Culture

Morocco is an ethnically diverse country with a rich culture and civilisation. Through Moroccan history, Morocco has hosted people coming from the East (Phoenicians, Carthaginians, Jews and Arabs), South (Africans) and North (Romans, Vandals, Moors and Jews). All those civilisations have had an impact on the social structure of Morocco. It conceived various forms of beliefs, from paganism, Judaism, and Christianity to Islam.

Each region possesses its own specificities, contributing, thus, to the making of national culture and to the civilisation legacy. Morocco has set among its top priorities the protection of its legacy and the preservation of its cultural identity.

Ethnically and culturally speaking, Morocco nowadays can be considered the least Arab among Arab countries. Most of its population is composed of native Berbers or of mixed Arab-Berber origins.

Cuisine

Moroccan cuisine has long been considered as one of the most diversified cuisines in the world. This is due to the interaction of Morocco with the outside world for centuries. The food of Morocco has been influenced by the native Berber cuisine, the Arabic Andalusian cuisine (brought by the Moriscos when they left Spain), Turkish cuisine, Jewish cuisine and the Middle Eastern cuisines brought by the Arabs.

Spices are used extensively in Moroccan food. While spices have been imported to Morocco for thousands of years, many ingredients, such as saffron from Tiliouine, mint and olives from Meknes, and oranges and lemons from Fez, are home-grown. Chicken is the most widely eaten meat in Morocco, with beef being the most commonly eaten red meat (lamb is preferred, but is relatively expensive). Couscous is the most famous Moroccan dish along with pastilla, tajine, and harira. The most popular drink is green tea with mint. The tea is accompanied with hard sugar cones or lumps.

Literature

Under the Almohad dynasty, Morocco experienced a period of prosperity and brilliance of learning. The Almohad built the Marrakech Koutoubia Mosque, which accommodated no fewer than 25,000 people, but was also famed for its books, manuscripts, libraries and book shops, which gave it its name; the first book bazaar in history. The Almohad Caliph Abu Yakub had a great love for collecting books. He founded a great library, which was eventually carried to the Casbah and turned into a public library.

Modern Moroccan literature is written in Arabic, Berber or French. During the 1950s and 1960s, Morocco was a refuge and artistic centre and attracted writers such as Paul Bowles, Tennessee Williams and William S. Burroughs. Moroccan literature flourished with novelists such as Mohamed Choukri, who wrote in Arabic, and Driss Chraibi who wrote in French. Other important Moroccan authors include Tahar ben Jelloun, Fouad Laroui, Mohammed Berrada and Leila Abouzeid.

Music

Moroccan music is predominantly Arab, but Andalusian and other imported influences have had a major effect on the country's musical character. Rock-influenced chaabi bands are widespread, as is trance music with historical origins in Muslim music.

Morocco is home to Andalusian classical music that is found throughout North Africa. It probably evolved under the Moors in Cordoba, and the Persian-born musician Ziryab is usually credited with its invention. Andalusian classical music uses instruments including oud (lute), rabab (fiddle), darbouka (goblet drums), taarija (tambourine), qanún (zither) and kamenjah (violin).

There are three varieties of Berber folk music: village and ritual music, and the music performed by professional musicians.

Village music is performed collectively for dancing, including ahidus and ahouach dances, with instruments including flutes and drums. These dances begin with a chanted prayer. Ritual music is performed at regular ceremonies to celebrate marriages and other important life events and is also used as protection against evil spirits. Professional musicians (imdyazn) travel in groups of four, led by a poet (amydaz). The amydaz performs improvised poems, often accompanied by drums and rabab (a one-stringed fiddle), along with a bou oughanim who plays a double clarinet and acts as a clown for the group.

Popular Western forms of music are becoming increasingly popular in Morocco, such as fusion, rock, metal and particularly hip hop. Groups such as H-Kayne and rapper Bigg are extremely popular.