Plate Tectonics
Morocco, as does any culture/society, has certain parts of its culture which I've termed the groundwork, or bedrock of society (and without attempting to become Tom Friedman, I'll try to go into it now).
For example, if you were to go up to an American and tell him/her that freedom of religion, or freedom of speech were not inalienable rights, and that you didn't agree with them - you'd encounter a rather hostile or confused person. Just as we regard certain parts of our society as so integral that changing them would amount to a tectonic shift, the same is true of Moroccans.
Islam, heterosexuality, the King Mohammed VI, and several other ideas form the bedrock of Moroccan society here. Religion is not part of the culture, religion is the culture - even explaining the concept of Atheism (depending on what day you ask me, I might classify myself as one) is so bizarre and foreign that most people that I've even talked to about it literally don't understand it. For example, my friend Badre believes that if I read the Koran, I will become Muslim because it will move me so much.
As far as sexual identity is concerned, you ARE heterosexual. Outside of some liberal enclaves like Marrakech, homosexuality just is not even on the table, not an option, not even to be spoken about. My cabbie on the way home last night, after inquiring if Elizabeth and I were married (sorry bud, we're just teaching partners), told us this story about a lesbian couple that got into his cab, getting quite animated in the process. It was literally something incomprehensible to this cabbie.
For Moroccans also, the king is the state and the state is the king. This guy is a descendant of Mohammed himself - you don't talk bad about descendants of Mohammed unless you want to get a tajine smashed over your head.
What's made this so interesting for me, is that, coming from a place where there is such free discourse, I've essentially had to reign myself in (don't worry, no big blunders yet). Moroccans are an incredibly warm people, but it can be difficult having certain subjects off the table. Luckily, some of them are so common-sense (israel and palestine, anyone?) that the margin for error is pretty small.
For example, if you were to go up to an American and tell him/her that freedom of religion, or freedom of speech were not inalienable rights, and that you didn't agree with them - you'd encounter a rather hostile or confused person. Just as we regard certain parts of our society as so integral that changing them would amount to a tectonic shift, the same is true of Moroccans.
Islam, heterosexuality, the King Mohammed VI, and several other ideas form the bedrock of Moroccan society here. Religion is not part of the culture, religion is the culture - even explaining the concept of Atheism (depending on what day you ask me, I might classify myself as one) is so bizarre and foreign that most people that I've even talked to about it literally don't understand it. For example, my friend Badre believes that if I read the Koran, I will become Muslim because it will move me so much.
As far as sexual identity is concerned, you ARE heterosexual. Outside of some liberal enclaves like Marrakech, homosexuality just is not even on the table, not an option, not even to be spoken about. My cabbie on the way home last night, after inquiring if Elizabeth and I were married (sorry bud, we're just teaching partners), told us this story about a lesbian couple that got into his cab, getting quite animated in the process. It was literally something incomprehensible to this cabbie.
For Moroccans also, the king is the state and the state is the king. This guy is a descendant of Mohammed himself - you don't talk bad about descendants of Mohammed unless you want to get a tajine smashed over your head.
What's made this so interesting for me, is that, coming from a place where there is such free discourse, I've essentially had to reign myself in (don't worry, no big blunders yet). Moroccans are an incredibly warm people, but it can be difficult having certain subjects off the table. Luckily, some of them are so common-sense (israel and palestine, anyone?) that the margin for error is pretty small.
posted by Isaac at 3:14 AM
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