Morocco


Figure 1.--This Moroccan boy was photographed at Fez in 1952 by Bernard Rouget (1914-1988). Rouget over 34 years took thousands of photographs of Morocco and its inhabitants, especcially in and around Casablanca.

Morocco is located at the northwestern corner of Africa on the rim of the Saharan Desert. Our information on Morocco is still very limited. It has both Atlantic and Mediterranean coasts. We have also prepared a Moroccan history page. Arabs conquered the country (8th century). The country was one of those involved in the African slave trade and attacks on Christian shipping for several centuries. It maintained its independence until the French finally seized control (early 20th century). Morocco was seized by the Allies during the World War II Torch Landings (1942). The country today is almost entirely Muslim. The country became independent after World War II. It is one of several Arab monsrchies. Like other North African countries, Morocco has serious economic probems. Large numbers oif Moroccans seek jobs in Europe, especially Spain. We have some information on schools. We have some information about the French living in Morocco during the protectorate period of the early- and mid-20th century. We note French boys wearing rompers. We have found a portrait from the late 19th century showing an unidentified boy in Tangier. He wears a rough shirt like garment had a shaved head with a single plited strand. We do not know how common this was. the rough shirt or tunic was probably common with the pooer. We are less sure about the hair. A reader writes, "I recall my visit to Morocco in 1970. Children were dressed in Western Clothes but there were also children wearing Arab garments. I recall a little kid showing me his slate with Arab writing on it. He had come out of a Mosque school and he was very excited about what he had learnt and maybe written. I recall there being lots of children surrounding Westeners begging for candy or chewing gum and maybe selling you stuff. In Fez we had a football match with the local kids. They were as interested in we Westerners as we were in them."

Geography

Morocco is a country with very rugged terrain, nuch of it very arid. Morocco is located at the northwestern corner of Africa--the western Mahreb. It is set on the rim of the Sahara Desert. The Sahara created a barrier between the Meditrranean wold and Equatorial Africa, explaining wht thethnic mix of of North Africa is different than the Wquatorial south. Our information on Morocco is still very limited. It has both Atlantic and Mediterranean coasts. The country besides being located between the Sahara and the Mediterranean also jas rugged mountains, the most important range is the Atlas.

History

We have also prepared a Moroccan history page. Arabs conquered the country (8th century). The country was one of those involved in the African slave trade and attacks on Christian shipping for several centuries. It maintained its independence until the French finally seized control (early 20th century). Morocco was seized by the Allies during the World War II Torch Landings (1942). The country today is almost entirely Muslim. The country became independent after World War II. It is one of several Arab monsrchies.

Economy

Like other North African countries, Morocco has serious economic probems. Large numbers of Moroccans seek jobs in Europe, especially Spain, because of the lack of opportunities in Morocco itself. The situation, however, is far better than that of neighbiring Algeria. There was no war for independence. After independence, French relations with Morocco have been generally positive. Large numbers of educated Moroccans speak Frebnch. Many inhabitants speak French, which is their second language in the street and the first in higher education. Huge exports of fruits and vegetables from sunny Morocco are marketed in the European Union, especially France. A number of French people have retired in Morocco. The country has no significnt oil resource, has an importnt tourist indusry attracting Europens.

Chronology

We have some information about the French living in Morocco during the protectorate period of the early- and mid-20th century. We note French boys wearing rompers. We have found a portrait from the late 19th century showing an unidentified boy in Tangier. He wears a rough shirt like garment had a shaved head with a single plited strand. We do not know how common this was. the rough shirt or tunic was probably common with the pooer. We are less sure about the hair. A reader writes, "I recall my visit to Morocco in 1970. Children were dressed in Western Clothes but there were also children wearing Arab garments. I recall a little kid showing me his slate with Arab writing on it. He had come out of a Mosque school and he was very excited about what he had learnt and maybe written. I recall there being lots of children surrounding Westeners begging for candy or chewing gum and maybe selling you stuff. In Fez we had a football match with the local kids. They were as interested in we Westerners as we were in them."

Activities

We do not have much information on Moroccan boys' activiities. We have some information on schools. The primary religion is Islam. As in other Arab countries, religion is an important part of boys' lives. This particularly the case in Muslim countries and Morocco is a largely Muslim country. Arab and other Musim countries have not beome largely secularized like most Western countries. Morocco was conquered by Arab armies (7th century). There was resistance from Berber tribes, but the country was throughly Islamicized (8th century). There once was a substantial Jewish population. And there is a small Christian population. Many children work, this was the normal situation in Morocco until after World War II. One of the jobs commonly given to boys was a shephered. They normally cared for sheep and goats. We know little about sheep and goat raising industruies in Morocco.

Minorities

We have only limited information on Moroccan minorities. The country once had a sizeable Jewish minority.







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Created: 8:22 AM 3/3/2011
Last updated: 9:15 AM 3/6/2013