Fes ~ The Mother of All Cities - Eberhard Hahne

FES - Die Mutter aller Städte  (The Mother of all Cities), by Eberhard Hahne, published by Terraviso-Verlag in Cologne, is a beautiful homage to the Medina of Fez, by a man who has spent almost 40 years visiting and photographing the city. While the text of the book is in German, the photographs speak a universal language. With his tribute to his favourite city in the world, Eberhard has created an unique portrait of the Medina of Fes

Fez is the most important and most mysterious of the four Moroccan royal cities. Founded 1200 years ago by the great grandson of the Prophet Mohammed, the Medina has become the largest oriental town in the world. Here, medieval life has been salvaged until the present time. The lovingly designed picture book describes, supplemented by 40 texts, the socio-cultural cooperation, the craft guilds, markets, private and spiritual life of this islamic city. The UNESCO declared Fes 1981 as a world heritage - Eberhard Hahne

Hahne has divided the book into five chapters, corresponding to the five pillars of Islam. The chapters deal with the determinants of this city: the population, the craft, commerce, privacy and the Spirituality. His pictures show the confrontation with its historical counterpart, the immutability of the subject.

Quotes from the travel literature of the past centuries underline this strange timelessness. One reads a quote from Leo Africanus from the 15th century and sees what is described in a splendid adjacent photo.

The most interesting and successful  aspects of the book are the inclusion of old historical photographs and numerous texts describing the peculiarities of everyday oriental life.

I just love to drift, getting lost in the seemingly endless maze of lanes with. Here I discover again and again to me unknown places, markets, workshops that inspire me. For a freshly brewed mint tea I like to go into the cafes around the Bab Boujloud. The small market Souk el Henna I visit on any tour of the Medina. To relax I like to go in the Jardin du Public to walk and then drink a freshly squeezed orange juice in the nearby Café Nouria - Eberhard Hahne

DETAILS

FES - Die Mutter aller Städte ISBN 978-3-00-045709-8
Price: 40 Euro plus 5 Euro postage (Europe)
Print length: 205 pages,

Links:
Eberhard Hahne's Website
YouTube - inspect the book
Amazon (German)


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High Atlas Autumn - Photo Essay

Spectacular scenery is enhanced by the warm hues of autumn in Morocco's High Atlas mountain region. The View From Fez stayed at the Douar Samra guesthouse in the tiny Amazigh (Berber) village of Tamertert. As well as warm fires and hearty and delicious meals, the views from the terrace were extraordinary. It's an ideal base to explore Toubkal National Park by vehicle, by mule or on foot 

View from Douar Samra guesthouse in Tamertert

Autumn colours fill the valley near Imlil 

A shepherdess tends her small flock

Access to many villages is limited to 4 x 4 vehicle, mule or walkers

Morocco's highest peak, Mt Toubkal

Douar Samra guesthouse in Tamertert offers local hospitality

The main house at Douar Samra is lit only by candles

One of the garden rooms at Douar Samra

Rachida is the house manager and cook Douar Samra guesthouse

To see more information about Dour Samra guesthouse, please CLICK HERE. 

Photographs: Suzanna Clarke

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Slideluck II ~ A Hit in Fez

Last night saw the second Slideluck production in Fez. Once again it was a night of food, friendship, music and some great photography, thanks to Omar Chennafi and his team. The View from Fez was there...

Congratulations to Omar Chennafi for a another great event

The ALIF Riad was packed

The music ranging from Gnaoua to Flamenco was a great hit

A night of good food, joy and great images

Some superb photographs 

Beautifully textured photographs from Jess Stephens

Suzanna Clarke's jubilant photography from Cuba

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Fog in Fez Creates Wonderland

Unusual weather conditions in Fez on Friday made for a magical early morning walk around the public gardens, Jnan Sbil. Later, as the fog lifted off the mountains, the Merenid tombs and city were revealed

Photo essay by Suzanna Clarke


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Photo Essay ~ Master Musicians of Joujouka ~ Part Two

In the Ahl Srif mountain range in Northern Morocco the sun drops below the horizon and the temperature drops quickly. But in Joujouka the lights come on and the temperature rises as a group of visiting scholars and musicologists await the performance by the Master Musicians of Joujouka...

(Click all photos to enlarge)

The night starts with a burst of sound from the ghaita players. The instrument is somewhat like an oboe, but with a much harsher penetrating sound.

Once the musicians had settled in two young boys dressed in women's clothes took to the floor and danced with high energy and obvious enjoyment.

Then came the moment many of the visitors and locals had been waiting for - the lighting of the bonfire and the arrival of Boujloud. The pan-like figure was threatening and demoniac as, with a switch of branches and leaves, he attacked anyone within striking distance.

The threatening figure of Boujloud

Boujloud pursues his victims through through the sparks and smoke of the fire

Moving, as in a trance, Boujloud attacks with his branches

Visitors and locals alike were entranced by the spectacle.  Others simply closed their eyes and let the music carry them away.

However, by the end of the night the visitors danced until they could dance no longer.

The night was not only a wonderful musical event, but a display of the warmth and generous hospitality of the Joujouka villagers who guided us back to our houses where sleep and the prospect of a rural breakfast lay ahead.

Organiser Frank Rynne with some of the musicians

The View from Fez would like to thank Frank Rynne for providing us with a perfect stay in the village of Joujouka and the Master Musicians and their families for their wonderful hospitality.

Part one of the photo essay is HERE

The 8th edition of the The Master Musicians of Joujouka three day annual festival takes place 5-7 June 2015 and is booking now http://www.joujouka.org/

Photo essay: Sandy McCutcheon

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Photo Essay - Master Musicians of Joujouka ~ Part 1

Over the weekend The View from Fez was invited to join a group of scholars and musicologists on a trip into the hills behind Ksar El Kbir to visit the village of Joujouka and spend time with its most famous inhabitants ~ the Master Musicians of Joujouka

Sunset over Joujouka (Click on all images to enlarge)

The Master Musicians of Joujouka are Berber Sufi trance musicians most famous for their connections with the Beat Generation and the Rolling Stones founder Brian Jones. These musicians hail from the village of Jajouka near Ksar-el-Kebir in the Ahl Srif mountain range of the southern Rif Mountains in northern Morocco.

Joujouka village street

The next generation dancer in rehearsal

"Boujloud"

One of the most interesting aspects of the Master Musicians' performances is the character of Boujloud - a Pan-like figure half goat half man. Although the character of Boujloud is found all over Morocco, it takes on different form in Joujouka.

According to local legends, the original Boujloud gave the gift of flute music and the power to bestow fertility on the village every spring when he danced. The present "Boujloud" is an extraordinarily energetic elderly man with wicked sense of humour.

The fiddle player with endless energy

After an afternoon of frenetic music lead by a fiddle player who appears to have endless energy, the musicians regroup in a small hut and launch into more fiddle and drum music. The beat is infectious and soon the guests find themselves unable to sit and so join the dance.

The visitors are invited to join the dance

Artist Yuri Zupancic of William S, Burroughs Communication joins the dance

"Boujloud" dancing

After an hour of dancing there is another break for food in preparation of the long night ahead. The supply of food, tea and coffee seems endless, but eventually there musicians head off to change into their traditional costumes.

The visitors were treated to a banquet

Final preparations for the main event

Continue to Part Two

The 8th edition of the The Master Musicians of Joujouka three day annual festival takes place 5-7 June 2015 and is booking now http://www.joujouka.org/

Photo essay: Sandy McCutcheon

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