
Reserve a Place.
Sun 21 Dec : 6 pm ( 20 dh )
Sunday Sunset Concert
Scepticisme : Unplugged @ the Clock
And if you'd like to enjoy a traditional Christmas meal, here's the menu for Christmas Day. Booking essential.
Christmas Day Menu noon - 10pm 250dh
Potato, leek and celeriac soup
Baked salmon mousse w lemon and caper dressing
Goats cheese and roasted Mediterranean vegetable Tart (v)
Belgrave mashed potato, roast potato and seasonal vegetables
Roasted turkey breast with prune and apricot stuffing.
Belgrave mashed potato, roast potato and seasonal vegetables
Plum pudding with brandy butter and custard
Tariq's Christmas Treat
Mulled wine
Coffee + chocolates
Movies + games
Boxing Day 26 December 10am - 9pm
Our usual menu although :
Smoked salmon, scrambled eggs and Bloody Marys for those in need
New Year's Eve Extravaganza 8 pm till late 150dh
DJ, live music, buffet
last entry 10h30
tickets only in advance
Potato, leek and celeriac soup
Baked salmon mousse w lemon and caper dressing
Goats cheese and roasted Mediterranean vegetable Tart (v)
Belgrave mashed potato, roast potato and seasonal vegetables
Roasted turkey breast with prune and apricot stuffing.
Belgrave mashed potato, roast potato and seasonal vegetables
Plum pudding with brandy butter and custard
Tariq's Christmas Treat
Mulled wine
Coffee + chocolates
Movies + games
Boxing Day 26 December 10am - 9pm
Our usual menu although :
Smoked salmon, scrambled eggs and Bloody Marys for those in need
Know a lot about everything? Fancy your chances of winning a prize? Make up a team and come along to the Quiz at 6pm on Saturday 27
New Year's Eve Extravaganza 8 pm till late 150dh
DJ, live music, buffet
last entry 10h30
tickets only in advance
Tags: Moroccan Morocco Fes, Maghreb news
Historic Madrassa Pillaged in Fez
Sbaiyin MadrassasIn the past The View From Fez reported on the rehabilitation of the Sahrij and Sbaiyin Madrassas complex in the historic Medina of Fez. Now comes sad news that has been kept under wraps for some time. Bonnie Kaplan is the Conservation Consultant Coordinator of the Sahrij & Sbaiyin Madrassa Complex Restoration Project and here is her report. Please note: you can click on the pictures to see a larger view.One of the two 14th-century madrassas that I have been working in Fez to save for the last eight years, the Sbaiyin Madrassa, was pillaged this August. News of this incident was so underpublicized that even I only learned of the theft this week!
Please take a look at the attached images and pass this on to raise awareness about this tragic loss of Moroccan heritage. If you have questions or comments, please feel free to contact me at bxk132@yahoo.com
Thank you for your attention.
Tags: Moroccan Morocco Fes, Maghreb news
Tuesday, December 16, 2008
"Untrained" Christian Missionaries target Morocco
The website IslamOnline - has an interest ing report in which it claims a new breed of Christian missionaries is turning to the North African Muslim kingdom of Morocco in search for new ground to spread their faith."The goal is to give a clear presentation of the Gospel," claims Tyler, a member of an Ohio Baptist church who set up Project North Africa in Morocco. Tyler knows that what he is doing is unlawful and says his work could be disrupted if he gave his surname. He moved into to Morocco some three years ago.
"If you had the cure to the AIDS virus, would you not want to take it to the people? Three years ago I began praying about parts of the world that had not taken up the Gospel."
Since then, he has been preparing the ground for colleagues, mostly from South America, who would learn Morocco's dialect and seek to set up small businesses fronts to fund the group's evangelical work.
Christian proselytizers like Tyler say their clandestine status allows them to set up businesses or language schools at which converts are sometimes employed.
Like across the Arab Maghreb, missionary groups in Morocco currently range from broad alliances such as Partners International and Cooperative Baptist Fellowship to small Baptist and Pentecostal churches based in the Americas and Europe.
There are some 800 active European proselytizers in Morocco who claim that some 1,000 people converted to Christianity in 2004.
New Breed
Experts affirm that missionaries in Morocco reflect the rise of a new "untrained" breed of Christian proselytizers.
"With the internet and the increase in travel, you have a democratization of missions where anyone who feels like it can go anywhere they want," Dana Robert, world Christianity professor at Boston University, told Reuters.
This new generation, Robert says, lacks the training and knowledge of old ones.
"The new breed of missionary doesn't have the same historical training as the older established denominations, nor necessarily the cultural training," she stressed.
"So there's a bull-in-a-china-shop effect."
Western and Arab reports have repeatedly spoken about increasing proselytizing activities in the Arab Maghreb.
Proselytizers traditionally eye troubled and disaster-stricken Muslim areas like Iraq, Sudan's Darfur and Indonesia's Ache.
The vigorous proselytizing in developing countries has led to kidnapping of missionaries as well as anti-conversion laws in some countries.
Mohammed Yssef, general secretary of the Superior Council of Ulemas, Morocco's highest religious authority, complains that missionaries typically target the poor and the sick.
"When people respond positively (to missionaries), it is when they don't have their full freedom," he recently told Reuters. "Once they recover their normal health and situation, they recover their ability to decide."
Yssef noted that missionaries also try to win over communities like North Africa's Berbers by telling them Islam was imposed on them by Arabs.
"These are unethical methods."
Tags: Moroccan Morocco Fes, Maghreb news
Friday, December 12, 2008
Morocco leads Africa with carbon credit scheme.
Morocco has established a carbon credits company - the first of its kind in Africa - at a cost of 26.5 million euros. In doing so they have turned the spotlight on far more wealthy countries and large polluters like the USA and Australia who are yet to even set targets.
The company, announced yesterday, was established under the framework of the Kyoto Protocol on climate change.
The shareholders of the company, called the Carbon Capital Fund of Morocco (FCCM), are the Deposit and Management Fund of Morocco (CDG, public) with 50%, the French Deposit Fund with 25% and the European Investment Bank (EIB) with 25%.
According to the press, the FCCM is the first African francophone fund specially devoted to "carbon finance" in Morocco.
The FCCM will support Moroccan promoters in the realization of their projects if they comply with the mechanism for a clean development of the Kyoto Protocol.
In compensation, they could benefit from carbon credits over the period 2008-2017.
The mechanism for a clean development of the Protocol allows a company of an industrialized country to store up credits by investing in projects that reduce emissions of carbon dioxide in developing countries.
Tags: Moroccan Morocco Fes, Maghreb news
Wednesday, December 10, 2008
A sensual treat in Marrakech
Our resident food critic and gourmet guide has been on the road to seek out the great eating places around the country. This last weekend El Glaoui was in Marrakech and sent this report:Marrakech is foodie heaven and so it is hard to pick favourites but when you mix in ambiance, price and cuisine you begin to get an idea of what is a good eating place and what is an overpriced establishment with boring food and nothing really to offer but pretension. However... however then there is the Brasserie Orientale Le Tanjia - or simply Le Tanjia for short.
Situated in Derb J'did in the Medina, it is easy to find and worth finding. The food is Moroccan, but with variations and some other dishes on offer. The salads are some of the best I have had.What makes Le Tanjia worth visiting is the combination of atmosphere and friendliness of the staff. Service was prompt and while the drinks were on the expensive side, they were not as outrageous as many Marrakech eateries who seem to think that every visitor is a Texas oil billionaire or a French merchant banker. No, Le Tanjia was good on price - value for money.
The crowd were a mixture of locals, the young and the adventurous. It was a fun evening and a place I would visit again.
Details:14 Derb J’did – Hay Essalam
Mellah, Medina – Marrakech
Phone + 212 (0) 24 38 38 36 / +212 (0) 24 38 42 42
Fax +212 (0) 24 38 38 40
Mobiles +212 (0) 61 42 74 22 / +212 (0) 63 51 99 92
letanjia@yahoo.fr
Tags: Moroccan Morocco Fes, Maghreb news
A propaganda food fight over tragedy,
An interesting post on the Moroccan American forum the "Morocco Board" injects some sanity into an accident that became a propaganda tool.
Two students have succumbed to their injuries on Monday night in Agadir, Morocco, while a third is under observation in hospital after being crushed by a bus.
The victims were among a group of students who had taken over the Agadir bus terminal and demanded transportation to their city that same evening. Having failed to obtain satisfaction, the students set up a barricade in front of the bus station and tried to take over a bus by clinging to the windshield. As the driver manoeuvred the bus out of the station, it hit a wall and crushed the students. Three students were seriously wounded and taken to a local hospital where two of them died of their injuries later that evening.The driver of the bus was taken into custody pending an investigation of the accident.
The statements of several witnesses said that a group of students had demanded to be taken immediately to their destinations. When they were told that they would have to wait a couple of days for available seating, they barricaded the station using stones, then ordered passengers on buses to clear out, and tried to take over a bus.
In statements broadcast in local media, the parents of both victims - from Morocco's Saharan provinces - asked for a fair investigation and a just sentence for the guilty. They also requested separatist Sahrawi groups to cease using their tragedy for political gains.
The Moroccan authorities have denounced the political use by the Sahrawi separatist groups of the incident at the bus depot as a propaganda tool to present a negative image of the Human Rights situation in Morocco. An anti-Moroccan campaign relayed by the Algerian press and audiovisual media was coordinated to intensify close to December 10th, a date commemorating the 60th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
To mark that anniversary, several Moroccan human right groups deplored violations of human rights by Sahrawi separatist groups, forced disappearances, Guantanamo-like centres established in the Sahara and “gulag camps” around the Algerian city of Tindouf. Thousands of Sahrawi families are forced to live in abject poverty while international human aid is diverted by the Polisario.
Tags: Moroccan Morocco Fes, Maghreb news
Café Clock in Fez - Cultural menu.
Tuesday 9 Dec : 9 – 10 p.m.
Yoga @ the Clock
Bring a Mat : 50 dh ( discounts available )
Wednesday 10 Dec :
Please note there is no Darija class this week.
Thursday 11 Dec : 9 – 10 a.m.
Yoga @ the Clock
Bring a Mat : 50 dh ( discounts available )
Thursday 11 Dec : 6 p.m. ( Free )
Film : Babel : Tragedy strikes a married couple in the Moroccan Desert, touching off an interlocking story involving six different families.
Sunday 14 Dec : 11 a.m – 12:30 am
Oriental Dance @ the Clock with Fes choreographer and dancer Asmae Kouli. ( 50 dh). Reserve a Place
Sunday 14 Dec : 2 p.m.
English Conversation Group. ( 50 dh )
Sunday 14 Dec : 3 - 5 p.m. Calligraphy @ the Clock
Discover the sacred art of Arabic calligraphy with teacher and artists Mohammed Charkaoui. ( 150 dh, discounts available)
Reserve a Place.
Sunday 14 Dec : 6 p.m. ( 20 dh )
Sunday Sunset Concert
Omar Koli : Senegalese Acoustic Song
M’bruk 3id from all at Café Clock
For Christmas day menu and activities please see www.cafeclock.com
Reserve a Table : 035 63 78 55
www.cafeclock.com
Turn up the culture!
To contact us at Cafe Clock please write to :info@cafeclock.com
Tags: Moroccan Morocco Fes, Maghreb news
Tuesday, December 09, 2008
Moroccan Lamb Recipe
Everyone across Morocco is eating lamb tonight, as it's the Aid al-Adhar celebration. As it's cold and wet in Fez, and The View from Fez thought you might like a very simple, winter-warming lamb tagine recipe. Broad beans and artichokes are on the souk vegetable stalls now, so this is perfect.
Lamb, Artichoke and Broad Bean Tagine (for 6)
pinch of saffron threads, soaked in hot water
1,5kg cubed lamb from shoulder or leg
1 bunch parsley
1 bunch coriander
3 tbsp olive oil
1 slice onion
2 cloves garlic, crushed
250ml stock
1 tsp ground coriander
1 tsp ground ginger
1 tin artichoke hearts, rinsed and drained, or if you have plenty of time, use fresh ones
500g shelled broad beans
1 preserved lemon, rind only, cut into slivers
coriander sprigs and harissa to serve
1. Heat the oil in the tagine (or large saucepan). Add the lamb in batches and brown. Remove from pan.
2. Add the onion to the tagine and cook until soft. Return the meat to the tagine with the garlic, pour in the stock and add the spices, saffron and bunches of herbs. Bring to the boil, cover tightly, turn down the heat and leave to cook for an hour or more, until the meat is tender.
3. Stir in the artichoke hearts, broad beans and preserved lemon, cook for another 30 minutes.
4. To serve, remove the herb bunches, season to taste, and garnish with fresh coriander sprigs. A bowl of harissa on the side adds spice.
See all our Moroccan recipes here: MOROCCAN MENU!
Tags: Moroccan Morocco Fes, Maghreb news
Morocco: King pardons hundreds of convicts for Eid al-Adha
His Majesty, King Mohammed VI, has pardoned 502 prisoners for the Islamic Festival of Sacrifice or Eid al-Adha, being celebrated this week. According to a Justice Ministry press release, total pardon was granted to 15 inmates over their remaining prison term or seclusion, reduction of imprisonment term or seclusion to 299, commutating of life imprisonment to time term to 3, total pardon over the prison term or its remaining time to 29.
Other royal gestures of goodwill included the reduction of fines, or release upon the payment of a fine.
The king usually grants a pardon to inmates to mark religious and national holidays.
Algerian President Abdelaziz Bouteflika also pardoned an unknown number of convicted criminals ahead of the Eid al-Adha festival, reported official news agency Algerie Press Service.
However, prisoners sentenced for terrorism, subversion, murder, theft and drug trafficking were excluded from the amnesty.
Eid al-Adha commemorates the willingness of biblical patriarch Abraham to sacrifice his son to God.
It is celebrated on the tenth day of the Islamic calendar month of Dhul Hijja. This year it is being celebrated from 8 to 11 December.
Tags: Moroccan Morocco Fes, Maghreb news
Urban development in Fez - have your say!
The View from Fez would love to hear our readers reactions to an urban planning concept featured on the blog: A Daily Dose of Architecture.
In a nutshell, part of the project aims to rehabilitate the Chouarra tanneries by closing them and turning the area of the pits into public space. The famous pits would be transformed into planters for flowers. The architect putting forward this very well researched proposal is Aziza Chaouni, the Aga Khan Research and Teaching Fellow at Harvard University's Graduate School of Design.
Aziza ChaouniAziza Chaouni was the recipient of a 2008 Gold Holcim Award for Africa Middle East, and her River remediation and urban development scheme for Fez includes a bold move to return the Medina's Al-Qarawiyin University from the suburbs to the Medina. There is also a transport hub and some wonderful public spaces. However it is the final part of her scheme, to change the function of the tanneries, that is the boldest and it is only natural that such a plan is going to have its critics, because, as one commentator put it:
Chaouni tackles the existing leather tanneries, proposing to use the pits as reclaimed green space. This decision is questionable as it replaces a piece of economic infrastructure with something that doesn't apparently offer economic potential. Perhaps flowers and vegetable can be grown within and then sold in the medina.
But it is not simply the economic impact of closing the tanneries that is an issue. The extraordinary historical importance of the site - a tannery that has been in operation for close on one thousand years - must also raise some issues.
The Tanneries nowThere have been rumblings for a long time about the need to close the tanneries because of the toxicity and pollution caused by the chemicals involved. While the cleaning up of the Fez river is of great importance, there are those who say it can be done without closing the tannery. Other means are available to dispose of toxic matter and going on past experience it is uncertain how well maintained a "tanneries garden" would be after its initial construction.
In the proposal the Moroccan architect paired with LA-based urban planner Takako Tajima. The scheme addresses three sites in Fez, the tanneries, a playground, and a transit hub.
The transformation begins...
The end result.John Hill from The Daily Dose of Architecture says... To me this project is as an exemplary model of urban design, as it acknowledges both the greater context in which people live as well as the immediate pieces of the environment in which they interact. That it does so in a respectful manner makes it all the more commendable.
Along with the playground and transit hub sites the project aims to improve the water quality in the city and increase the amount of public open space within the Fez Medina. That the two are intertwined is fairly obvious but worth stating, as water management today still fails to consider social opportunities alongside environmental ones. Chaouni and Tajima's project incorporates a number of tried-and-true sustainable methods for water treatment, ones that allow public spaces to form in the dense fabric of Fez.
A remediation and urban development scheme for the river precinct in Fez, Morocco received the top prize of USD 100,000 and the Holcim Awards Gold 2008 trophy for combining a comprehensive socio-cultural and economic program within the core environmental remediation initiative. The landscape design by Moroccan architect Aziza Chaouni and American-resident Japanese planner Takako Tajima includes water quality improvement, remediation of contaminated sites, creation of open spaces and the enhancement of existing resources for economic development.
Head of Jury and acclaimed architect Joe Addo, praised the approach of coupling environmental remediation with a comprehensive socio-cultural and economic program. “While mitigating the threats of pollution and declining water supply to this historic lifeline traversing the medina of Fez, community-supported programs such as a leather craft center, recreation facilities, water-cleaning wetlands and botanical gardens will restore vitality to the city in a truly sustainable way,” he said.
Will we see a "save the tanneries" t-shirt?
Aziza Chaouni's websites: Extramuro & Kuochaouni
Images from the Holcim Foundation.
Our thanks to John Hill from A Daily Dose of Architecture
Tags: Moroccan Morocco Fes, Maghreb news
Cornish surfers stranded in Morocco
The Cornwall-based English junior surf team is stranded in Morocco following a protest at Stansted Airport that has delayed all flights.
The 16-strong group was due to fly back to England this morning after competing in the European Surfing Games in Agadir.
But when they went to check in this morning they were told Stansted was closed and were left desperate for information.
Team manager, Paul Jeffery, who lives in Newquay, said: “After hearing that Newquay Airport was closed while we in Morocco I thought it was a joke that Stansted was closed as well. I phoned home and asked my partner to find out what was happening and then found out it really was shut.”
The runway was closed as a precaution this morning after more than 50 protestors occupied a secure area near the runway. Police have so far arrested 39 people, who were campaigning on behalf of Plane Stupid – an environmental campaign group.
The group’s website that the action was intended to draw attention to CO2 emissions from the aviation industry and the protesters intended to occupy the area for as long as possible.
Mr Jeffery added: “We know we will get home eventually, but we still don’t know if we will be delayed coming into Stansted or diverted elsewhere.
“We also have to make alternative arrangements to get back from the airport, which is a real headache.”
Airline Ryanair said it had had to cancel 52 flights in and out of Stansted. A spokesman said the incident was "unacceptable" and demanded an investigation into how it happened.
Tags: Moroccan Morocco Fes, Maghreb news
A special screening of Fez Medina Film
Riad Alkantara has kindly agreed to host a screening of Imelda O'Reilly's short film Bricks, Beds and Sheep's Heads on Friday, December 12th at 6pm.
Still shots from Bricks, Beds & Sheep’s Heads
Bricks, Beds & Sheep’s Heads is an odyssey of a Moroccan immigrant named Murad looking back at his life on Aid El Kbir. Aid El Kbir is a celebratory Islamic holiday that occurs two months after Ramadan. Upon reflection of his fragmented past, moments are revealed as memory collides with attachment, longing and loss. On the dawn of Aid El Kbir, Murad discovers the boundaries of life and death.
This is a truly touching story that skilfully juxtaposes images of an Aid sheep sacrifice with a gentle and poetic narrative. The stark and haunting images, beautifully filmed, take us inside Murad's mind and heart both as an adult and a child to the extent where we feel his journey is our journey. O'Reilly's sensitive and truthful portrayal of the Medina is a credit to her and her crew. This film is a rare treat indeed and one whose story that is rich and rewarding enough to warrant a full length film treatment.
Imelda O'ReillyVisitors are cordially invited to join us for the festivities at Riad Alkantara located at 24 Oued Souaffine. Mabrouk El Aid!
Tags: Moroccan Morocco Fes, Maghreb news
Sunday, December 07, 2008
Islamic Surfboards
The View From Fez's intrepid sports editor, Dominick Nisbett, reports that an Australian artist has produced a range of Islamic surfboards in an attempt to create a greater understanding between East and West.
Phillip George was inspired by his trips to the Middle East and by riots in 2005 when Lebanese Australians were targeted on a beach in Sydney.
He has called the range the Inshallah - or God Willing - surfboards and has put them on exhibition in Sydney.
There are 30 surfboards in all, each adorned with intricate Islamic motifs.
Mr George hopes that the Inshallah surfboards can help bridge cultural and religious misunderstandings within Australia.
His inspiration has come from his travels and also from the Cronulla riots, when a crowd of mainly white Australians gathered at a beachside suburb of Sydney and targeted people of Middle Eastern appearance.
This is an attempt to fuse the Australian beach culture with the Islamic culture, he says.
"What I've done to bring the joy and the interest of our Islamic art to an Australian audience," said Mr George.
"I have actually transposed a lot of my photographic images - the work of the tiles and shots of the mosque - on to a surfboard so that they become a lot more acceptable or easy to digest for an Australian audience."
The exhibition, Borderlands, is at the Casula Powerhouse arts centre near Sydney.
All the surfboards face Mecca, and visitors have included schoolchildren from Cronulla, a mainly white suburb, and pupils from Sydney's Islamic schools.
This is not the first time that symbols of the Australian beach culture have been used in this way.
A local designer has already brought out what she calls a "burqini "- a full-length swim suit to make Muslim women feel more comfortable at the beach.
Tags: Moroccan Morocco Fes, Maghreb news
Phillip George was inspired by his trips to the Middle East and by riots in 2005 when Lebanese Australians were targeted on a beach in Sydney.
He has called the range the Inshallah - or God Willing - surfboards and has put them on exhibition in Sydney.
There are 30 surfboards in all, each adorned with intricate Islamic motifs.
Mr George hopes that the Inshallah surfboards can help bridge cultural and religious misunderstandings within Australia.
His inspiration has come from his travels and also from the Cronulla riots, when a crowd of mainly white Australians gathered at a beachside suburb of Sydney and targeted people of Middle Eastern appearance.
This is an attempt to fuse the Australian beach culture with the Islamic culture, he says.
"What I've done to bring the joy and the interest of our Islamic art to an Australian audience," said Mr George.
"I have actually transposed a lot of my photographic images - the work of the tiles and shots of the mosque - on to a surfboard so that they become a lot more acceptable or easy to digest for an Australian audience."
The exhibition, Borderlands, is at the Casula Powerhouse arts centre near Sydney.
All the surfboards face Mecca, and visitors have included schoolchildren from Cronulla, a mainly white suburb, and pupils from Sydney's Islamic schools.
This is not the first time that symbols of the Australian beach culture have been used in this way.
A local designer has already brought out what she calls a "burqini "- a full-length swim suit to make Muslim women feel more comfortable at the beach.
Tags: Moroccan Morocco Fes, Maghreb news
Thursday, December 04, 2008
Caravansarail
"The music of Caravansarail flows from the crossroads where world music, jazz, and ethnic music meet. An oasis of beauty, intensity, vibration, and emotion, where East calls to West, and North embraces South. Space and time, style and rhythm fuse to generate a most unique sound, fully expressing timelessness…in the present."
So why are we mentioning this album? Because it was produced and arranged by guitarist Eric Sempe and Gerard Kurdjian, percussion and vocals. Gerard is well known for his work with the Fes Festival of World Sacred Music, where he has been Artistic Director since the launch in 1994.
Walking to Kashi is a fusion album in the true sense of the word. It draws its influences and inspiration from the four points of the compass – south to Africa, north to Scotland, east to India and west to the jazz traditions of America.
Featured artists include the great Pakistani vocal maestro Ustad Hassan Shagan, the Armenian doudouk player Varo Hovanisyan, Daoud Sadosai from Afghanistan on sarod and rebab, drummer Felix Sabal Lecco from Cameroon and Ikram Khan from India on sarangi. Their talents are interlaced with saxophone and flute from Scotsman Neil Gerstenberg and electric base from Ema Uthu and Jo Cappelletti.
The album is tuneful and presents a variety of creative and original ideas – for example the yearning sounds of the sarangi teamed with piano on Silk Road, Musafirin – a jaunty number based on a traditional Afghan song featuring guitar, synthesisers and saxophone and the eponymous Walking to Kashi which weaves a musical tapestry with sarangi, tin whistle, tablas, vocals and electric bass. There are jazz, raga and folk influences tastefully integrated with contemporary themes -- which are occasionally edgy and challenging.
You can buy or download the album here: Caravansarail
The View from Fez congratulates Gerard Kurdjian and promises we are saving our dirhams to buy a copy.
Tags: Moroccan Morocco Fes, Maghreb news
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