The Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC), founded by the US government in 2004 to aid developing nations, awarded $111.87 million to Morocco for the development of artisan practices, architecture, and tourism in Fes. The program aims to train 50,000 master artisans in new design and production methods and expects to benefit 20,000 low-income workers in the Fez medina. The award is part of $697.5 million Millennium Challenge Compact with Morocco.

An agreement to release pre-Compact funding in the amount of $32 million has been executed and several major procurements related to the compact project activities are being prepared. I am looking forward to learning more specifics about how the projects will develop support and develop Moroccan artisans when I go to the Morocco Business forum in May.

I registered for the Morocco Business Forum, which is being held in Fes from May 8-10. Yesterday and had a brief chat with the forum founder over the phone. When I told her I was interested in artisan products, she said “I don’t know if you have heard of the Millennium Challenge Account. Basically, Morocco was awarded a sum of money to develop the artisan sector.” She also noted that representatives from the US embassy will discuss the US-Morocco free trade agreement and what it means for businesses and investors.

Morocco Business Forum

As an English speaker, researching the origins and history of Moroccan design has been a nightmare. Virtually no one in the English language writes about the culture of Morocco. The subject is treated by picture books, travel guides, and cook books that do more to inspire than inform.

More on my quest to understand Moroccan design

Driving from Fes to Ifrane, I spotted patches of red amongst a green patch of land. On closer inspection, I realized there were Berber women gathered dying wool in the shallow river-bed. As we drove, I saw some women running towards buses. They carried buckets overflowing with red, freshly-died yarn. I wanted to take their picture, but felt unsure about invading the moment with a camera. To be a good photographer, I suppose you must be invasive. The sight of the women and the red yarn in the green riverbed is a picture I continue to wish I had taken.

Berbers in Morocco

In Istanbul I received the following advice: “You cannot trust the weather, the water, or the women.” I suggested adding carpet dealers to the list, which made my host laugh in agreement.

Buying a carpet is a game. Can you spot quality? Are you able to recognize craftsmanship? If not, it is your fault if you are willing to overpay for a mistaking a common product for something exotic. In Istanbul I got caught-up in the atmosphere and bought a carpet for several times what it would have cost me to purchase in the United States. My advice: buy what you like, which applies to Fes as equally as Istanbul.

Buying a carpet in Morocco

Each city in Morocco likely has its own saint. The Moroccan cult of saints grew from African traditions and Islamic monotheism as a means of providing a bridge between believers and God.

Believing in saints has allowed Islam in Morocco to accommodate pre-Islamic ideas and adapt to the histories of local communities. But make no mistake that the belief in saints in Morocco is still an expression of Islamic ideals. Moroccan saints are socially important persons who can connect their ancestry to the Prophet Mohammad.

Moroccan Saints

The Vitra Design Museum explores diversity in Muslim societies through its exhibit Living Under the Crescent Moon
Domestic Cultures in the Arab World. While many artists and architects draw inspiration from the Arab world, desingers have little information on daily life of Arab societies beyond the daily political reports. The exhibit will be on display from February 23, 2008 - August 31, 2008 and will explore the myths and realities of domestic life in Arab cultures.

The vibrant colors and abstract ornament that characterize Moroccan design find voice in the many music festivals celebrated in Morocco each year. If you visit Morocco this summer, expect to hear the sounds of music in the streets as music festivals around the country celebrate diversity and promote peace. From Whitney Houston and Ziggy Marley to trance-inducing Gnaoua musicians there will be something for all musical tastes in 2008. Each festival includes an intellectual component with seminars and conferences exploring musical history and cultural diversity.

2008 Music Festivals in Morocco

The Moroccan government set-up a new minsterial department dedicated to marketing the Moroccan craft sector. The plan focuses on marketing Moroccan artisanal products to consumers in the United States, Russia, the Gulf States and wealthy Moroccans.

Noting that 10 million Moroccans are employed in the handicraft industry in Morocco, the Secretary of State for Handicrafts Anis Birou stated “…it’s a third of the population, which is a fundamental part of Moroccan life and society.”

“I want our marketing policy to give pride of place to our independent craftsmen, who aren’t able to make a profit from what they make every day. I want to give them the opportunity to go and see what is happening elsewhere and to attend international exhibitions, even if only as observers, so that they can find out about the competition,” Birou announced.

For more information, see full article at Magharebia.com

Driving through the desert from Marrakesh to Essaouira, we crossed through a barren landscape. As we got closer to the coast, the landscape became spotted with trees. The land was still barren enough that a young boy standing on the side road didn’t have to move to capture our attention. His hair was bleached from the sun and his skin a deep brown. He looked about six or seven years old. He stood patiently and made no gestures. A large smile took hold of his face when he saw us pull over. He ran up to our car, holding a reused plastic water bottle filled with amber oil with both his hands. A bit of plastic bag was tied around the bottle opening to keep the contents from spillilng. For 25 dirhams we bought a full bottle of pure argan oil. The boy tramped off, excited and relieved, to wherever home was hiding.

About argan oil

I imagine Hamlet could hang-out in a city like Essaouira. The air in the coastal town felt particularly damp after the desert drive from Marrakesh. The sky was overcast, the fishermen wore knit caps, and the Portuguese fort overlooking the water had an air of melancholy. As I walked the fortress looking out at the ocean, thoughts of Shakespeare vaguely formed in my mind, interrupted by sounds of chanting and music. I looked down to see Thuya wood artisans crafting inlaid tables. Young apprentices were busily working on their project and stopped to bring the older men mint for their tea. The men played drums while one man made music with his work by chiseling wood to the heavy beat.

Try Essaouria