Xoussef

From the ocean to the Gulf

noreply@blogger.com (xoussef) — Wed, 11 May 2011 10:44:00 +0000

Some weird things are happening. Morocco had been asked to request joining the Gulf Cooperation Council, an organisation that comprises the Arabian Gulf states of the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, Oman, Qatar and Kuwait. It could be stretched to Iraq, it has shores on the gulf too, and Yemen possibly. A la rigueur even Jordan, at least it has borders with Saudi Arabia, but Morocco? You couldn't find a more dissimilar country, not only because of geography, but culture, language, History, even ethnicity... Morocco has more to share with French speaking western Africa than Arabia I think. So this is really a surprise.

On the face of it, however bizarre it might seem, it could actually work. Political affinity is certainly on an all time high. Morocco has always been a staunch ally to Saudi Arabia, and has excellent relationships with the Emirates, especially Abu Dhabi. Morocco has been on Kuwait's side during the invasion, and is the recipient of a substantial amount of Kuwaiti aid, loans and private investments. Only Qatar had strained its relationship with Morocco at some occasions, but no more bad blood apparently.

That is more than one can say about the still born Arab Maghreb Union, but even the removal of the Libyan lunatic will not be enough to resuscitate it. Either Algeria quits, or Morocco does for it to have a chance to happen, and without either one, it's pretty meaningless anyway. Let's not mention the paraplegic Arab league.

Distance is not a deterrent for trade, fiscal and legislation harmonisation. The distance is actually in favour of Morocco, as it's a deterrent for unwanted migratory flows, and they're bound to be some, considered the unbalance in wealth, and population pressure. So all in all, it seems like a good thing for Morocco. Not much in the line of political concessions needed, and as far as economic concessions go, it certainly won't be worse than what the EU and US got Morocco to sign. In the balance, better access to Gulf aid and financing, better conditions for trade and maybe a preferential treatment for Moroccan work force. Still we'll have to wait and see what kind of membership will be offered, and on what conditions.

What's in it for the GCC states though? It seems more like a reward for an ally than the usual carrot dangling. The only thing a can think of that the GCC couldn't have had easily otherwise, would be supplying soldiers for the Peninsula Shield Force, which could be useful. Moroccan, or Jordanian, soldiers in Manama would have meant a much less confrontational and embarrassing situation for everyone then. But even so, rumour has it that Moroccan soldiers have been working on the Saudi-Yemeni border under Saudi command, no GCC membership needed. Legitimacy though is paramount for more public actions.

Some commented on it being a club for Arab monarchs. Yemen, which is due to join in 2016, aside, what other country could be asked to join?
Algeria is too proud and pig headed, and fancy itself a regional leader. Egypt and Tunisia are in transition to god only knows what. Syria and Libya are in civil war, Iraq is under occupation (and there is the little Kuwaiti problem), Sudan is being split and Somalia doesn't exist. Mauritania is too poor and too far and Lebanon is too complicated. Practically only Jordan and Morocco could be candidate. It doesn't make this invitation less weird though.

Any ideas?

A kick to the groin...

noreply@blogger.com (xoussef) — Fri, 29 Apr 2011 12:13:00 +0000

When I think of the tragic catastrophe of yesterday in Marrakesh my heart aches. The loss of all these lives, the wounded... It fills me with rage. I revised my stance on capital punishment. If the monster is not already shredded to pieces, and I really hope he's alive, I want him caught, and I want him executed in public. Some people just don't deserve the air they breath.

The amount of damage a few, or maybe just one deranged individual can bring to a whole country is staggering. I have cold sweat thinking of the situation this act of savagery is putting us in. Not only the dead and the wounded, may be maimed and scarred to life, this is going to affect the lives of thousands of people in Marrakesh, Essaouira, Ouarzazate and even the countryside. Hard times are ahead. Friends tell me people are packing and leaving on the first opportunity, not only tourists but residents too, and reservations are being cancelled en masse. What has taken so many years to build has been shattered, and it will take years to mend. In the meantime, people will lose jobs, income, and there is no other real alternative. That's a real kick to the groin.

Those who did this should hang. To hell with human values.

noreply@blogger.com (xoussef) — Mon, 03 Jan 2011 16:18:00 +0000

God: So, what was your best deed below?
Bomber: Well, that would be the last thing I did down there. I rid the world of a bunch of villains. Bad people. I didn't stick around long to count but I'm sure that was big... surely, you must know about it!
God: Villains you say? Nothing of the sort recently.
Bomber: Oh they should be coming any time, just a second or so behind me I imagine.
God: And what unspeakable thing were these people doing?
Bomber: Worshipping...
God: What? The devil? Human sacrifice?
Bomber: No... You

Origami Izimer

noreply@blogger.com (xoussef) — Sat, 20 Nov 2010 20:09:00 +0000

Since you can't escape sheep whatever you do for a day or too yet, how about making a little Origami ram? You'll need to concentrate, but it's not that hard, and I found it to be very relaxing...

The artist is Hideo Komatsu, who has an impressive bestiary, and you can find detailed instructions here:
Hideo Komatsu - Sheep
The wolf is here if you're interested

And a late Eid Mubarak to everyone!

Vandalism skirmishes

noreply@blogger.com (xoussef) — Thu, 21 Oct 2010 17:07:00 +0000

One fine day, whoever it is manages traffic signs saw it fit to finally put a left-turn prohibition sign in the chaotic intersection. Anything to mitigate the chaos in the busy thoroughfare was welcome, it was very inconvenient to some people though, but no one could deny it was the sensible thing to do.
After some days of orderly fluid traffic, under the watch of an agent there to assist the sign imposing its presence and be respected, the new road sign was finally left alone to do its job. It lasted exactly three days.
The sign disappeared in the wee hours. Chaos resumed first thing Monday morning. No sign, no interdiction, right?
Where id the sign go? Was it someone strongly objecting to being denied a short-cut? Equally plausible is simple theft. Stop signs are notorious for their input as sardines fry pans, other signs have been spotted contributing to various other culinary enterprises such as the Koubal au feu de bois.
The sign guys came and inspected the scene, but there was no trace, not even a note. The naked pole stood there, completely ignored in its silence for a day or two, no more. A shiny new interdiction sign took its rightful place again.
By next Monday, it disappeared too.
Now, that's no simple theft! It's clearly premeditated, an act of resistance! The sign guys will not suffer being wronged so! A sign will be put again, and this time, it will be fused to the pole.
It worked too...for a time.
Sign number3 fulfilled it's duty, braving incredible violence. It withstood its paint being scraped, graffiti (everyone knows now Souad and Amine are in love, but seriously, blanco?)... someone even managed to bend a corner, the savages!
However, the Anti-sign guy (it must be a guy, too much testosterone in the air) was brewing something more radical. By a Monday, again, the chaos diligently filled the void, and many people got to school or work late. The sign was still there, securely fused to the pole, but it was the latter the victim this time. By bending the pole so severely mere centimetres separated the sign from the soil now. No one acknowledged its authority any more...
The sign guys were now honour bound to react, but budget isn't infinite. It took a lot of work to unbend the pole, but it was worth it. The sign was still serviceable after all it endured. It was a bit skewed, but still there for everyone to see.
Then the anti-sign guy stroke again, without delay. Now, a crater stands in place and around where the sign stood. He extracted and took the concrete foundation as well as the bent pole and battered sign.
Budgets can't keep with such determination, hundreds of people still occasionally arrive late, tempers still flare regularly, someone has his beloved short-cut, until the next supply of poles and left-turn prohibition signs that is...

This is...

noreply@blogger.com (xoussef) — Wed, 06 Oct 2010 17:22:00 +0000

... weird!!!!!!!!!
I can't help feeling a little creepy !

٠٠٠

noreply@blogger.com (xoussef) — Wed, 06 Oct 2010 13:05:00 +0000

على الجزيرة الوثائقية، برنامج يهتم بصناعة العطور يلتفت بشكل خاص إلى "كالا كونا" المشهورة بوردها الدمشقي و منتجاته و بمهرجانها السنوي. من الواضح عبر الأعلام الحمراء ذات النجوم الخضراء أن هته الحاضرة من أعلام مملكتنا المغربية السعيدة، لكن لا داعي للبحث عنها فلن تجدها على أي خريطة. مترجمنا العزيز لم يكلف نفسه عناء البحث و التقصي، أفليست تلك بلاد البربر ولغاهم العجيب على أي حال؟ ثلاتون ثانية لا أكثر كانت تكفي لجلاء سر كالا كونا هته، إنها ليست سوى قلعة قلعة مگونة.
على نفس المنوال، لك أن تبحث عن سد "ثري جورج" ما شئت، أي نعم بالجيم، و إن عجزت فاسأل ناشيونال جيوغرافيك. يبدو أن هذا الصرح العظيم يقع في الصين
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On dead magazines..

noreply@blogger.com (xoussef) — Sat, 02 Oct 2010 15:21:00 +0000

So Nichane is dead? Big deal.
Sorry I'm not going to join the cohorts of sympathizers lamenting its ending business as if it were martyrdom. OK, Nichane marketed itself as anti-establishment, titillating the Makhzen, incidentally not going far enough where it mattered to me time and again, and spreading far too much space to trivialities sometimes, justifiably so they can sell paper. Yeah, not completely a fan, I admit. But they must have been irritating enough in Nichane to get reactions.
So, it succumbed because its opponents changed (finally) strategy from outright seizing copies and harassment, to the more subtle judicial and economic harassment, and apparently it works. I respect smart moves, objectionable or not, though I'm told these techniques were perfected in places like Singapore, and Tunisia has been an early adopter, so it's hardly innovative. What's Nichane's people are going to do next is what I would like to know. Another Magazine, a website, individual or collective blogs?
What bothering me though is the whining. Not Nichane's people, but some people commenting on this bit of news here and there. It's irritating, I want to tell them it's hardly a surprise, if it's nothing else, it's an acknowledgement of Nichane's voice. I want to tell them to suck it up and focus on what's next, but that's irrelevant because, strangely, Nichane's people are not the one whining, and that's forcing respect.
On the other hand, the other "independent" Arabic press is engaged in an entertaining, though pathetic, catfight complete with figurative slapping, scratching, hair-pulling, and shirt-shredding over failed mergers and acquisitions.
Anyone still wonders why newspapers don't sell in this blessed country?

noreply@blogger.com (xoussef) — Mon, 09 Aug 2010 22:22:00 +0000

Personal note:

Today, you're officially over the 90 kg red line.
Tomorrow starts the diet, near term goal 85 kg,
ultimate goal 75 kg.

Aja Aja fighting!

Some Hibakusha paintings

noreply@blogger.com (xoussef) — Fri, 06 Aug 2010 23:01:00 +0000

I got chills watching the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Ceremony in the news, when the Peace Bell was rung.
And then I found these, some Hibakusha, bomb's survivors, paintings. I doesn't need commentary.

Pray it doesn't happen again...

On moroccan's racism..

noreply@blogger.com (xoussef) — Sun, 01 Aug 2010 15:18:00 +0000

I've been mulling this subject for some time now, trying to determine if Moroccans attitude toward black people is or isn't racism. That's obviously a sensitive issue, because you don't get around labelling people racists, that's a serious charge, and because I'm myself unsure how to differentiate between racism, xenophobia, ignorance and simple bigotry. It has also to do with my reluctance to indulge in stereotypes, actually asserting any opinion, when some 30 million people more or less are concerned. But when I read that article, I was literally itching to add my commentary, so here it is:

The article is published on afrik-news.com by Smahane Bouyahia, and it's supposed to be a bit of reporting, however it seriously looks like an opinion piece to me.

It goes:

In Morocco, and north Africa, there is a serious problem of racism towards Black people. Called “Black Africans,” they are considered descendants of slaves and labeled “hartani”—literally, “second-rate free men”—or even worse, “aâzi”—which translates to “bloody Negro”. Blacks in Morocco, be they students, migrants, from the South of the Sahara or others, are constant victims of discrimination...

Sorry, that's a concentrate of Bullshit. One can differ as to the existence and the seriousness of a problem, my opinion and personal observation is that it's an exaggeration. In my experience, non moroccan black people are simply called "Africans", denoting, in a related topic, how we don't see ourselves as belonging to the continent, and indeed a large part of the indigenous black-ish people are certainly descendants of slaves, nothing wrong nor problematic with this.

I might be wrong but from the journalist's name and the fact that she works in Morocco indicates that she must be an Arabic speaker, but judging from her farfelue translation of Hartani and Aazzi I wonder what funny thing her Darija must be.. Hartani, to my best knowledge, stems from the Amazigh word for "of dark complexion" Ahardane. For sure, not a polite word referring to someone, but certainly not "second-rate free men". As for Aazzi, it's probably related to "Izzah" an Arabic word which means might, honor, respect, dignity, prestige, fame and glory. Not exactly pejorative, and furthermore, in my experience, no one ever took umbrage for being addressed so. “bloody Negro” indeed.

That ludicrous example of "free" translation apart, people should be weary translating culturally charged words. Usually "Negro” would be translated as "zanji" in MSA, But t"zanji" for an Arabic speaker has a somewhat different meaning than "Negro". Another example is "shaheed" and "martyr". The two concepts overlap, but are noticeably different nonetheless.

Returning to the article, the journalist interviews a scholar:

According to Pierre Vermeren, a historian specialized in North African societies, there is a different degree of racism towards the Black Moroccan as against the Black foreigner.

“There are several categories of Blacks in Morocco. The first includes the endogenous Black populations who are directly descended from slaves and are now mixed with the Moroccan population. The second concerns the Black peoples of the South. They are concentrated in oases entirely populated by Black Africans and are yet to mix with Berbers or Arabs. The third includes Africans, mostly Senegalese, who come on pilgrimage to the Medina of Fez. The last category concerns students and migrants—those most affected by racism.”

For the majority of Moroccans, this anti-Black attitude is reflected in their behavior towards Black foreigners who either haven’t integrated with the general population or who aren’t Muslim. The underlying superiority complex dates back to Antiquity. At that time, there were thousands of Black slaves in Morocco. Some were part of the Moroccan military corps and the Civilian Guard, while others fulfilled various tasks given to them during the reign of Ahmed El-Mansour Eddahbi or even that of Moulay Ismail in the 16th and 17th centuries.

But, "slavery was never officially abolished. The French Protectorate at the beginning of the 20th century, simply forbid the act. But the initiative never came from Moroccan society itself,” says the historian while making reference to a book written by Mohammed Ennaji Soldats, esclaves et concubines which, according to him, perfectly illustrates this period.

Mostly true, however, linking the present attitude of Moroccans to what happened centuries ago is, in my opinion far fetched. Slavery has never been as an intensive trade, save mayhap some short periods to supply the Army, as was the case in other parts of the world. And not necessarily black slavery, some right wing Europeans and Americans are quick to remember. It wasn't necessarily hereditary either, especially in the cities where the freed slaves and their descendants got mixed to the general population. where the "white" Moroccans end and "black" Moroccans start is in my opinion impossible to tell.
But my point is, Moroccans are sadly, including me, in a rupture with the past. Awareness of Morocco's History is usually sketchy and unlike in Europe and US, not hashed and re-hashed in pop culture and academia alike. Even "black" Moroccans don't consider slavery as a component of their heritage and identity, at the exception for Gnawa, and even they don't stress the oppression and hardship of slavery. It's a dim scar long accepted as part of the body and nearly forgotten, only its "visible" existence keep its memory.
Insinuating that because slavery died away of historical and economical reasons, and not "officially" abolished, makes the idea of slavery latent in the Moroccan society, and therefore conductive to racism is simply absurd.

"It is rare for a Moroccan woman to marry a Black man"

For Nadia, a fifty something year old Moroccan, the problem runs deeper than common racism. “It’s even deeper than that. This attitude is passed down from generation to generation. It is extremely unusual, for example, for a Moroccan woman to marry a Black man, even if he is a Muslim. It’s just not done. The only condition under which this might be ‘tolerated’ would be if the man didn’t have too obvious Black features. People worry about what their family or friends would think. The woman in question is likely to hear her mother or a friend tell her that there are ‘enough good Moroccan men for one not to have to go looking for a Black one.’”

According to Nadia, this attitude is commonplace in Morocco, and everywhere else in the Maghreb. “Even for a man who is usually freer for the fact that he is the one who passes down his name and religion to the children, to marry a ‘woman of color’ is not accepted by his family and friends. And this is even more difficult when a non-Muslim is involved. Mixed marriages are already rare in our culture—so marrying a non-Muslim or a Black Moroccan is simply unacceptable. This applies to my father’s generation, my generation, and also my children’s generation.”

I'm not sure taking some anonymous fifty something random person opinion as solid fact is very wise. This is simply largely untrue. Not completely untrue though. Many Moroccans are skin tone obsessed, and lighter skin is supposed to be more attractive and a "blond-ish" wife is a marker of social standing. However it's nothing that money or a visa, sadly or fortunately, can't cure.
I don't know what mixed marriages she's talking about, but rare they aren't. On one hand, one has only to look around to see couples from all Moroccan backgrounds, on the other, Morocco is renowned for exporting wives and grooms, and here again sadly, rumour have it that skin colour or even attractiveness doesn't seem to weight much in the decision.
It's the same logic that makes a "black Moroccan" a less desirable son in law, as former slaves descendants and harsh and poor pre-sahara tribes alike aren't typically the upper strata of the society. Not to mention the strong taboo that prevailed against marrying outside one's tribe or family, be it black, white or polka dotted.
And in the bottom of it all, no one has to explain why he or she is attracted to men or women of an ethnicity or a body type or else.

Black in Morocco: The Nightmare of Students and Immigrants

“The most violent forms of racism are towards Black students. At the Cité international universitaire (international students dorms) in Rabat, it is visible. Students coming from all parts of the African continent to further their studies are regrouped amongst themselves, or even isolated. They do not share the same facilities with the ‘white’ Moroccan students. It’s all very communitarian,” says Hervé Baldagai, former Secretary-General of CESAM (Confederation of African Foreign Students in Morocco). “Black people face difficult conditions and regular abuse. We are called ‘bloody Negroes’ in Arabic, asked to leave the country, called ‘AIDS carriers’. We even have stones thrown at us. It’s unbearable. We face administrative difficulties, especially when go for our student permit or scholarships.”

Mystery solved, the journalist doesn't speak Darija, and the guy has a very bad translator.
Now, anyone who went to a Moroccan university for a semester would tell you, not only sub Saharans huddle together, there are so many subdivisions forming you can hardly tell sometimes.. people who went to the same high school, people who take the same bus to the same neighbourhood, people from a certain city or region, people who speak an Amazigh dialect, hip-hoppers, wannabe-Goth, Taliban and their future harem, separate as befitting , those who speak French, those who speak Arabic, the posh, the poor, the leftists, the activists, you name it... some of these groups form from affinity or convenience, others, like sahrawis, for exclusion, add to that the appalling inability of an average Moroccan student to make intelligible conversation in French and you get why Universities, supposedly a mixing ground, coagulate in this weird fashion.
Not that "Blac Africans" are any better. Just identify one, and 90% of the times you get the nationality of the rest of the group by association.
And no one is worst treated in a moroccan administration than a moroccan citizen. Tomorrow is a new étape in the famous "tour du maroc" and the prize is getting my identity card redone. Sorry, I don't see why a foreigner should be better served than I. Don't even mention scholarships...

Black Students Return Home After Their Studies

“In Morocco, we can’t really talk about it. 2M, a moroccan TV station once organized a debate on the topic. The problem is that certain parts of the interviews were censored, especially those parts where there were complaints. We discuss the cases of assault in the streets among ourselves, but that’s about it. Then again, what do you expect to happen? In general, at the end of their studies, Black students return to their home countries. Except those who come from conflict areas... and who are obliged to remain in Morocco.

What better victim for aggression and theft than a vulnerable foreign young (foolish?) student? Universal truth.
And I dare say, you're actually supposed to go back home when you finish your studies, where is the problem?

A growing awareness

Nowadays, while tongues may be unraveling, the subject remains taboo in Morocco, a country where hospitality is a cultural asset. After an article by Maria Daif appeared in the Moroccan journal Telquel, a few years ago, there has been a greater awareness of the topic. Amel About El Aazm is one of the founders of the young organization Lawnouna (‘our colors’), created in 2004 in Rabat. The goal of the organization is to bridge the gap between Moroccans and Blacks or other people from diverse origins. According to her, “discrimination against Black people, especially from South of the Sahara, is a fact. It is a tough reality for them. No one can deny that racism exists in Morocco, those who do, do so in bad faith. That said, we cannot ignore that in Morocco, there are people from Sub-Saharan Africa who live very well. They have understood that they need to adopt a certain attitude to fit in with the rest of the population. There is an initial step to be taken, to adapt and discover the culture and the society where one lives. While they represent a small number, it proves that this is possible. That is the goal of our organization: to help Black people overcome the obstacles they may encounter. If a student needs four or five years to fit in with Moroccan society, Lawnouna, through its various activities, tries to speed up that integration.

I left out the rest which is the same vein

Sorry but there is a great difference between a taboo subject and a not so interesting subject. I won't shed tears for the plights of these students, that's what it is to be part of a visible minority, a foreigner, not speaking the language, from a different religion, culture, country. If they expected a smooth integration they were young and naive. Of course Muslims will be better accepted, of course a Senegalese who learns some Arabic in school will fare better... Things could be better of course, but these are the complaints of foreign students nearly everywhere.
There are however regularly stories in the media about Sub-Saharan refugee/emigration candidate single mothers , raped, assaulted, living in the utmost poverty in a country they don't even speak the language, and you have only to go near a mosque a Friday to be solicited by beggars. If there are victims of racism they would be among those. I don't begrudge this association their work, but I don't see them denouncing administration for racism, police for ignoring complaints or harassment, students don't seem to have problems with professors because they are black, and has anyone been denied public service, school or medication because of his skin colour? That's serious, could and should be addressed, but how do you propose suppressing rude kids and incompetent parents, scowling sales men or unpleasant neighbours, because save aggression and theft, that's what it boils down to...

I have always had excellent relationships with "African" students and co-workers, sometimes the only "whitish" dot in a group. I had all sorts of stories first hand from the nasty neighbour, the kids acting like stray dogs, the throwing of stones to the nasty lady at the resident card office. I herd the rumours, the nasty comments, the badmouthing and known a specimen of a true racist doubled by a hypocrite. Had I wrote anything about this topc, it would have been probably à charge. But I find this article with it's generalisations, superficial analysis, amalgamation of different topics and its single minded charge too quick to cry wolf when it's only a stray dog.
Had I wrote this I would have mentioned the giant Friday Couscous a neighbour prepares for the students, the Moul hanout (shop keeper) finding a way to tease his customers despite the language barrier, the Moroccan-Senegalese couple bringing their kid to the kindergarten every day and the crowded theatre at the African students festival. The Malian doctor who saw me come to this world (thanks doc)...

Actually I feel wronged and compelled to defend...

The whole article is here:

Oh crap! I'm an Arab

noreply@blogger.com (xoussef) — Sat, 12 Jun 2010 18:09:00 +0000

Identity is not my forte, it's a perpetual confusion. The simple, obvious answer is that I am Moroccan. What's a Moroccan is neither simple nor obvious, obviously..

I believe what one is is what one claims to be. That I don't really claim to be anything much for lack of knowing is somewhat bewildering when I think of it, which is not frequent fortunately. Otherwise, it's shelved somewhere.

What got me thinking of it recently is the statement that someone I know made casually, that you're, obviously, an Arab if you speak Arabic. It's true because everyone knows it, and I checked with everyone, the everyone here being several people to whom I have access, of sufficiently diverse backgrounds to justify the "everywanity" I bestowed on them.
Everyone knew, I didn't.

One is what others say he is a valid point too. Surely self identification takes precedence, but since I don't...

That makes things difficult because at least one thing I knew was that I'm, was now, no Arab. At leas not entirely, not really, I'm sort of Arabish at worst... True, negation isn't much of a methodology, but if I keep eliminating suspects I might stumble on the culprit. Now I don't even have that hazy line of inquiry...

It should make he whole issue moot too: if you're an Arab, you're it, and that's it, but to be sincere, I just don't relish the idea. I have to get around this somehow.

Here Amin Maalouf comes handy. From les identités meurtrières, I got the idea that an individual's identity is an overlapping of group identities to which he/she belongs. To be fair it might be the guy said something entirely different, but I read the book once when I was 13 and never again, and that's what stuck.
Very convenient.
So now I can be partly Arab, sort of more "Arabishy" than I was before. Back to square one.

Or... not exactly square one. On the flip side, that means I have to admit to being francophone, which irritates me too, still need to know what else is there in this Harira, and what the hell to call the resulting overlapping Millefeuille!
This is when a simple Bissara becomes intellectually attractive...

Now I have to go raid the fridge, and blame Mama for not teaching me Tachelhit if she's in the way...

A beautiful song

noreply@blogger.com (xoussef) — Tue, 08 Jun 2010 18:20:00 +0000

Lura - Libramor

Ah amor, amor nobo
É flor di carrapati
Kel mesmo na desamor
É pedra na sapati
Ah amor é kel tal e qual
Ké di cada qual
Di N krê-bo, a credo, a tédio
Tem cuzas fatal

Abençoados
Suados

Ah amor doença fina
Ki ta bá ta aumenta
Kel mesmo amor ki dipos
Ta bira tormenta
Ah amor é kel tal e qual
Nunca sempre igual
Abraços, casos, laços,
E otos cusas fatal

Midjor de mundo
Imundo

Ah Amor, amor nobo
Ca ta sai di boca
Quel mesmo amor na ora não
Nem pa bu toca
Ah amor é quel tal e qual
Instinto animal
Fêmea, sémen, gérmen,
E otos cusas fatal

É feitiço
É isso

Ah amor, amor nobo
É flor di carrapati

Ah amor doença fina
Ki ta bá ta aumenta
Ah amor é kel tal e qual
Ké di cada qual
Di N krê-bo, a credo, a tédio
Tem cuzas fatal

Abençoados
Suados

Ah Amor, amor nobo
Ca ta sai di boca
Kel mesmo amor ki dipos
Ta bira tormenta
Ah amor é quel tal e qual
Instinto animal
Fêmea, Abraços, casos, laços, sémen, gérmen,
E otos cusas fatal

É feitiço, Midjor de mundo
Imundo É isso

On a peace of cloth...

noreply@blogger.com (xoussef) — Tue, 08 Jun 2010 16:09:00 +0000

It's just extremely annoying to stumble again and again on such nonsense as this

Modesty is key, especially in developing countries. Until recently all women in Afghanistan had to cover themselves from head to toe by law. It is obvious to the locals if you are a Westerner but you’ll avoid most stares if you don’t look like a rich one that flaunts it. Having a scarf with you is good in Morocco and Egypt as well.

For one thing, I don't know what's more annoying, to associate Morocco to Afghanistan in the same paragraph, or Morocco to Egypt in the same sentence :p
But seriously, I pity the poor traveller taking that advice seriously In Morocco. At best it will win her amused stares, at worst annoyance. No gold star for the culturally sensitive traveller, too bad.
So let's get this sorted. To interpret and dress for the occasion is a basic social skill, true for everyone everywhere. Everyone knows that what you wear for a job interview, for slouching at home, for clubbing are not interchangeable, that a swimsuit is OK on the beach, not so down-town etc.. So why the hell everyone assume that what a scarf, veil, whatever you chose to call it, means the same in Paris, Casablanca, Cairo or Kuala Lumpur?
Actually I can't think of anything more versatile...
In Europe, it's seen generally as a sign of being a practising Muslim, and specifically as a sympathizer to some kind of political Islam. It's probably true, or mostly true, most of the time. Meanwhile, other minority Hijabs are conveniently ignored or lazily misinterpreted.
A long time ago a came across this caricature classifying types of Syrian Hijab.

Some of them are lost on me, not being familiar enough with Syrian society, others are common in Morocco too. But to give an example to what some scarf-dress-attitude combinations might mean in a Moroccan context:

Ok guys, now I want to settle down and get married, serious prospective husbands only.

Brr! It's freezing!

I really need to find time for the hairdresser

I just can't believe I found the perfect shade of blue to go with the hand bag and the shoes, wait until Samira see it

Too bad guys, I'm off market now, I just got married.

So clean, so smooth, that Hammam session was so good and this double protection is draught proof.

Do I have enough Shuriken?

Seriously, a dress code is a language of a sort, if you just pick any word combination of in a foreign language, you end up talking gibberish. Incidentally, scarf wearing female tourist is screaming: I'm ignorant, well intended, but still ignorant.

My advice if you're a female tourist in Morocco , wear something your fiancé won't feel embarrassed presenting you to his parent in it. Simple right?

On punctuation, sort of..

noreply@blogger.com (xoussef) — Sun, 02 May 2010 17:41:00 +0000

The other day while (sort of) chatting with Myrtus I wrote F**k like that, omitting the U and C. I didn't think much about it but since she was talking about censorship it got thinking why did I do that, If I was censoring myself and why would I or should I do that? Re-reading myself it's quite stupid of me to do so because there was no one to censor me or blame me for writing Fuck and not F**k...
But again that got me thinking and I realised that I never ever swear. Not in Darija, not in French nor in English. So it's logical that a word that I won't say aloud, is a word I won't write down. So it's a reflection of my auto-censoring. I realised too that actually I don't "think" profanity spontaneously even when I'm angry, that I have to think about summoning these neurones for them to start working...so I'm I just a well spoken guy or is there a censoring routine deeply implemented inside my head? Then I went to sleep -__-
This topic kept recurring to me since then, so I paid a little bit more attention to the behaviour to the people around me and my own. I got pretty much to the conclusion that every single one around my age uses anatomical descriptions for punctuation, including girls. I discovered it's actually quite fashionable for a girl to be bad mouthed, something I don't really find attractive, at all. Also that it's a must for a man as a display of masculinity. All that during an interesting discussion with a group of female co-workers, although heavily bruising for my self esteem, where I found I wasn't loud enough, bad behaved enough, even dark enough (among other things) to be attractive. Even the fact that I didn't storm out or in or up or down (I don't know what exactly was expected of me!) when told all this was used against me.
Do women always get that abrasive when they get together? Some hyena mob behaviour that surfaces only occasionally? *sight*
If that wasn't enough, It's also true that when people speak around me they tend to lessen their punctuation, let off entirely when speaking only to me, and from time to time it happens that the speaker will interrupt him/herself, single me with an apology or a "7ashak" then continue... which is frustrating because I don't object in any way and now that I am aware of the fact I feel embarrassed and excluded..
I'm confused!

On a gay mag...

noreply@blogger.com (xoussef) — Thu, 22 Apr 2010 17:03:00 +0000

Try mentioning homosexuality or gays rights to a Moroccan and in 99% of cases he or she will seem to develop a violent, sudden and virulent rash or look at you as if you just grew a second head. It's one of those universal truths that everyone seems to believe here, without ever stopping to think about it. Another widespread belief is that homosexuality is a new illness that didn't exist in a glorious idyllic past and that somehow it's responsible for every symptom of our backwardness.. go figure how is this possible. It's not a secret, Moroccan society is thoroughly homophobic.
Even mentioning the subject makes you suspect, and in fact any accusation of being homosexual or sympathetic to the cause is sufficient to discredit anything you say do or advocate for. Indulging in a same-sex intercourse is illegal and punishable by fines and imprisonment.
Fortunately for gay people, the authorities are unwilling, or unable, to enforce the law. Policemen have better things to do than monitor who you take or not to your bed.
But every once and again, the press, led by islamists and populists, makes a fuss about an incident or other to boost sales or a political agenda, and pressure the authorities to crack down on gay friendly places or individuals, which they do to appease the ogre.
Meanwhile, people continue to meet, love, and yes fornicate too with internet and mobile phones to facilitate it like everywhere else in he world, including gay people.
Is this a bad situation? on the face of it seems very bad indeed, but considering how much worse it can be (and is elsewhere)it's not quite that bad. However it's a fragile enough equilibrium not to mess with lightly (that is if you want to preserve it).
I myself wish for abolishing discriminations based on beliefs, life style, gender or sexual orientation, and don't care less who's in bed with whom, as long as all parties are adults and consenting. So i find it frustrating when something like "Morocco's First Gay Online Magazine" is all over the web. As expected, when discussed in english or French commentators are quite liberal and supportive, and when it's discussed in Arabic the exact contrary. Actually Moroccans commenting on it are embarrassed at best tring dissociate themselves from this abomination or violently condemn it joining commentators from other Arab countries lamenting how decadent Morocco has become. And of course the article will be copied and past on every forum and blog with the usual and appropriate condemnation in Arabic sies and hailing from LGBT related sites.
What frustrates me is this is exactly the kind of opportunity afore mentioned populists and islamists love. I don't buy newspapers but i imagine every self proclaimed moralist will be exhorting the authorities to do "something" soon.
If all that was anything new, especially bold or brave or simply aiming toward a real, identified goal, it would be worth it, but it's not.
The view from Fez, quoted by global voices, find that it's "It's a brave move". Actually no, it's not brave nor even new. There were a lot of Moroccan LGBT forums and blogs out there, sometimes interesting, sometimes not. I admit I never came about something as structured or prettily done as that website and webmag, but the concept is similar to Lebanese Helem, and that was launched (whih similar publicity came to think of it) years ago.
The webmag is aimed to the LGBT community, which amounts to preaching to converts. I feel that targeting a broader audience would be more useful if the goal is really reaching to everyone and furthering knowledge and understanding. Gay rights are tied to a long list of other issues, including political participation, discrimination, individual rights, speech freedom, gender equality, minorities rights and human rights at large, and it's not the most important nor the most pressing issue.
Furthermore, there is really nothing to be done to change the law. Supposing Morocco was a democracy (which is not, obviously) advocating for gay rights would be a political suicide. And why should the government poke that wasps nest when there's no incentive to do so, let's say a big juicy carrot like European adhesion that would justify the trouble... Any change toward a more tolerant society won't be realistic before all the other issues are addressed.
I also happen to dislike the way this NGO is run. KifKif is registered in Spain, by Moroccans living in Europe who can count on their foreign passports to protect them. I don' know if legally it is possible to do so in Morocco, but challenging that ban, if it exists, would further speech freedom. It's also exactly the kind of weak spots fuelling accusations of foreign (christian, atheist, you name it) corruption of our pure society, how this is an imported disease and all "Islam is in danger" rhetoric and conspiracy theories.
At Helem in Lebanon they are engaged in a legal bras de fer that could breach a way for legally recognized (or tolerated) LGBT NGOs. At least they try something useful. All I can see here is that it's a way to get funding from LGBT militants in Europe, serving no one but KifKif's people.
Do I make any sense here? Bottom line I just feel it's useless and possibly counter-productive, but yeah, who am I to criticize anyway?!

On lyrics carnage

noreply@blogger.com (xoussef) — Wed, 10 Feb 2010 18:47:00 +0000

Some of my friends are real music snobs. You know the kind who listen to "serious" music, Oum Kalthoum, Abdelwahab, Marcel Khalifa, Brassens, Reneaud, or Melhoun... While I find most of that boring or simply unpalatable

So every time discussion broaches this topic I maintain a prudent silence, ready to dodge any question. It would be embarrassing to reveal how poor, by their standards, is my musical taste.

Mostly K-pop, J-pop and (worst of all) Bollywood! No "good" music their, no meaningful and important lyrics. I don't understand these anyway, so as long as it sounds good to me, it's OK. Actually when I bother to check translated lyrics, from time to time, it sounds cheesy at best, or complete nonsense, and not all of it is simply screwed translations.

It's disappointing but I don't really mind, i don't understand it and i don't possess much poetic sensibility anyway. But when it comes to Arab pop, ir really bothers me because I do understand, if not the sense or allegory (if there is any) but the actual words, and they often make no sense. Sometimes, i's hard to believe there are professional lyricists who make them and actually get paid doing that!

Unfortunately, my little devil of a niece likes them loud, rhythmic and compatible with the intellectual level of the toddler she is. However it's very convenient to have her hop up and down, going in circles and other unarticulated, indescribable movements. That's time she's not looking for ways to hurt her self or excuses to cry and make you miserable (the great experience of (unpaid) babysitting, very effective population control incentive, it worked on me for sure). Actually if you time it well, with appropriate enthusiastic encouragement and enough variety, and at the expanse of personal participation if no one is around to witness the disgrace, you can wear her down enough for a little nap!

Her favourite these days, so unavoidable, is this:

It says:

if you feel scared of the Ifreet, it pops,
gets down,
stays put,
so it matters you don't get scared

Really I don't get it.. and 3aw 3aw 3aw (equivalent of boo)? seriously, either the lyricist is an genius, mentally retarded, or there is something wrong with me because I don't get it.... And what's the relevance of these shapely legs in heels and short shorts?

Besides, his voice is awful

3aw 3aw 3aw..

On similitude

noreply@blogger.com (xoussef) — Wed, 10 Feb 2010 16:40:00 +0000

낫 놓고 기역자도 모른다. (Nat nokko kiyuk-ja do morun-da.)
That's a Korean proverb that translates to:
One doesn’t know the "ㄱ" (kiyuk - a Korean alphabet) even when looking at a sickle.

It reminded me of my mother saying that someone "متايعرف الواو من عصا الطبال", so ignorant he can not tell the letter "waw" from a drum stick.

:)

About tolerance..

noreply@blogger.com (xoussef) — Tue, 26 Jan 2010 22:48:00 +0000

We Moroccans we looove our official myths, yes we do, bloggers included of course.
I am not above my countrymen, and one of my identifiable shortcomings is the sahara. Of course it's Moroccan. why? because it is... i dunnow! The Polisario is bunch of bad guys holding a lot Moroccan citizens in Tindouf who given the chance will gladly comeback to the loving motherland.. it's true wellah.. maybe even not that false.
See I'm Moroccan, can't help it.
But if there is a myth I don't share it's the Moroccans' absolute tolerance of religions. See we are Muslims and we live in peace with Jews.. no, actually "lived" with them, a lot of them. True, they all fled went to Canada, France and Israel but we still have some willing to stay, hundreds of them. maybe a thousand.. or less. But hey, the others, they have none!
But we are tolerant! Sure, if there is a tolerance gene, they will find it here, we have it. No, the specific religions tolerance gene, there must be one for we still hate gays, neighbours, Arabs (real ones) and each other..

Seriously now, last year there was some Shi'a-eat-sunni-babies hysteria going on in the Middle east, fortunately we are supposed to be 99% Sunni malekites because it was all over internet and the media over their and many here were glad to participate in the virtual bashing. I confess a complete ignorance of Shi'ism and not really interested. Last time I shopped for a Camera I was bewildered by the technicalities, so I did like everyone else went with the cheapest expansive looking one. Sunni-Shi'a thing makes me feel the same, luckily I've got already one I barely use so don't need to shop for another.
Well around that time, Moroccan and Iranian diplomats engaged in some diplomatic bickering, ambassadors retrieving and as much dirty talking our diplomacy could indulge in. They made up eventually and we are BFF states again.
So during all this we Moroccans discovered that we have some authentic Shiites of our own, made in Morocco. Remember the 99% Sunni thing? obviously we hadn't enough Jews to fill the 1% remaining, there were some Shi'a too...
So emboldened authorities make some police descents, seize some pamphlets and DVDs, closed a school.. well just enough harassment to make life a little less comfortable, intimidation 101. Meanwhile local media found the golden opportunity to recycle the Shi'a peril theme with plenty of material to steal from. Remember what we said about tolerance?

So when I read the title "Chi'ites, Boudhistes, Hindous, chrétiens et Juifs du Maroc" I am intrigued. The article starts with: "Les non musulmans au Maroc n’ont pas de quoi se plaindre" "the non-Muslims in Morocco have nothing to complain of" and links to an article by some Professor, the whole point of which is to wonder how non muslims can freely worship in this blessed land, the usual. The bloggers move to the Shiia, relates what i said earlier, and concludes, somehow, that indeed we are the proud descendants of the makers of the Andalusi Utopia. Where is the logic? I don't know.

That non-Muslims in Morocco have nothing to complain of is true enough, for beside the precious 1%, there is no other Moroccan non-Muslim minority. And there can't be under normal conditions. The 99% that are Muslims, can't convert, not legally anyway, children of Muslim men are Muslims, non Muslim men have to convert in order to marry Moroccan Muslim women whose children then are born Muslims, and Moroccan nationality is practically never bestowed on a foreigner, assuming anyone would apply for it. The Shi'a don't count, they are Muslims (or so they say).
And of course when you let a foreigner in, you accept his right to freedom of belief too. That Hindus and Buddhists are allowed have their temples and shrines is not something to brag about, it's the bare minimum.

Tolerance indeed.

About me..

noreply@blogger.com (xoussef) — Tue, 26 Jan 2010 18:49:00 +0000

Back in business again. I'm not doing that good right now, but I may still have things to say. May be not interesting things but please bear with me :)

Ps: The blog's template looks all wrong in IE, any help will be appreciated!

Cul de sac

noreply@blogger.com (xoussef) — Sat, 13 Jun 2009 22:54:00 +0000

So this blog has been dead for maybe a year or so, and in decline for several months before. What little it contained was but garbage, so it erased it all.
I also lost track of most of the blogs I used to follow and just didn't respond to some e-mails...

But I digress. About this blog, I still don't know if I should keep it. I don't even know the reason of its existence in the first place.

So this note is going to be on top for some time, till I decide on the matter, find a new motivation or just carry on and forget about it, but if you happen to pass by and read it and have anything to say ... you know what to do. ^^