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Life in Morocco and Glimpses Beyond

1906; Oxford University Press; Volume: s10-V; Issue: 113 Linguagem: Inglês

10.1093/nq/s10-v.113.159d

1471-6941

Budgett Meakin,

African Studies and Geopolitics

MOROCCOthe nation.Thus Morocco, of all the North African kingdoms, has always maintained its independence, and in spite of changes all round, continues to live its own picturesque life.Picturesque it certainly is, with its flowing costumes and primitive homes, both of which vary in style from district to district, but all of which seem as though they must have been unchangedfor thousands of years.Without security for life or property, the mountaineers go armed, they dwell in fortresses or walled-in villages, and are at constant war with one another.On the plains, except in the vicinity of towns, the country people group their huts around the fortress of their governor, within which they can shelter themselves and their pos- sessions in time of war.No other permanent erection is to be seen on the plains, unless it be some wayside shrine which has outlived the ruin fallen on the settlement to which it once belonged, and is respected by the conquerors as holy ground.Here and there gaunt ruins rise, vast crumbling walls of concrete which have once been fortresses, lending an air of desolation to the scene, but offer- ing no attraction to historian or antiquary.No one even knows their names, and they contain no monuments.If ever more solid remains are en- countered, they are invariably set down as the work of the Romans.Yet Morocco has a history, an interesting history indeed, one linked with ours in many curious ways, as is recorded in scores of little-known volumes.It has a literature amazingly voluminous, but there were days when the relations with other lands were much closer, if less cordial, the days of the crusades [Cavilla, Photo., Tangier.GATE OF THE SEVEN VIRGINS, SALLI.RETROSPECTIVE 3 and the Barbary pirates, the days of European tribute to the Moors, and the days of Christian slavery in Morocco.Constantly appearing bro- chures in many tongues made Europe of those days acquainted with the horrors of that dreadful land.All these only served to augment the fear in which its people were held, and to deter the victimized nations from taking action which would speedily have put an end to it all, by demonstrating the in- herent weakness of the Moorish Empire.But for those whose study is only the Moors as they exist to-day, the story of Morocco stretches back only a thousand years, as until then its scattered tribes of Berber mountaineers had acknowledged no head, and knew no common interests ; they were not a nation.War was their pastime ; it is so now to a great extent.Every man for himself, every tribe for itself.Idolatry, of which abundant traces still remain, had in places been tinged with the name and some of the forms of Christianity, but to what extent it is now impossible to discover.In the Roman Church there still exist titular bishops of North Africa, one, in particular, derives his title from the district of Morocco of which Fez is now the capital, Mauretania Tingitana.It was among these tribes that a pioneer mission of Islam penetrated in the eighth of our centuries.Arabs were then greater strangers in Barbary than we are now, but they were by no means the first strange faces seen there. Phoenicians, Romansand Vandals had preceded them, but none had stayed, none had succeeded in amalgamating with the Berbers, among whom those individuals who did remain were absorbed.These hardy clansmen, LIFE IN MOROCCOexhibiting the characteristics of hill-folk the world round, still inhabited the uplands and retained their independence.In this they have indeed suc- ceeded to a great extent until the present day, but between that time and this they have given of their life-blood to build up by their side a less pure nation of the plains, whose language as well as its creed is that of Arabia.To imagine that Morocco was invaded by a Muslim host who carried all before them is a great mistake, although a common one.Mulai Idrees " My Lord Enoch " in English a direct descen- dant of Mohammed, was among the first of the Arabian missionaries to arrive, with one or two faithful adherents, exiles fleeing from the Khalifa of Mekka.So soon as he had induced one tribe to accept his doctrines, he assisted them with his advice and prestige in their combats with hereditary enemies, to whom, however, the novel terms were offered of fraternal union with the victors, if they * For a complete outline of Moorish history, see the writer's " Moorish Empire." LIFE IN MOROCCOby the way, of other warriors as well of the.Arab leader charging the Atlantic surf, and weeping that the world should end there, and his conquests too, may be but fiction, but it illustrates a fact.Had Europe lain further off, the very causes which had conspired to raise a central power in Morocco would have sufficed to split it up again.This, however, was not to be.In full view of the most northern strip of Morocco, from Ceuta to Cape Spartel, the north-west corner of Africa, stretches the coast of sunny Spain.Between El K'sar es-Sagheer, " The Little Castle," and Tarifa Point is only a distance of nine or ten miles, and in that southern * An approximation to this is given in the writer's " Land of the Moors."C LIFE IN MOROCCO is reached at two points only south of Fez and Marrdkesh respectively, which form the apices of two well-known triangular districts, the contiguous bases of which form part of the Atlantic coast line, under four hundred miles in length.Beyond these limits all is practically unknown, the language, cus- toms and beliefs of the people providing abundant LIFE IN MOROCCO one after the other, the main transactions taking place on the coast with country Moors, than whom, though none more suspicious, none are more easily gulled.A much more serious obstacle to inland trade is the periodically disturbed state of the country, not so much the local struggles and uprisings which serve to free superfluous energy, as the regular administrative expeditions of the Moorish Court, or of considerable bodies of troops.These used to take place in some direction every year, " the time when kings go forth to war " being early summer, just when agricultural operations are in full swing, and every man is needed on his fields.In one district the ranks of the workers are depleted by a form of conscription or " harka," and in another these unfortunates are employed preventing others doing what they should be doing at home.Thus all suffer, and those who are not themselves engaged in the campaign are forced to contribute cash, if only to find substitutes to take their places in the ranks.The movement of the Moorish Court means the transportation of a numerous host at tremendous expense, which has eventually to be recouped in the shape of regular contributions, arrears of taxes and fines, collected en route, so the pace is abnormally slow.Not only is there an absolute absence of roads, and, with one or two exceptions, of bridges, but the Sultan himself, with all his army, cannot take the direct route between his most important inland cities without fighting his way.The con- figuration of the empire explains its previous sub- division into the kingdoms of Fez, Marrakesh, LIFE IN MOROCCO only terms offered for an extension of time for another three or six months are the addition of another fifty or one hundred per cent, to the debt, always fully secured on property, or by the bonds of property holders.Were not this thing of every- day occurrence in Morocco, and had I not examined scores of such papers, the way in which the ignorant Moors fall into such traps would seem incredible.It is usual to blame the Jews for it all, and though the business lies mostly in their hands, it must not be overlooked that many foreigners engage in it, and, though indirectly, some Moors also.But besides such claims, there is a large pro- portion of just business debts which need to be enforced.It does not matter how fair a claim may be, or how legitimate, it is very rarely that trouble is not experienced in pressing it.The Moorish Courts are so venal, so degraded, that it is more often the unscrupulous usurer who wins his case and applies the screw, than the honest trader.Here lies the rub.Another class of claims is for damage done, loss suffered, or compensation for imaginary wrongs.All these together mount up, and a newly appointed minister or consul-general is aghast at the list which awaits him.He probably contents himself at first with asking for the appoint- ment of a commission to examine and report on the legality of all these claims, and for the immediate settlement of those approved.But he asks and is promised in vain, till at last he obtains the moral support of war-ships, in view of which the Moorish Government most likely pays much more than it would have got off with at first, and then proceeds to victimize the debtors.* I.e.M Provincials," so misnamed from Kabilah (pi.Kabdil), a province. LIFE IN MOROCCOthe rustling of the wind was heard as it died among the tree-tops that wind which was a gale last night.The hurried tread of the night-guard going on his last perhaps his only round before returning home, had awakened me from dreaming slumbers, and I was about to doze away into that sweetest of sleeps, the morning nap, when the distant cry broke forth.Pitched in a high, clear key, the Muslim confession of faith was heard ; " La ilaha il' Al-lah ; wa Mohammed er-rasool AM-a-h !" Could ever bell send thrill like that ?I wot not. LIFE IN MOROCCO" All right, but you always get the better of me, you know.That is just what I paid.Anyhow, don't forget that when I want a new cloak," and he proceeds to measure out the purchases, using as weights two or three bits of old iron, a small cannon- ball, some bullets, screws, coins, etc." Go with prosperity, my friend ; and may God