Lost in Translation and the Need for a Poet

For Arabic and French speakers wanting to delve deeper into the Moroccan psyche, there are plenty of books available. However, if you are an English speaker, the range is extremely limited. This is not just a problem for prospective readers but lack of access to translators is also an issue for authors. Recently, The View From Fez, sat down with two Moroccan writers to discuss the problem

Fouad Guessous

Fouad Guessous is a man with a deep love and knowledge of Melhoun poetry. Melhoun is said to have first emerged as a pure literary creation in the Tafilalet oases of southern Morocco in the fifteenth century. And it is from this region that Fouad Guessous opens his remarkable compilation of sixty-three poems in the original Arabic alongside superb French translations. The first two of the thirty-two poets, to whom he introduces the reader, hail from Tafilalet - Mohammed Masmoudi (17th C) and the man who laid down the rules that allowed enrichment of the art form, Abdeleziz Maghraoui.

Today the Melhoun form has spread through the Maghreb, where it is referred to as laqsida in Moroccan Arabic. In standard Arabic it is known as 'qasida" (Arabic: القصيدة) or "zajal" (Arabic: الزجل).

The laqsida is usually in three parts. There is an overture followed by verses sung solo, which in turn are interrupted by the harba refrain between the verses. Another refrain, called dridka (Arabic: الدريدكة) is a simplified form of the harba, taking off from an accelerated rhythm to announce the end of a laqsida.

Fouad Guessous points out that the "true Melhoun" is the section that is sung solo, while the instrumental music of the harba is purely to allow the singer a short break. Morocco produced a great number of poets from Fez, Meknes and Marrakech who adopted the Melhoun form to spread popular poetry.

Guessous's compilation of sixty-three laqsida, is above all a work of love. The translations to the French are superbly crafted and deserve to be read far wider than by those for whom Melhoun is simply the object of academic study. Therein lies the problem. Although the first edition was published back in 2008, Guessous has yet to find a translator to bring the poems to English speakers.

Guessous is adamant, "Translation is a difficult task at the best of times, but much more so when the text is poetic. It needs a poet. It must be the work of a poet." He has yet to find one.

In the same predicament is Hamadcha Sufi Tariqa (Brotherhood) mqaddem (leader) Abderrahim Amrani, who has compiled an impressive list of contributors to a book on the poetry of the Hamadcha Tariqa in Sidi Ali. The book is available only in Arabic, but a French edition is expected in the near future. However, like Fouad Guessous, Abderrahim knows that an English language edition is the key to wider exposure.

Amrani's collection of articles, poetry and historical photographs of the Hamadcha Brotherhood and the Mausoleum of the Tariqa's founder, Sidi Ali Ben Hamdoush, is a gem. The title of the book is itself poetic in Arabic, translating (perhaps) as "The Book of Watering the Flowers of Sidi ibn Hamdoush". In Moroccan Arabic the word used for "book" in the title is an old and very poetic form kunnäsh, rendering the title as:

Kunnäsh Azzahr al Marshoush

Fi Qasäid Sidi Ali Ibn Hamdoush

For those interested in the Hamadcha, this book is essential reading and the photographs from the turn of last century are historically important. The more modern history of the Hamadcha, such as their highly successful tour in Australia, sadly don't get a mention.

Amrani and Guessous - two characters in search of a translating poet

Once again this is a book that, as Guessous said, needs a poet as translator. To let it rest among the huge list of works untranslated would be a shame for those who love the Sufi tradition in Morocco.

Text and photographs: Sandy McCutcheon

Anthologie de la poésie du Melhoun marocain by Fouad Guessous ISBN 978-9954-8323-6-X
Kunnâsh Azzahr Al-Maroush Fi Qasâid Sidi Ali Ibn Hamdoush by Abderrahim Amrani published by Gnôsis - Éditions de France - (Yahya Cheikh) ISBN 978-2-35750-015-0

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Final Sufi Night Ends on a High

The second of the two Sufi Nights held at Dar Mernissi in Fez moved from the advertised programme to include two extra musical interludes which, along with some English language translations, proved to be a formula for success

At the begionning of the evening, Faouzi Skali surprised and delighted many non-French speakers in the audience by switching briefly to near perfect English. He then explained that Waddick Doyle, Director, Division of Global Communications and Film, and founder and director of the Masters in Global Communications program at American University of Paris, would also add some translation.

The first musical departure from the programme saw Annas Habib take the microphone and perform unaccompanied. Now living and studying in Holland, Annas's voice was in fine form and has a maturity and confidence that shows why he is so sought after as a performer. His brief return to Fez was given a warm and appreciative reception by the audience.

Annas Habib was given a warm welcome back to Fez

The format returned to the spoken word, with a discussion around the topic of "The seven cities of love" - the states of spirituality being sought by Sufi practitioners. It was a complex discussion which while lucid in French and Arabic, was ably and gracefully translated in brief to English by Waddick Doyle.

Mme Souad Mae Ainin, from the southern Saharan region of Morocco talked about the transmission of a culture of love and peace through poetry and "beautiful prose".

Mme Souad Mae Ainin talked of the culture of love

Following the discussion the audience were treated to another musical interlude, this time from Ali Keeler and four members of his group Al Firdaus.

Finally it was time for the Tariqa Derkaouiya. The brotherhood hails from Essaouira and is lead by Sheik Marina Ahamed. He has been with the brotherhood since 1952, and was one of the first Sufi leaders to bring women into performance roles in a tariqa.

Sheik Marina Ahamed a pioneer in bringing women into the tariqas

The Derkaouiya was founded by Sharif Idrisi Moulay Larbi Derkaoui. He was born in 1760 in the Moroccan tribe Beni Bou Zerroual Brih. He was the disciple of the great mystic Moulay Ali Ben Abderrahman El Amrani Said Jamal El Fasi who had his zawiya (lodge) in Fes, at a place called Hummat Er-Remula. The doctrine of Moulay Larbi Derkaoui proceeds from tariqa Shadhiliyya jazouliya. He died in 1824 in his zawiya Bou Brih where he was buried.

Unlike the staid performance of the previous night, the Derkaouiya men and women started strong and built all the way through to their climax, taking the audience with them. The addition of women's voices adds a whole new dimension to the music, giving it a spark that is often missing in the purely male line-ups of most Sufi brotherhoods.

The animated figure of Sheik Marina Ahamed at the centre of the group lead the, in what was a highspirited, heartfelt and infectious performance that rewarded those in attendance. It was, after all, what they had come for.

The audience was moved....

Hamadcha Brotherhood mqaddem Abderrahim Amrani congratulates Faouzi Skali

Faouzi Skali and his team are to be congratulated for giving the audience small but superb taste of Sufi culture and showing why Fez is one of "the seven cities of love".

Text and photographs: Sandy McCutcheon

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First Fez Sufi Night a Success

The organisers of the first of this weekends two Sufi Nights in Fez had every reason to be pleased by the large audience that turned up. The beautiful Dar Mernissi venue was packed with standing room only for late comers

After an introduction by Faouzi Skali, the first half of the evening was given to a discussion on Sufi poetry. While appreciated by most of the audience, Americans and Australians and New Zealanders, who had no French, struggled to understand as no translation service was available.

A good night for Faouzi Skali (left) and the leader of the Wazzaniya (right)

However, once the joint tariqas of the Siqilliyya and Wazzaniyya commenced their performance there was no need for translation. This is what a majority of the audience had come for and they were not disappointed. While only a moderate sized venue, the acoustics in Dar Mernissi were perfect for the samaa.

Australian artist Michael Wright

The audience included many well known figures in the arts and music scene from Fez and as far away as Australia. Singer Annas Habib, who is now based in Europe, was back in Fez as was filmmaker Joe Lukawski. Australian Artist Michael Wright, whose fascinating exhibition of photographs and mixed media, Dead Car Dreaming: of the Rainbow Serpent is showing at the ALIF Riad until Sunday, had originally planned to attend the now postponed Festival of Sufi Culture was in attendance and pleased that the two Sufi Nights coincided with his visit to Fez.

A second Sufi Night tomorrow will follow the same format and feature the Tariqa Derkaouiya. Starting time for the discussion "The Seven Cities of Love" is 8.30 with the tariqa scheduled to perform at 9.30.

The beautiful Dar Mernissi was packed

For those unfamiliar with Fez, the Dar Mernissi venue is at 3 Rue Salaj, which is the street directly across the road from the steps coming down from the entrance to the Hotel Batha. Arrive early if you want a seat!

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Morocco - an Antidote For Islamophobia

At a time when the news media bombard the public with the horrific behaviour of Daesh (ISIS) and problems in Yemen, Libya, Somalia, Syria and Iraq, it is easy to believe those who quickly claim that the root of the problem is Islam. However, Morocco continues to display to the world that moderate Islam is alive and well

President Kagame welcomes King Mohamed VI to Rwanda on his arrival for a three-day state visit

Morocco has long promoted itself as a mediator in West Africa and the Sahel and the champion of “moderate” Islam.  Morocco's Maliki school, a moderate branch of Sunni Islam, is particularly appealing to governments struggling to contain rising radicalism in the region.

Back in 2005 with the launch of the National Initiative for Human Development, Mbarka Bouaida, the Minister Delegate of Foreign Affairs at the time, pointed out the “the importance of the role of the institution of the commander of the faithful,” most notably “in granting religious services to citizens, removed from any ideological ends.” Bouaida went so far as to talk about “the continuing education of young imams and 'mourchidats' [female Islamic scholars] as well as the rationalisation, rehabilitation and modernisation of traditional education.”

In September 2013, a parliamentary delegation told European MPs in Strasbourg that “Morocco is establishing itself in the region as a democratic Arab and Muslim country integrating several civilisations … a role that makes Morocco a unique political and economic development model that answers the problem of absolutism and intolerance that has arisen in other Arab and Muslim countries.”

In the same year, during the Moroccan King's visit to Mali, a religious cooperation agreement was announced and according to which "Morocco will train 500 Malian imams over several years."

In 2014 Prime Minister Abdelilah Benkirane raised Morocco's approach to counter extremism before the UN General Assembly. This approach consists of religious cooperation programs with Arab and African countries. Benkirane specified at the time that Morocco was ready to share its experience in the fight against terrorism, in the framework of bilateral cooperation with its allies.

Since then Morocco has committed to religious cooperation in Mali, Guinea, Nigeria, Ivory Coast, Gabon, the Maldives, Tunisia, Libya and even Egypt. More recently, King Mohammed VI moved to expand Morocco's relationships even further by visiting the Republic of Rwanda as well as Tanzania and Ethiopia. The tour came as part the strategy designed by King Mohammed VI in recent years, which aims at diversifying its partnerships, strengthening its ties with the most important players on the African continent. The visits began just three months after Morocco announced its bid to rejoin to the African Union.

At the same time the Mohammed VI Foundation for African Ulema seeks to gather African Muslim clerics and scholars to disseminate the moderate precepts of Islam and help combat extremism, reclusiveness and terrorism. For at the end of the day the fight against radicalism within the Islamic faith is an ideological battle. And since there has been a steady decline in scholarly authority within the Muslim world over the past several decades, the Mohammed VI Foundation for African Ulema can play the role of a theological pillar of the Muslim ummah on the basis of ideals such as moderation, tolerance and co-existence.

Footnote

Far way from the world of politics and diplomacy there is another potent example of Morocco's role in promoting the Islam of tolerance. Tourists to the Kingdom experience first hand the generosity and open-mindedness of its people. As one tourist recently told The View From Fez, "It opened my eyes to such a different form of Islam.  Being able to sit down and talk to Moroccans about their religion, about their life and festivals such as Eid and Ramadan, gave me a whole new perspective on Islam".

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In Fez - A Concert of Sufi Music For Syria

There is to be an intimate evening of Sufi Music at the Jardin des Biehn in Fez this Sunday, the 30th of October, at 5pm. Entry is by donation which will go to aid Syrian refugees

Suggested donation for this benefit concert is 100 dirhams, which will provide Syrians affected by war with winter meals at a soup kitchen in a Mosque in Damascus.

The situation in Syria is unbearable and daily becoming worse. Shaykh Nazim al-Haqqani and Sheikh Mehmet Efendi have granted permission for meals to be provided every Sunday and Tuesday from the soup kitchen of Shaykh Abdullah ad-Daghistani Mosque at Jabal Qasioun, in Damascus.

The Sunday fund raising concert in Fez is at Jardin des Biehn
13, Akbat Sbaa, Douh 30100,Fès Médina.Maroc
+212(0)535.741.036
For more Info : lesfassinants@gmail.com

Also...

Also this weekend there are two Sufi Nights at Dar Mernissi. The concerts are on Friday and Saturday evening, October 28th and 29th.  For more information visit here: Sufi Nights


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Telco Turmoil as CEO is Fired

Yesterday, on The View From Fez, we speculated on the fallout from the VoIP ban fiasco and wrote "the ARNT management has been damaged by the ineptitude of their handling of the issue. If so, as one Moroccan commentator put it, "there may well be a reshuffling of the deck chairs". It appears that is already taking place

Azzedine El Mountassir Billahet, DG ANRT (left) and Mr. Ahizoune, president of Morocco Telecom (right)

Yesterday, (Tuesday, October 25, 2016) the head of the National Telecom Regulatory Agency (ANRT), Azzedine El Mountassir Billah was fired. The cause, according to informed sources, were numerous breaches of the rules of good management which were found by the auditors.

However, Moroccan media point out that his dismissal is probably due to a number of factors and that it is a "curious time for a dismissal".

Azzedine El Mountassir Billah, 59, was director of the ANRT for 8 years.

Moroccan telecoms have been in turmoil for several years and Azzedine El Mountassir Billah was at the forefront of several prominent disputes, particularly over the issue of to equable treatment for all telcos in the Kingdom.

Morocco Telecom, in which the state still holds a large share, still controls more than 95% of the market, including broadband internet (ADSL). Azzedine El Mountassir Billah focused on unbundling and giving access to the local infrastructure for fixed lines.

Access to network infrastructure to other telecom operators has been a legal requirement since 2007. However, nine years on, the ANRT has been criticising Morocco Telecom for obstructing it.

The battle between the ANRT and Morocco Telecom over unbundling recently heated up with the release on September 26th, and published on October 20th in the Official Bulletin, of a warning by the Agency to Morocco Telecom. The warning points out Morocco Telecom's "partial failure to fulfil its specific regulatory obligations as operator with significant power on the wholesale market for access to infrastructure".

It is natural, therefore that much of the Moroccan press sees the ANRT CEO's dismissal as the end result of the confrontation between the boss of the ANRT and Maroc Telecom's Mr. Ahizoune.

The news site, usinenouvelle.com/ also points to the fact that the ANRT earlier this year approved the ban in Morocco of IP voice services (VoIP), making it impossible to Moroccan access (except to go through a VPN) Skype, Viber or Whatsapp, resulting in widespread anger. In the legislative elections some parties including WFP (which finished second) promised to reverse the ban. But the news site suggests that the lifting of the ban is only for the duration of COP22 (7-18 November) to allow foreign delegates to communicate.


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Morocco's Daylight Saving Time Ends 30 Oct 2016

The last time change this year takes place on Sunday October 30th 2016, when daylight saving time ends

On Sunday, when local daylight time is about to reach 03:00:00 clocks are turned backward 1 hour to 02:00:00 local standard time.

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Morocco Withdraws Unpopular VoIP Blocking

Right from the beginning of the ban by Morocco's National Telecommunications Regulatory Agency (ARNT) of VoIP services such as WhatsApp and Skype, it was clear that it was a ban that couldn't be sustained in the face of public anger. Then, when it was disclosed that the Kingdom had lost at least 320 million dollars (see our story here) due to the ban, the ARNT reversed the blocking. However, instead of publishing an apology or even a simple press release, the ban was quietly reversed. But is it only a temporary lifting?

As Morocco World News reported, the ban was instituted in January on the grounds that free IP-based calling services weren’t licensed to operate as telecom entities in Morocco. The ARNT's’s undisclosed turnaround comes after disgruntled Moroccans expressed their disapproval of the decision, launching campaigns calling on citizens to boycott the three main Moroccan telecommunications agencies: Maroc Telecom, Meditel and INWI. One Moroccan national even went to court to battle the ARNT’s authority to ban these services.

Observers say that the thousands of Moroccans who resorted to VPNs (virtual private networks) to avoid the ARNT’s restriction should not ditch them just yet.

Despite the campaigns by Moroccan citizens and international criticism, some presume that the ban was temporarily lifted as a result of the fast-approaching COP 22 conference taking place in Marrakech in November, and may even be reinstated after the conference ends. COP 22 proceedings will draw government officials, representatives of UN bodies and agencies, intergovernmental and non-governmental organisations and media personnel to the kingdom, many of whom will be relying on VoIP services.

The other scenario is that the ARNT management has been damaged by the ineptitude of their handling of the issue. If so, as one Moroccan commentator put it "there may well be a reshuffling of the deck chairs".

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The Grand Theatre in Rabat to Open in 2018

The building of the Rabat Grand Theatre is a challenging project characterised by a modern design, its futuristic architecture involving complex cutting-edge engineering challenges

The futuristic design presents many complex engineering challenges

While the projected opening in 2018 is good news for culture lovers, the work still has some way to go.

According to reports this week the construction site shows a satisfactory rate of progress that has made it possible for Nada El Kasmi, deputy general manager of the project to feel confident about the 2018 opening date.

The budget of 1.452 million Dirhams includes the design, construction and equipment for the project. Ongoing work on the site are the structural works, civil engineering, steel structure and technical lots," says Nada El Kasmi, "In terms of progress, deep foundations, slabs and elevations of the basement and ground floor are completed. 70% of the "back of house" construction is complete." Ms El Kasmi added that "Time lines are central to our daily concerns given the technical complexity of implementation".

Rabat's Grand Theatre is the work of a brilliant Anglo-Iraqi architect, the late Zaha Hadid.

The auditorium  hopes to provide superb acoustics and sight-lines

"The futuristic  design  is intended to complement the wealth of monuments in the city of Rabat and its position as a cultural and tourist centre of the region, " said Ms. El Kasmi. "Moreover, from a technical point of view, it is the high quality equipment which will give the auditorium its superb acoustics and sight-lines.

It is intended the new theatre will accommodate a large variety of performances such as operas, symphony concerts and provide Rabat with a place on the national and international cultural scene.

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A Superb Weekend of Hadra in Chefchaouen

The art of hadra (trance dancing) is being celebrated this weekend in Chefchaouen with the participation of leading exponents as well as researchers. The weekend will offer a unique window into this Sufi art form

La Hadra Chefchaounia

The weekend has been organized by l’Association Sœurs de l’art authentique (the Association of Sisters of authentic art) and promises a diverse musical and academic program.

This festival aims to contribute to the cultural dynamics and socio-cultural development of the region and to strengthen Chefchauen's local and international reputation as one of the traditional Moroccan-Andalusian cities that has preserved its artistic heritage.

According to the artist Rahoum Bakkali, president of  l’Association Sœurs de l’art authentique , this festival is an opportunity to celebrate the symbols of artistic creation in Morocco and the contribution of Moroccan women .

This edition will be dedicated to the spirit of the scholar Sefiani Hashimi, a pioneer of the Andalusian music, in recognition of the central role of played by Hashimi in promotion and development of music in the city of Chefchaouen.

The formidable Lala Rhoum El Bakkali

Several Hadra groups will perfom including, Hadra Tanjaoui lead by Naima Barnoussi, Hadra Chefchaounia  and the group of Hadra Tétouania.

The most well known of these groups is the La Hadra Chefchaounia. Their musical director is a formidible force in keeping the Hadra tradition alive. Lala Rhoum El Bakkali, a descendant of Sidi Ali Hajj Bakkali who founded the zawiya (Sufi lodge) Bakkali of Chefchaoun. She is a professor of music and teaches piano and Arab-Andalusian music, in addition to acting as the leader and musical director for La Hadra Chefchaounia

Besides the musical concerts, the program also includes a scientific conference on "Sufi singing and Women Hadra" which will be supervised by specialists and researchers in music and in the history of the sufi art.

Photographs: Philip Murphy for The View From Fez

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Venue Change For Sufi Nights in Fez

The Sufi Nights to be held in Fez on the evenings of October 28th and 29th will now be held at Dar Mernissi (see address below) rather than at Dar Tazi. The change has been brought about because of concerns for the weather

The Wazzaniyya Brotherhood

The objective of the Sufi evenings is to enable a rediscovery of Islamic civilisation through the richness and creativity of its spiritual, intellectual, artistic and social dimensions. It will also show how this civilisation can continue to be the breeding ground of universal values ​​and enrichment of its relationship with other cultures and religions.

During the conferences and round tables discussions will be devoted to the presentation, analysis and meditation on the theme that emphasises the essential importance for any society of maintaining and developing its individual and collective spiritual riches.

The Sufi evenings will be divided into two stages. From 20:30 on the 28th the round table concentrates on dialogue and exchange on the theme "Sufism & Poetry"

On the 29th the topic is "The 7 Cities of Love".

Each evening at 21:30 the talking will give way to experiencing the power of the Samaa delivered by different Moroccan Sufi Brotherhoods (Tariqas).

In parallel to these Sufi evenings, participants can enjoy a variety of cultural activities allowing them to discover the wonderful city ofFez and its wealth of traditional crafts as well as its artistic, architectural and spiritual heritage.

There will calligraphy workshops organised by Cherkaoui.

A fascinating and very different tour into the Medina will be offered by the charismatic Sufi, Frédéric Calmes. Frédéric is a well known musician and storyteller and his Medina tour promises to show visitors a totally different and in-depth view into what makes the Medina such a unique spiritual city.

The Sufi Evenings will be held at Dar Mernissi, 3 Rue Salaj, Batha

The Siqulliya Tariqa

The Sufi Brotherhoods will include: Tariqa Derkaouiya, Tariqa Siqilliyya and Tariqa Wazzaniyya

Tariqa Derkaouiya is Sufi Brotherhood founded by Sharif Idrisi Moulay Larbi Derkaoui. He was born in 1760 in the Moroccan tribe Beni Bou Zerroual Brih. He was the disciple of the great mystic Moulay Ali Ben Abderrahman El Amrani said Jamal El Fasi who had his zawiya (lodge) in Fes, at a place called Hummat Er-Remula. The doctrine of Moulay Larbi Derkaoui proceeds from tariqa Shadhiliyya jazouliya. He died in 1824 in his zawiya Bou Brih where he was buried.

The Siqulliya Tariqa are one of the most interesting Brotherhoods from a musical and historic perspective. Often their music crosses into the realm of polyphony. As a reviewer pointed out back in 2011, "...the singing seemed to have echoes of something else - a music from another place. There was no mistaking it; what we were hearing was a subtle polyphony - a texture consisting of two or more independent melodic voices, as opposed to music with just one voice The brother's voices rose and fell, others cut in underneath and the effect was what one might have expected from an early Christian liturgy".

The Wazzaniyya Brotherhood is one of the major Sufi groups in Morocco, and was established in 1678. They once played an important political role and still have a wide following across the country.

Speakers at the round table discussions include: Eric Geoffroy, Mohamed Ghani, Touria Ikbal, Fatima Lahdabi, Thanni Lharak, Souada Maoulainaine, Abdelah Ouazzani, Salamatou Sow and Faouzi Skali.

NOTE: For those unfamiliar with Fez,  Dar Mernissi is at 3 Rue Salaj, which is the street directly across the road from the steps coming down from the entrance to the Hotel Batha. 


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Free Wi-Fi at Moroccan Railway Stations

The Moroccan National Office of Railways (ONCF) issued a statement this week announcing that it intends to install free Wi-Fi connections in all railway stations across the Kingdom

The Casa Port Station has free Wi-Fi now

For the last 5 years the ONCF has been running a test period of "Hot Spot ONCF".

However, while the new Wi-Fi Network is set to cover even the most remote train stations across the country, the introduction will be a "gradual process".

To connect: no software has to be downloaded, no password. Just select the network called "ONCF," fill out a short form and the connection is established automatically.

It is intended that internet connection will also be made available onboard trains on the main railway networks.

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Return of the Rainbow Serpent - Exhibition Opening in Fez

Today sees the opening of an exciting exhibition at the ALIF Riad by Australian Artist Michael Wright. The exhibition, Dead Car Dreaming: Return of the Rainbow Serpent is a mix of photographs and mixed media

The opening is today, Friday, Oct. 21 at 6 PM and the exhibition is continuing until Oct. 29, 4-6 PM daily.

Michael Wright describes the background to the works:  "In early August 2008, I was invited by the Aboriginal Elders of the Gumbynggira clan from the north coast of NSW to accompany them on a Sojourn to the desert region of Central Australia. Our quest was to invite a group of senior Anangu custodians to bring the Wanampi (Rainbow Serpent) Imma (Dance) across to the east coast of Australia and to then perform this dance.

We drove 2,400 km from Bellingen (a little coastal town about 6 hours drive north of Sydney) to the centre of Australia and it took days of 10 hours straight driving to cover this vast distance. The landscape changed from tropical on the coast to farmland and then to desert. The kaleidoscope of colour was a little overwhelming at times. I had little opportunity to sketch any of the landscape, as our driver was on a mission. But I did manage to take a few photos.

What caught my eye as we drove along the mainly deserted back roads was the number of old abandoned cars on the side of the road. Left where they broke down, often too hard to repair and too far to be towed to the next settlement. These cars had been pushed off the road by the local road maintenance crew, and then left for the scavengers, the elements of fire, rain and the very cold of winter to mold them gently into the landscape. These “Dead Cars” I loved, they could all tell stories of travels of hope and dreams of their various owners. If only we knew the language of the car whisperer. If so, we too could enter their dreaming. During this time, I was pleased that our driver stopped to let me take a few photos of these twisted lumps of metal to show at a later date to like-minded people who understand the importance of the Sojourn. Eventually, we met up with the Elders, custodians of the Rainbow Serpent. They accepted our request and agreed to perform their sacred dance at the Bellingen Global Festival, which is held annually in October. This whole process of the Sojourn and Global Festival was just fantastic for me.

Here in this installation, I am attempting via photo-mixed media imagery to show a few moments of my Sojourn to central Australia and back to the coast over a two-week period. What was the highlight for me? To see Ayres Rock (Uluru), The Olgas (Kata Tjuta), the desert, great herds of wild camels, the cold starkness of the desert at night, the deep steel blue of the desert sky and my first meeting and interaction with the Desert Elders. The friendship I made with my three travel companions. The chance to be part of making history, the joy of being able to take many photos to share. I feel all of these were a blending together of many wonderful states. This to me was the Rainbow Serpent in action." - Michael J. Wright - Sydney, October 2016

The exhibition, organised by the ALC-ALIF Photography Club, can be seen at ALIF Riad, 6 Derb Drissi, Batha, Fes Medina

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Morocco Pays the Price for VOIP Blocking

The Moroccan economy has lost $320 million as a direct result of the government’s decision made in January of this year to restrict VoIP service. The revelation is part of a new report by the American Centre for Technological Innovation at the Brookings Institution

Blocking calls via VoIP (Voice over IP) was instituted in early January by the national telecommunications networks Agency (ANRT). The telecom watchdog had justified the decision by explaining that "the delivery of all telephone traffic to the end customer can be assured by public telecommunications network operators. (...) The regulatory provisions governing the provision of telephony services (VoIP or other) are clear and those services can be provided only by holders of telecommunications licenses operators ".

Unsurprisingly the blockage had caused an outcry, many users highlighting the negative impacts for those wishing to join their families abroad, or for entrepreneurs who work remotely or with international clients and who used to use these applications to move their business calls cheaply.

This latest, study conducted by the director of the Centre for Technology Innovation at the Brookings Institution, a think -tank based in Washington, justifies the public anger by showing just how much the country has lost.

In the report, Darrell M. West, founding director of the Washington DC-based nonprofit public policy organisation and the report’s writer, analyses the worldwide economic loss due to internet shutdowns in certain countries. West estimates the total loss of revenue at $2.4 billion last year, alone.

According to reports in The Huffington Post and Morocco World News, the author of the study says that he took into consideration the size of the country's GDP (based on 2016 projections of the Boston Consulting Group), the duration of the disturbance (182 days in the case of Morocco or the first six months of blocking), and percentage of the population affected by this cut. He also examined whether blocking concerned the entire Internet, only the mobile internet, or specific applications and services such as social media, research platforms, video or messaging. He also compiled information on the rate of subscription to a mobile subscription in each country.

In looking at the economic impact of blocking specific applications and services, the author relied on a study by two economists from MIT in 2013 on the use of free services like Google, Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, and WhatsApp Wikipedia in the United States, and found that the use of these applications was a contribution of 0.23% to the national GDP.

"Since these services have increased significantly since 2013, the impact could well be higher in today's economy," said the author of the study.

While the UN adopted, in July, a resolution condemning the restrictions on access to information on the internet and calling to guarantee the human rights online, the author of the study believes that the partial or total blockage of the internet or certain services "separates people from their families, their friends, and their livelihoods, undermines economic growth, hindering the start-up ecosystem, threatens stability social interrupting economic activity."

According to the same report, the economy most affected is India’s with $968 million lost, followed by Saudi Arabia with $465 million, Morocco with $320 million, Iraq with $209 million, and the Republic of the Congo $72 million in estimated losses.

While Moroccans continue to express their dismay at the decision and have launched a campaign calling on citizens to boycott the three main telecommunications triumvirate of Morocco including Maroc Telecom, Meditel, and INWI, a majority have turned to Virtual Private Networks which avoid the blocking.

The Administrative Court of Rabat held a hearing on Tuesday into a case filed by a Moroccan citizen against ANRT’s decision to restrict the use of VoIP.

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The Hotel That Vanished

A hotel, described by many guests as "cheap and cheerful", has been demolished, much to the surprise of regular visitors to Casablanca

The Ibis Hotel at Casa Voyageur in Casablanca was never a grand establishment and over the years it had become a little seedy. Nevertheless, it was the first stop for thousands of visitors arriving in Morocco. Located one minute from the railway station it was convenient for jet-lagged travellers wanting to catch up on sleep before embarking on their Moroccan holiday. Now it is gone.

A great location, but now, no hotel

The Ibis hotel in Boulevard Bahmad, Place De La Gare Casa-Voyageur .has disappeared. The destruction was completed on Monday 17 October and now the site is being prepared for Morocco's TGV (high-speed train) as well as the redevelopment of the rather dilapidated railway station.

The hotel gives way to the TGV and a new station

While Ibis has another more modern hotel in the city centre, a spokesperson says that the Casa-Voyageur hotel will be rebuilt on another site.


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Appeal For Moulay Idriss Flood Victims

This week the town of Moulay Idriss experienced flash floods in which at least 2 teenagers lives were lost and many homes damaged. The View From Fez is joining Rose Button in raising funds to assist families whose homes were damaged

Rose has met with 7 families whose homes were very badly damaged and who have lost nearly everything.

The immediate need is for blankets and replacement of basic food supplies like oil, tea, coffee, flour, milk and sugar.

There are 3 homes which need work to fix walls damaged by the flash flood, improve drainage and to support an elderly couple to clear there room of mud caked on walls, the floor and even the ceiling.

One home is that of a single mum with 4 children who have lost everything- so we will also replace the white goods and arrange for a plumber and electrician to ensure the appliances are safe.

These families do not have spare money - in total 30 adults and children will be supported. These families are delighted and relieved to have our support.

We will also provide a donation to the families that lost their children in the flash flood. We are looking to raise €500-1000 and even a small €10 donation will make a difference to the community.

Please assist by making a donation via PayPal (darzerhoune@gmail.com). It can be in any currency.

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Air Arabia Opens New Routes to Paris and Bordeaux From Fez

Air Arabia Morocco in partnership with the Moroccan National Tourist Office (ONMT) has launched two new routes between Fez and the French cities of Paris and Bordeaux

The new routes provided by Air Arabia, are part of the policy of increasing tourist flows to Morocco

This announcement was made at the opening ceremony of a new sales office in Fes.

According to the CEO of Air Arabia Morocco, Adel Ali, the new destinations Fez-Paris and Bordeaux-Fes, scheduled from December, will strengthen the range of services that the company offers to France for their holiday or business trips as part of the overall strategy of Air Arabia Morocco to development of the tourism sector in Morocco.

For the president of the Regional Council of Tourism (CRT) of Fez-Meknes, Driss Faceh, the opening of the new routes reflects the growing interest in Morocco as a destination .

These new routes provided by Air Arabia, also within the framework of the policy of increasing tourist flows to Morocco and the consolidation of air traffic between Morocco and Europe, he added.

In the opinion of tourist operators in Fez, these new air services will strengthen the tourist attractiveness of Fez as the spiritual capital of the Kingdom.

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King Names Benkirane as Morocco's Prime Minister

Morocco's King Mohammed VI has named Islamist leader Abdelilah Benkirane as prime minister for a second term after his party won the most seats in last week's election

After five years in government, the Justice and Development Party (PJD) party won 125 seats while the rival Authenticity and Modernity Party (PAM) took 102, in a tight race for the 395-seat parliament that will complicate formation of a coalition.

The elections were a test for Morocco's constitutional monarchy, five years after the king devolved some powers to an elected government to ease Arab Spring-style protests demanding democratic change. The king still holds most executive authority and names the premier from the winning party in elections.

"I can confirm his majesty named him as the new prime minister," Mustapha Ramid, outgoing justice minister and a senior PJD party official, said, after attending the nomination of Benkirane in Casablanca.

Benkirane confirmed his nomination to local news websites.

Under Morocco's multi-party system, no one party can secure an outright majority, and must negotiate with others to form a coalition government. The PAM's strong position means the PJD must join with at least three other parties to have a house majority.

Since being appointed prime minister in 2011, Benkirane has pursued economic reforms to reduce the budget deficit and tackle subsidies. The PJD has been popular for its anti-corruption message.

The PAM, founded by a close friend of the king who is now a palace adviser, portrayed itself as a liberal alternative to Islamists. But some critics say it was used by the royal establishment, uncomfortable about sharing power with Islamists, to push back PJD influence.

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Morocco's Legislative Election Results

Two major parties emerged far ahead of the rest of the field - the Justice and Development Party (PJD) topped the elections with 125 seats in the House of Representatives. The Party of Authenticity and Modernity (PAM) followed with the most spectacular advance of any party, rising from 42 seats in 2011 to 102 this year

Abdelilah Benkirane - PJD leader

Far back they were followed by the Istiqlal Party (46 seats), the National Rally of Independents (37 seats), the Popular Movement (27 seats) and the Socialist Union of Popular Forces (20 seats). The Constitutional Union managed to win 19 seats in the lower house. The Party of Progress and Socialism won 12 seats while the Social Democratic Movement captured 3 seats. Democratic Left Federation had only 2 seats despite the mobilisation of social networks during the election campaign. The two vacant seats on the 395 parliamentary seats will be occupied by the Green Left Party and the Party of Uniqueness and Democracy.

 Hisham Aidi, a Harlem-based writer, writing for Aljazeera English says that in the run-up to election day, the war of words between the main rival parties - the incumbent PJD and the Party for Authenticity and Modernity (PAM) - escalated, with the Islamist PJD claiming that their main rival, the PAM, is favoured by the state, and the latter stating that the PJD has been spreading extremist ideology throughout the kingdom.

Thirty parties have fielded candidates yet only four or five parties have a strong electoral base and won a sizeable number of seats - namely, the incumbent PJD, the rising PAM, the Istiqlal Party (founded in 1944), the Popular Movement, and the Party of Progress and Socialism.

The greatest improvement in the election belongs to  PAM, a  party was founded in 2008 by Fouad El Himma, a close adviser to King Mohammed VI. PAM does not have a clear ideological stance - it claims to be "democratic and modern" - and is supported by prominent business leaders.

By most accounts, the PAM was established to counter the growing influence of the Islamist PJD, which has been making electoral gains since it won eight seats in the parliamentary elections of 1997.

The Islamist party went on to win 42 seats in September 2002, and 107 seats in November 2011, after which Abdelilah Benkirane, the party leader, was named prime minister of Morocco.

PAM supporters at a rally in Kenitra

Since its founding, the PAM has also been building support, particularly among liberals and economic elites, winning roughly the same amount of votes as the PJD in the municipal elections of 2015.

Morocco's new constitution, passed by referendum in 2011, whittled down some of the king's powers - granting the prime minister the right to appoint new officials and to dissolve parliament, powers previously held by the palace.

A constitutional amendment also states that the king must choose a prime minister from the party that receives the most votes.

Yet the monarch still enjoys vast power, chairing the Council of Ministers, the Supreme Security Council, and the Council of Ministers (excluding the Minister of Justice), which must approve all legislation.

The king also reserves the right to play the role of a powerbroker in party politics. The PJD is seen as challenging the political and religious authority of the palace. For months Prime Minister Abdelilah Benkirane has denounced the palace's attempts to steer the PJD through "remote-control politics" ("attahakum").

Long-standing tensions between the PJD and the palace have now erupted into full view.

PJD supporters accuse the ministry of interior of organising a protest in Casablanca on September 25, where protesters denounced the PJD's "Islamisation of Moroccan society".

And then an Islamist candidate allied to the PJD was barred from running for office in Marrakesh because of his alleged hate speech (while a dozen or so Salafi candidates who had been banned from political office also because of hate speeches are now permitted by the ministry of interior to stand for office.)

PAM's Ilyas Ell Omari

In recent weeks, several PJD members have also been caught in highly publicised scandals involving drugs and land-grabbing. The ministry of interior disavows any ties to the anti-PJD gathering in Casablanca, and to exposing recent scandals.

The PAM's candidate and secretary general Ilyas El Omari has likewise denied any unsavoury links between the palace and his party, claiming that the king's advisers are associated with various parties and not just the PAM.

He has also accused the PJD-led government of allowing for the radicalisation of youth, particularly in northern Morocco, and called for an investigation of the "state-accredited associations" that spread such ideology.

Benkirane, in turn, rebuffed Omari's accusation ("Can he name any of these associations?"), adding that he does not consider the PAM a political party because it is "manipulated".

Public opinion polls before elections are banned in Morocco for fear of swaying voters towards one party or another, yet the PJD was favoured to win, largely because of its support base in urban centres and in lower-income areas.

This is ironic given that the PJD's policies of subsidy cuts and pension system reform, and its freeze on government jobs, has disproportionately affected the urban poor.

Across the country, unemployment remains high (20 percent for youths between 15-24), and corruption is still rampant (Morocco fell from 80th to 88th place in Transparency International's index of 175 countries).

PAM leaders are also quick to point that the PJD promised 7 percent growth and delivered a growth rate of 1.5 percent - claiming that, if elected, the PAM will create 150,000 jobs per year. However, unless they are invited into coalition they have no chance to deliver on this promise.

In an interview with Aljazeera Benkirane said that no alliance is envisaged with PAM, the second strongest political force in Morocco.

Benkirane said it was out of the question to form a coalition government with PAM, given that his party does not favour such an arrangement. He said that he would "reach out to all the parties, with the exception of PAM".

Without an absolute majority the PJD Abdelilah Benkirane's team to form a government, but the arithmetic of alliances remains complicated. However, Benkirane remains optimistic. "Nothing is ruled in politics, but all the conditions are met to form a new government," he promises. He added the same source: "in all likelihood, the situation will be less difficult than last time." The negotiations are open.

Regarding the participation rate of 43%, Benkirane said that this rate is "acceptable", pointing out that the comparison of this ratio with that of the 2011 elections did not hold, because the voters that day n ' were only 12 million registered on the electoral lists, while this number increased with the elections for nearly 16 million voters.

However, Benkirane said that "it would have been better if the turnout exceeded 50%," mentioning the need to begin mobilizing to encourage citizens to vote massively in the future.

Benkirane also stressed that the electoral process in Morocco ahead "irreversibly" and that the democratic process "can not be broken" . In power since 2011, Islamists won 125 seats out of 395 in Parliament. What he didn't say was how concerned he was by the huge rise in popularity of the more secular PAM. If their growth continues they will be a major challenge to the PJD.

The Interior Department said that these results remain provisional pending validation by the State Statistics Committee, in accordance with legal provisions.

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