A light but interesting tale about a storyteller in Marrakesh's Jemaa el Fna, is published in the New York Times by writer Marlise Simons. Link to the full article below the extract.
It's time for work and Mohammad Jabiri heads for Jemaa el Fna, the main square of Marrakesh, often called the cultural crossroads for all Morocco.
Stooping a little, he weaves through the crowds, past the snake charmers and their flutes, the racket of drummers and cymbalists, the cheers for the acrobats and the shouting of the kebab vendors, until he stakes out a quiet spot for himself.
Jabiri is a storyteller, a profession he has practiced for more than 40 years. Every day, he conjures up a real or imagined past that is filled with ancient battles and populated with sinners and prophets, wise sultans and tricky thieves.
For this he needs few props: He puts down a small stool and some colored illustrations. The rest is performance. His eyes can grow large and magnetic, and his voice booms or whispers, depending on the intrigue.
Jabiri, 71, is one of eight bards still performing publicly in the Marrakesh region of southern Morocco.
But most, like him, fear that their generation may be the last in a line that is as old as this medieval city.
Link: Of sultans, sinners and great battles fought
And while you are browsing, check out The Vagabond's Journal latest entry on Morocco: The Pace of Technology
Tags: Morocco Fes, Maghreb news
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