Catch Moroccan Arabic jokes you
might otherwise miss with Humour
and Moroccan Culture , a trea-sury of
Moroccan wit in translation, collected
by American expat Mathew Helmke.always tries to read her IMs.
By now she should have Facebook responses from her cousins in France; her uncle in
France is financing her education. Amina studies hard, and hopes to work in the Moroccan
government like her dad – maybe even the foreign service, though she’s never been outside
Morocco, and rarely gets a chance to leave their suburb of Rabat. But she’s hooked on world
news, keeping up in French, Arabic and English through the internet and watching satellite TV
with her Rabati cousins.
Tonight she’ll organise plans for the weekend, maybe going out to a restaurant with a big
group of friends. Amina doesn’t drink alcohol personally, but some people she knows do, and
she doesn’t judge them for it. As far as dating goes, she met a guy in an internet chat room a
while back, but that was nothing serious. She’s not ready to settle down yet – there’s too much
else to do first.
MOROCCAN SOCIAL GRACES
Many visitors are surprised at how quickly friendships can be formed in Morocco, and often a little suspicious. True, carpet-
sellers aren’t necessarily after your friendship when they offer you tea, and an unexpected introduction to your new Moroccan
friend’s single cousin can be awkward. If you find yourself in these situations, just claim an obligation elsewhere, smile, and
leave – no hard feelings.
But notice how Moroccans behave with one another, and you’ll see that friendly overtures are more than a mere contrivance.
People you meet in passing are likely to remember you and greet you warmly the next day, and it’s considered polite to stop
and ask how they’re doing. Greetings among friends can last 10 minutes in Morocco, as each person enquires after the
other’s happiness, well-being and family.
Moroccans are generous with their time, and extend courtesies that might seem to you like impositions, from walking you to
your next destination to inviting you home for lunch. (At the risk of stating the obvious, anyone who suddenly demands payment
for services rendered is not your friend). To show your appreciation, stop by the next day to say hello, and be sure to
compliment the cook.Social Norms
Family Values
As different as Driss, Fatima, Rashid and Amina may seem, they all show a profound
attachment to family. While they each have ambitions and ideas of their own, their aspirations
are tied in some way to family – a much-admired trait in Morocco.
Even major status symbols (like Driss’ motor scooter and the
satellite TV at Amina’s house) are valued less as prized
possessions than as commodities benefiting the family as a
whole. This is beginning to change, as the emerging middle
class Driss represents moves out of large family homes and
into smaller apartments in the suburbs, where common
property is not such a given. But family connections remain
paramount in Morocco, and remittances from Moroccans living
abroad to family back home represent as much as 20% of GDP.
Since family is a focal point for Moroccans, expect related