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Al-Ahram Weekly 25 - 31 May 2000 Issue No. 483 
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Published in Cairo by AL-AHRAM established in 1875 |
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Al-Ahram Weekly 25 - 31 May 2000 Issue No. 483
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| Published in Cairo by AL-AHRAM established in 1875 |
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It was my first time in Morocco, so I wasn't sure what to expect when I arrived in Casablanca, Morocco's industrial and economic capital and the nation's most populous city. I had come to take part in the official inauguration earlier this month of the local Museums without Frontiers project, an inspired international venture aimed at promoting cultural and artistic ties throughout the Euro-Mediterranean region. Whisked off from Casablanca to Rabat, I never got to see what was described by my guide book as "enchanting."
Before I go on, I think a few words of explanation regarding the project are in order. Museums without Frontiers finds its roots in the Barcelona Conference, held in November 1995, which created a comprehensive framework for Euro-Mediterranean cooperation. The declaration established a partnership between 15 European members and 11 Mediterranean countries -- Algeria, Cyprus, Egypt, Israel, Jordan, Lebanon, Malta, Morocco, Syria, Tunisia, Turkey -- as well as the Palestinian Authority.
From top, A street in Chefchaouen ; Andalusian houses in Tetouan ; at Beit Al-Heraf in Tetouan ; the mountains outside Chefchaouen
It is within this framework that 16 projects dealing with cultural heritage in the region were launched, one of them being "Islamic Art in the Mediterranean," to which the recently completed Moroccan undertaking belongs. The concept behind the project is to develop museums without borders -- to make a museum out of a cultural identity.
"Instead of bringing the work of art to the visitor, it is the visitor who travels to the work of art, in its natural environment," says Eva Shubert, secretary-general of the project. "The whole region or country where the exhibition is implemented becomes the venue... and museums become protagonists in a long-term cultural event."
The idea, then, is to get tourists moving in and around the country, following the aptly-named "Exhibition Trail." The trail, the components of which are designed to engage visitors in a more visceral communiqué on the region's culture, is denoted by sign posts on roads and posters that can be found along the route which offer maps and explanatory texts.
Shubert is the quintessential face of Museums without Frontiers, both its industriousness and its wholly caring side. The assiduous secretary-general is not only working 24 hours a day, but she is the throbbing heart at the centre of projects in 14 countries. Stirring up meetings in every spare moment, the phone seemingly attached to her ear, she still knows the names of every employee of every project, down to the most tenuously related worker. When I met her this time around in Rabat, she even remembered the school my daughter attends.
Exhibition trails are already functional in Turkey and Portugal. In Portugal, we were told, the government was so pleased by the results of this seemingly simple idea that it initiated the funding of two other similar projects. Examples of other such trails in the region are to be found in: Jordan, where there is a trail centred on the Umayyad era of Islam; Algeria, which highlights "Water and Architecture in the Desert"; Sicily, featuring Arab-Norman art; and Egypt, emphasising Mameluke art.
Well, back to Rabat, the capital of modern Morocco. The inaugural ceremony was held in the kasbah, or citadel, and attended by the European Union ambassador. But there are still some ends to tie before the project is complete. The signposts that will demarcate the trail are yet to be finished. A book, Le Maroc Andalou: à la découverte d'un art de vivre (Andalusian Morocco: the discovery of an art of life) is ready, but has not yet been translated into the five languages it is intended to be available in, one of which will surely give me the opportunity of reading it. Also, a CD is being manufactured in Egypt, soon to be available. Egypt is also manufacturing similar CDs for all the countries involved in the project.
As all this was being explained to us, I found it somewhat difficult to divert my attention from the kasbah itself, a 12th-century fortress considered one of the greatest architectural achievements of the Almohad dynasty. Today, the hilltop fortress has become a residential quarter, its massive walls enclosing narrow streets lined with iron-studded house doors.
Earlier in the day, I had the opportunity to do some scouting of my own, which took me to the Chellah -- a wall built in the 14th century to surround a cemetery of the Merinid sultans, a Berber dynasty that seized power in 1248. Men in skull caps made of shells man a grand entrance of engraved stone; beyond the gate one becomes truly enchanted. Winding lanes are overgrown with ancient olive trees, while Roman ruins are run over with bamboo and banana plants. In the middle of it all lie two wells; nymphs are said to have danced about them at night, but that afternoon I saw only the storks that have made their homes in the ruined towers.
Meanwhile, I was starting to form an impression of Morocco in all its modernity: clean streets, few veiled women, square minarets, numerous public gardens. French is the language of choice, taxis use metres -- all the time -- and there is plenty of sweet green tea with mint to be consumed throughout the day. I was getting to like the country very much, even though I still had much to learn.
The next day we visited the Tour Hassan (Hassan Tower), built by Sultan Ya'qoub Al-Mansour at the end of the 12th century and the remnant of what was planned to become the second-largest mosque in the Arab world. Attempts to find out who Hassan was were to no avail.
The effects of the Lisbon earthquake of 1755 can still be seen in the broken pillars that dot the area surrounding the tower. In pristine condition, however, is the Mausoleum of Mohamed V, a monument built to glorify the memory of the king who finally achieved Morocco's independence in 1956. The ornate building is made up of cool white marble, bright brass, rich woodwork and polychrome ceramic tiles and is flanked by guards dressed as Berber warriors. The site is also where the late King Hassan II is temporarily buried.
From top, Hassan Tower, in Rabat; inside the Hassan II Mosque in Casablanca; performers and one of the tombs at Chellah, in Rabat
Al-Mansour died before achieving the grandeur he dreamed of, but further down the line in Moroccan rulers, King Hassan II, father of the present monarch, Mohamed VI, lived to see the completion of a mosque that indeed ranks number two in size. The Hassan II Mosque, perched on the westernmost point of the Muslim world in Casablanca, is not on any of the trails but is still definitely worth a visit as it commands an impressive view of the ocean.
We had just enough time to sample a few of the wonders of Rabat before heading off to the coastal town of Tangier, where we had a quick stopover before continuing to the scenic town of Tetouan -- all in all a six-hour drive. Tetouan -- dubbed "the House of Jerusalem" because of the large number of Jews who inhabit it -- figures prominently in the museum trail.
Here, the trail starts at Beit Al-Heraf (House of Crafts), where old masters in crafts that are becoming extinct have been gathered to teach young and eager disciples. Following the trail of this old city, you have the opportunity of seeing sites not on the official itinerary, such as the local tannery. It may be a primitive, foul-smelling place, but a more interesting glimpse into this age-old trade you will not find outside Morocco. As you leave, workers give you mint so that you can get the taste of raw leather out of your system.
Tetouan, its white buildings stretched out thinly over a picturesque plateau, was built by Ali Al-Mendari, who came from a defeated Granada at the end of the 15th century. Al-Mendari was careful to emulate Andalusian architecture and, in general, the place was seen as an outpost of resistance, a temporary home until the fighters once again entered Spain. The inhabitants became known for their raids against enemy ships with small and agile boats that rendered large, clumsy enemy ships defenceless. It is claimed that it is the people of Tetouan who began what would later become known as piracy.
But there was none of that old militancy in people's attitudes toward us. Because people own and live in the grand houses that are part of the tourist attractions, one must knock on these people's doors and ask permission to see inside. People were always extending invitations and more than willing to show us parts of the house graced with particular beauty or significance. Only once were the men in our party denied entry and only the women allowed to enter, in deference to the modesty of the women of the house. It was with great reluctance that we were drawn away from the friendly people of Tetouan to drive off to Chaouen, also called Chefchaouen.
Now, let me emphasise that this a road that must be taken during the day; the scenery is not to be missed. Those who want to take great pictures of this scenic town nestled in the Oued Laou Valley, are advised to walk up the narrow streets lined with houses painted in a light blue -- inhabitants use a special paint called neela, which we were told keeps the bugs out of the walls -- and climb up one of the green mountains that surround the town before sunset. The walk will also lead to a waterfall, where local women can be seen doing the day's laundry.
The town features an anthropological museum where we were entertained by Moroccan belly dancers, and, of course, more mint tea. It is noteworthy that both Tetouan and Chefchaouen, like many other towns on the Museums without Frontiers itinerary, have had little exposure to tourism. The effect, for now, is very favourable, as people are intrigued by visitors and are hospitable and inviting. However, one has to wonder about how an influx of tourists would affect their lives and eventually their attitudes toward strangers.
Not that the changes are expected to happen quickly. As pointed out to me by project officials in both Turkey and Portugal, tourism activation resulting from the project is still to come. Some voice the opinion that Museums without Frontiers is a project whose touristic value will only start to pay off after all of the local projects are complete and functional. Until then, do not miss the opportunity to follow in my own footsteps and sample the pristine beauty of Morocco; off the beaten track and down the trails of history.
